Argentina has tightened the rules for shoppers ordering goods from foreign e-commerce platforms like Shein, Temu, and AliExpress. The National Revenue and Customs Agency (ARCA) has set limits: a maximum of five international postal shipments per year, no more than three identical items per purchase, with each package weighing no more than 50 kg and valued at no more than US$ 3,000. Items valued over US$ 400 are subject to import duties and a statistical tax. To bypass the purchase limit, some Argentines use the personal information of relatives, which is legal as long as the goods are for personal use and not for resale. Meanwhile, politicians such as Deputy Miguel Pichetto have proposed a 30% tariff on all goods entering the country through foreign platforms to protect domestic producers from dumping and aggressive competition. The processing time for an order is 1 to 3 days, while delivery can take over a month. The cost of shipping to Argentina is AR$ 35,000 for purchases under AR$ 56,051, and it is free for larger orders. These changes, which allowed private couriers to deliver goods worth up to US$ 3,000, have significantly improved access to foreign products and led to a surge in the volume of international shipments. Some private couriers handle customs clearance for the shipments themselves, while in other cases, the buyer must complete a prior declaration process with ARCA.
