As a US-based business, you might have considered shipping your products to customers in Mexico. With a land border to the south and NAFTA allowing for free trade across both countries, ecommerce businesses can benefit greatly from selling their products internationally to customers in Mexico. 

In this guide, we’ll go over the rules, rates, shipping options, and services that will help you begin shipping your products to Mexico — whether you want to do it yourself or partner with a third-party logistics (3PL) company to have them pack and ship your orders.

U.S. carriers who ship to Mexico

There are many carriers who offer shipping services to Mexico. In this guide, we’ll cover the top four carriers: USPS, UPS, FedEx, and DHL. Below we break down the differences in service levels for shipping to Mexico, including price and transit times for the carriers. 

Note: These are general options for consumers shipping orders. To know what ShipBob offers when shipping to other countries like Mexico, please request a quote here.

ShipBob’s exact rates for customers will vary as we charge an all-in ‘total fulfillment cost’ that includes picking, packing, and shipping, among other factors. 

	Service	Price*	Delivery Time
USPS	Priority Mail Express International	$64.25	3-5 business days
USPS	Priority Mail International	$35.65	6-10 business days
USPS	First-Class International Service	Depends on postage pricing	11-20 business days
UPS	Worldwide Expedited	$70.39	2-5 business days
UPS	Worldwide Saver	$58.32	6-10 business days
FedEx	International Priority	$71.23	3-5 business days
FedEx	International Economy	$57.43	6-10 business days
DHL	International Express	$75.09	3-6 business days

*Only USPS offers flat rates to ship from the US to Mexico. All other prices were calculated using the respective carrier’s pricing calculators for a 2 kg package in December 2019. Exact prices are subject to change.

1. USPS

USPS can ship to Mexico. They offer flat-rate shipping which is a great way to forecast shipping costs. Like the other carriers, your rates depend on how heavy the package is and the expected delivery time. 

USPS can be cheaper than the other carriers but can also take longer to deliver to Mexico because packages are transferred to the Mexican Postal Service. The transfer time can delay shipments by a few days or even weeks.

USPS pros:

• Flat-rate shipping
• Mostly cheaper than the other carriers
• Ability to transport larger parcels cost-effectively
• No pickup fees

USPS cons:

• Mexican Postal Service transfer can cause delays
• Limited shipping options
• Order tracking options are limited compared to other carriers

[Read more: USPS Mexico Country Conditions]

2. UPS

UPS is a great option for shipping to Mexico because they have a huge logistics network in the US and Mexico. They can pick up packages in the US and deliver them to addresses in Mexico in as little as two days. UPS can also be a more expensive carrier if you’re sending heavier items that weigh more than 10 pounds. 

UPS pros:

• Large presence in the US and Mexico 
• Work with many shipping partners to reduce shipping costs
• Easy-to-use online interface for generating shipping labels
• Ability to transport packages of all sizes

UPS cons:

• Fees can get expensive with heavier packages

3. FedEx

Like UPS, FedEx is a great option for shipping to Mexico. Because the competition between UPS and FedEx is so tight, ecommerce businesses benefit from competition. They can pick up packages in the US and deliver them to addresses in Mexico in as little as two days. FedEx is usually more expensive than USPS and offers competitive pricing with UPS and DHL. 

FedEx pros:

• Large US presence makes picking up or dropping off packages easy
• Many shipping partners to reduce shipping costs
• Easy-to-use online interface for generating shipping labels
• Ability to transport packages of all sizes

FedEx cons:

• Fees can get expensive with heavier packages

4. DHL

DHL is one of the top international shipping companies. There are many benefits to using DHL for packages shipped via air or sea. But ground delivery tends to be a little slower when compared to UPS or FedEx. 

DHL pros:

• Significant international presence in about 220 nations and territories 
• Efficient air and sea delivery services
• Ability to transport larger parcels cost-effectively
• No pickup fees

DHL cons:

• Limited US presence makes dropping off packages more time-consuming
• Generally higher shipping costs
• Typically more surcharges compared to other carriers

IVA and other fees

Even with NAFTA, there are still fees applied to shipments from the US to Mexico. Specifically, the IVA and IEPS are what you need to be aware of when shipping to Mexico. 

IVA (value-added tax)

The Value Added Tax is locally known as IVA in Mexico. There is a 16% IVA for all foreign products entering the country. 

IEPS (special products)

Products such as tobacco, food, drugs, and other specialty services are subject to a specific IEPS which is designated on arrival. 

Customs, handling times, and delays

Like shipping internationally anywhere, you may run into a few other things that differ in Mexico than in the US. 

Customs delays

Like most international countries, your shipments have to go through customs before they can make their way to their destination. Sometimes it may take up to a few weeks for customs to process a package!

Handling times

Handling times differ carrier-to-carrier. UPS and FedEx generally move quicker. USPS has to transfer packages to the Mexican Postal Service, so it may take longer to deliver.

Local holidays

Make sure you check ahead of time to see if there are any local Mexico national holidays happening during the time of shipment. 

Wide geographic area and lack of infrastructure

Mexico has a wide geographic area which can make shipments to remote areas difficult. Some small towns in Mexico lack the infrastructure for fast delivery. Big cities like Mexico City, Guadalajara and Tijuana will not have this problem. 

ShipBob is experienced in shipping to Mexico

If you need help with shipping to Mexico, consider working with ShipBob to make shipping to Mexico easier. Plus, you can offer your products to even more customers!

At ShipBob, we store your inventory, fulfill your ecommerce orders as they come in, offer shipping discounts, provide easier infrastructure for customs forms and taxes, and connect you with other international partners as you expand into other countries.

With ShipBob handling fulfillment logistics for packages going to Mexico, you can rest easy knowing your products are being delivered to your customers. 

Here’s why the fastest-growing ecommerce businesses let ShipBob handle shipping to Mexico and everywhere in the US.

Offer shipping to Mexican customers

Shipping to Mexico for the first time means spending a few weeks preparing forms, meeting legal requirements and learning proper shipping procedures. But with ShipBob, we can help you expand your shipping network to Mexico in an easier way.

ShipBob provides expansive shipping services that your in-house may lack the resources to do. We ship orders out from our US warehouses to locations in Mexico, all while providing order updates and tracking numbers. You can view the status of your inventory and orders at any time with our easy to use dashboards and reports.

Save time and money

By teaming up with ShipBob, you eliminate the need to manage warehouses, logistics operations, and hire labor. ShipBob can actually turn logistics and warehousing into a revenue driver because you can increase sales and offer the shipping options, transit times, and delivery speeds that customers in Mexico want. 

You also save time when you outsource fulfillment tasks to ShipBob. Working with ShipBob gives you time back to focus on more strategic initiatives, such as customer service, product development, and marketing.

Leverage industry expertise

Running an ecommerce business isn’t easy. You don’t have the time to become a certified expert in warehousing and logistics. That’s where ShipBob comes in: staffed by ecommerce professionals, we are knowledgeable and up-to-date with the latest industry trends and complexities — so you don’t have to be.

ShipBob also has a vast partner network — including carrier partners, packaging providers, agencies and more — that allows us to constantly optimize and make improvements to warehouses and logistics operations to help drive ecommerce success.

In summary

Shipping to Mexico from the US can be an easy process – especially if you partner with a 3PL like ShipBob. Offering your products to customers in Mexico will help you create a great base as you grow your ecommerce business.
If you need help shipping to Mexico, learn how ShipBob can make the shipping process easier by completing the form below. 

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