Frequently asked questions about trading with Ecuador

FOB and CIF are Incoterms for sea freight. Under FOB the seller delivers the goods on board the vessel at the port of shipment and the buyer pays freight and insurance from there; under CIF the seller also contracts freight and minimum insurance to the destination port, although risk still passes to the buyer at loading. In Ecuador duties are calculated on the CIF value even if you buy FOB; for air cargo or multimodal containers, the equivalents are FCA and CIP.

A safeguard is a temporary measure that adds a surcharge or limits imports of certain products to protect domestic production; in Ecuador it is adopted by COMEX resolution. It only applies to the tariff lines and origins the resolution names and while it is in force. Before calculating, check whether your tariff line is covered: ATLAS checks the records available, but it does not replace that review.

There is no single rate: freight from China depends on chargeable weight, volume, mode, ports, season and the origin and destination charges included. Ocean rates change often, which is why every freight quote carries a validity date. Use the calculator for a dated reference estimate and ask the team for a quote with route and conditions.

ICE, Ecuador's special consumption tax, applies to specific goods defined by law, such as vehicles, alcoholic beverages, cigarettes and perfumes, among others, with percentage or specific rates depending on the item. It is not assigned by guesswork: it depends on the exact category and the product data sheet. When a case involves ICE, the calculator sends it to the team for review instead of estimating it.

Paying a foreign supplier can trigger Ecuador's currency outflow tax (ISD), depending on the amount, the payment method and the exemptions in force. Under the Terms, ISD and bank fees are client costs and are identified in the quote. Check with your accountant whether your operation qualifies for an exemption or credit.

Volumetric weight is the weight a carrier charges based on the space the cargo takes up, and you pay the greater of that figure and the actual weight. For air freight the usual convention multiplies length, width and height in centimeters and divides by 6,000; courier companies usually divide by 5,000. Consolidated ocean freight is charged on the greater of cubic meters and metric tons.

Yes: with consolidated cargo (LCL) you only pay for the volume or weight your goods take up in a shared container. It suits small volumes, but it adds waiting time at origin and deconsolidation charges at destination. As your volume grows, always compare the LCL cost with a full container before deciding.

Air freight suits urgent, light or high-value-per-kilo cargo; ocean freight suits volume and weight when the timeline allows. Air carriers charge the greater of actual weight and volumetric weight, so bulky, light products get expensive fast. Compare the total landed cost rather than the freight alone, and work out your volumetric weight first.

Ocean cargo arrives through the ports in the Guayaquil area and moves by road to Quito or another city; air cargo can land directly in Quito or Guayaquil. The quote should name the arrival port or airport, the place of clearance and the local delivery. With those three legs clear you can compare the full cost.

You need a RUC, Ecuador's taxpayer number, and an importer registration in ECUAPASS, because the import is declared in your name; that can be a company or an individual with a RUC. Registration requires an active RUC, an electronic signature and a user account on the SENAE portal, and the team guides you through it the first time. A personal courier shipment follows different rules and does not work for goods you plan to resell.

For imports into Ecuador, FOB for sea freight or FCA for air and container cargo usually give you the most control, because you choose freight and insurance and compare costs. EXW makes the buyer handle export clearance at origin, which a foreign buyer often cannot do, and DDP rarely works because the seller would have to declare the import in Ecuador. Ask for the quote to state the Incoterm, its 2020 version and the exact place of delivery.

To import into Ecuador you need, at minimum, a commercial invoice, a transport document (bill of lading, air waybill or road consignment note) and a packing list. Depending on the product, prior-control documents are added and, to claim a tariff preference, a certificate of origin; the insurance policy completes the file. The customs broker confirms the exact list before clearance.

VAT paid on an import can be used as a tax credit if the goods go to a taxable activity and you report it correctly; that is different from a refund, which only applies in the cases the law provides. The Daleki Trade invoice shows VAT separately for your books. Review your case with your accountant before assuming you will recover that amount.

Yes. SENAE offers an advance ruling on tariff classification: you request it through ECUAPASS with the product's technical information, and the answer is binding on customs and on the applicant. It is worth it for new products, multi-function goods or cases with large duty differences between possible headings. Daleki Trade can prepare the technical grounds for the request.

The regime depends on where the goods end up: import for consumption when they stay in the country, temporary admission when they enter for a period to be re-exported or processed, bonded warehousing while they await clearance, and definitive or temporary export when they leave. Each regime has its own requirements and guarantees under the COPCI, Ecuador's production and trade code, and its regulations. Choosing the wrong one can cost you duties you did not owe or penalties.

You pay 50% when you accept the formal quote, which goes to the supplier and international freight, and the remaining 50% before customs clearance, which covers duties and taxes, the customs broker, local delivery and the balance of the commission. Every payment goes to D-Legacy SAS corporate accounts. Daleki Trade does not advance capital or offer financing, and an ATLAS estimate does not replace the formal quote.

For managed imports the commission ranges from 8% to 15% of the FOB value, depending on the volume and complexity of the order; for exports, from 5% to 10% of the FOB exported. Supplier validation has a fee starting at USD 300 and customs advisory is billed by the hour or by the case. The exact figure is set in the formal quote: ATLAS and the calculator do not include the commission.

You can pay from an account in the name of whoever contracts the service, your company or you as an individual, and always into the D-Legacy SAS corporate accounts the team gives you in writing. Never deposit to an individual on behalf of Daleki Trade: if someone asks you to, verify it first through the official WhatsApp or email. The site does not process card payments.

