The parcel forwarding companies JetBox, Box Correos and Aeropost reported increases of between 12% and 35% in the number of packages shipped in the last three years.
The boom in Internet shopping has led leading delivery companies to open new delivery points and invest in technology in order to improve the service for end-users.
Increasing competition has forced five major companies sharing the market to diversify their services beyond simple forwarding of packages.
From online shopping and home delivery to options to pay utility bills; these are part of the services for which several companies are in the industry are counting on to maintain competitiveness against their peers in the market of courier services in Costa Rica.
The number of online purchases has dropped since the Treasury placed restrictions on tax exemptions at the end of 2011.
The total number of packets handled by courier companies during the first half of 2013 was 19,313, far from the levels seen in the same period in 2011, when they totaled 26,089, but better than in 2012, when there were 13,879.
The information, provided by the Customs Department, shows the drop in online shopping since the Ministry of Finance changed the legal interpretation of the exemption of such imports in late 2011.
Internet shopping, which had declined after the decision of the Ministry of Finance to charge tariffs on these operations, has regained momentum and grew again by 10%.
An article in Nacion.com reports that "A little less than a year ago, confusion reigned over internet purchases. When "Black Friday " drew near in November 2011, the Ministry of Finance announced that all purchases made using this method and from abroad, would incur tariffs.
In 2006 the state run company Correos de Costa Rica was dying, but an aggressive policy of diversification of services has made it the main competitor in the courier market today.
For the month of August Correos de Costa Rica announced the launch of Box Correos, in direct competition with the specialized companies Aerocasillas, JetBox, DHL, Speed Box and E-Package Express.
With an investment of $1 million the company is opening a 11,000 square meter customs warehouse in Heredia.
The new depot will be used to collect parcels acquired by internet shoppers.
"This facility will house the company's 125 people working in the operations department of the company which has 18 branches and a staff of 400 people.
In a press release, the company announced that it is the first Central American customs warehouse intended for this purpose", writes Sergio Arce for Nacion.com
Courier companies project a growth of 35% in packages shipped by the end of year compared to 2010.
Jonathan Beltran, Aerocasillas’ marketing manager, said the company recorded an average flow of 4,000 packages per month between January and October (considered low season) and for the months of November and December (considered high season) , they project an average of 8,000 per month.
The most sought for articles are technology items, among them computers, mobile phones and music players.
Jonathan Beltrán, customer service manager at Aerocasillas, remarked that purchases have increased 200% in the past three months.
Randall Chaverri, marketing manager at TransExpress, said in an Elsalvador.com article that "we currently have 35.000 customers in El Salvador who confidently make many internet transactions".
From January to June, packages brought in by courier companies increased 20% when compared to the same period of 2008.
In the first half of 2009, some 50.000 people made Internet purchases. The most popular items were MP3 music players, computers, and mobile phones.
Hassel Fallas writes in the Nacion web site: "Most online purchases are brought into the country by two companies: Aerocasillas (40.000 members) and JetBox (10.000) ...
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