Much has been written on this subject, and some of it even from people who have actually had containers shipped to Ecuador. It is a process that is minefield for the inexperienced, which includes almost everyone moving to Ecuador.
In my past life, I was for about 8 years an international headhunter and moved people all over the world. Here is how it works. I would contract with a local mover who has international experience. I usually chose Allied Van Lines International Division because they have more international moving experience than anybody else. The US government uses them to move military families.
Allied will supply all the paperwork that you need to make an accurate inventory of what is in EVERY box. They will come to your home, and based on what you tell them you want to be shipped, they will give you an estimate door to door. Keep in mind that the estimate is based on weight and distance. And it will be the total cost door to door. Once your stuff is all packed in the container, it will be weighed. Then it will either be stored if need be or trucked to the nearest port. Then Allied will contract with a local broker to receive your container, and Sheppard it through customs to your new home.
People who come to Ecuador and then contact a local moving broker are doing things in the wrong order and they will pay more to have their stuff moved. What happens is the local broker will contact a local moving company in the US or Canada like Allied and request an estimate. Once the local broker has the estimate, they will mark it up sometimes 30%, whatever they think they can get away with. It is astonishing to me how people who are usually good at buying goods or services all their lives, get taken by moving brokers because they are so excited about moving to Ecuador, their common sense goes out the window. Sometimes they will pay double what it should cost.
The local brokers usually forget to tell you that before your goods can leave the US. Since 2009 you have to have a personal EIN number from the IRS. Go to this link: http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/Apply-for-an-Employer-Identification-Number-(EIN)-Online Scroll to the bottom and click on the link: APPLY ONLINE NOW. Then just follow the instructions and your will get your EIN number immediately. If you send me a private message I will send you the instructions in a PDF file.
In my past life, I was for about 8 years an international headhunter and moved people all over the world. Here is how it works. I would contract with a local mover who has international experience. I usually chose Allied Van Lines International Division because they have more international moving experience than anybody else. The US government uses them to move military families.
Allied will supply all the paperwork that you need to make an accurate inventory of what is in EVERY box. They will come to your home, and based on what you tell them you want to be shipped, they will give you an estimate door to door. Keep in mind that the estimate is based on weight and distance. And it will be the total cost door to door. Once your stuff is all packed in the container, it will be weighed. Then it will either be stored if need be or trucked to the nearest port. Then Allied will contract with a local broker to receive your container, and Sheppard it through customs to your new home.
People who come to Ecuador and then contact a local moving broker are doing things in the wrong order and they will pay more to have their stuff moved. What happens is the local broker will contact a local moving company in the US or Canada like Allied and request an estimate. Once the local broker has the estimate, they will mark it up sometimes 30%, whatever they think they can get away with. It is astonishing to me how people who are usually good at buying goods or services all their lives, get taken by moving brokers because they are so excited about moving to Ecuador, their common sense goes out the window. Sometimes they will pay double what it should cost.
The local brokers usually forget to tell you that before your goods can leave the US. Since 2009 you have to have a personal EIN number from the IRS. Go to this link: http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/Apply-for-an-Employer-Identification-Number-(EIN)-Online Scroll to the bottom and click on the link: APPLY ONLINE NOW. Then just follow the instructions and your will get your EIN number immediately. If you send me a private message I will send you the instructions in a PDF file.