ATLAS suggests a tariff line by matching recorded codes against the product description, material and function. It is guidance, not an official classification: the customs broker must confirm it before filing. If there is real doubt between headings, you can ask SENAE for an advance classification ruling.

ATLAS answers within the same conversation once it has the product, origin, weight and destination. The result is a reference estimate with the date of its parameters, and usage is limited to prevent abuse. The team issues the formal quote after reviewing the case.

ATLAS is free and does not ask for registration or a card. It helps you understand an operation and prepare a reference estimate, with usage limits to prevent abuse. Daleki Trade's professional services are quoted separately.

No. The figures from ATLAS and the calculator are reference estimates with the date of their parameters and the detail of each component. The only binding offer is the formal quote the team issues, and the customs broker confirms the requirements for the declaration.

You can attach a photo for context, but an image does not prove material, composition, weight or tariff classification. For a useful tariff suggestion, add the data sheet, dimensions and intended use. ATLAS does not open or verify supplier links you paste into the conversation.

To export from Ecuador you need a RUC, an electronic signature and an exporter registration in ECUAPASS; with those, the Export Customs Declaration (DAE) is filed. Depending on the product, the destination may require certificates: a phytosanitary certificate from AGROCALIDAD for plant products, sanitary certificates for food and seafood, and a certificate of origin to claim the tariff preference. The buyer and the agreed Incoterm define the remaining documents.

The DAE is the electronic declaration that formalizes an export in ECUAPASS. It is filed before shipment, the cargo enters the primary customs zone while the declaration is valid, SENAE assigns an inspection channel and, after loading, the DAE is regularized with the final transport document within the deadline SENAE sets. If it is not regularized on time, the system blocks new exports until it is fixed.

The certificate of origin proves your product meets the rules of origin of a trade agreement and gives it access to the tariff preference at destination. It is processed in ECUAPASS through the Ecuadorian Single Window, based on the product's sworn declaration of origin, and issued by the Ministry of Production or an authorized entity. Some agreements accept other proofs of origin, so confirm which one your buyer needs before shipping.

Drawback refunds foreign trade duties to exporters who incorporate imported inputs into the exported product, with requirements and amounts set by the rules in force. Not every product or operation qualifies, and the request is filed with SENAE after exporting. Daleki Trade reviews eligibility and prepares the file, without guaranteeing amounts or refund dates.

When exporting from Ecuador, FOB or FCA are the most common: you deliver the goods cleared for export at the port or to the buyer's carrier, and the buyer takes on the main freight. CIF or CIP let you control freight and insurance when the buyer asks for it, although risk still passes to the buyer at origin. Avoid DDP unless you have a partner at destination who can declare the import there.

Some goods are prohibited and others can only be imported with a prior-control document, which is checked by tariff line before you buy. Depending on the product, ARCSA (food, cosmetics and medicines), AGROCALIDAD (plant and animal products), INEN (products under a technical regulation), ARCOTEL (telecom equipment) or the ANT (vehicles) gets involved. Most of these documents are processed through the Ecuadorian Single Window in ECUAPASS, and it pays to have them before shipment.

Alibaba is built for foreign buyers and 1688 for the domestic Chinese wholesale market. 1688 often shows lower prices, but it runs in Chinese, charges in yuan and many sellers do not export, so you need an agent at origin. Compare the full cost and the contractual protection, beyond the list price.

SENAE assigns every declaration an inspection channel based on its risk profile: automatic, electronic, documentary or physical. A documentary review checks the paperwork, while a physical one opens and examines the goods, which adds days to clearance. The customs broker handles the review and observations are answered with supporting evidence; storage costs during inspection are reviewed under the quote and the Terms, and nobody can guarantee a fixed release date.

Document the damage or discrepancy when you receive the cargo, with photos and a note on the delivery receipt, and tell the team right away. Transit damage is claimed against the cargo insurance within the policy deadlines; a supplier error is claimed under the purchase contract. No refund or compensation can be promised before the evidence and those terms are reviewed.

Daleki Trade coordinates imports from China, the United States, Panama, Peru, Mexico and Europe, and reviews other origins case by case. A route in the calculator does not mean we have an office in that country: we work with local partners and operators. The formal quote states who handles each leg of your operation.

Daleki Trade does not run its own warehouse: if you need temporary storage or distribution, we arrange it with an operator and include its cost in the quote. Tell us the volume, city and duration to confirm availability. Do not assume freight includes storage or fulfillment.

Validation confirms, before you pay, that the supplier exists, is licensed and can fulfill your order: we review the business license, capacity, references, reputation and certifications, and compare three to five factories within the agreed scope. When the quote includes it, a virtual or on-site visit is added. Price, timeline and deliverables are agreed in writing, and no review removes all risk.

Panama, and the Colón Free Trade Zone in particular, lets you buy inventory already available in the region, in smaller lots and with short transit times to Ecuador. Buying there does not change where the goods were made: duties and preferences depend on the country of manufacture. Compare price, documents and timing with buying directly from the factory.

You can follow the cargo with the container number, bill of lading or air waybill on the carrier's system, and the team updates you on clearance milestones. The site does not have its own tracking portal for clients. Update channels and frequency are agreed when the operation starts.

We work in Spanish and English, and the site is complete in both languages. ATLAS starts in the page language and can answer in the language of your question. The documentation for each operation is agreed in the language you need.

Start with three things: describe the product well (material, use and data sheet), set the quantity and origin, and confirm you have a RUC and an ECUAPASS registration. With that, ATLAS or the calculator gives you a reference estimate and the team reviews the tariff code, permits and logistics to issue the formal quote. The operation starts only when you accept the quote and make the first payment.