Amazon, AliExpress and Canary Customs — Online Shopping Guide
Online ordering to the Canaries: Amazon, AliExpress, Otto — customs costs, common delivery problems, solutions.
Online shopping to the Canary Islands is possible — but big players like Amazon, AliExpress, Otto, Zalando, MediaMarkt and Mercadona often handle Canary shipments differently from EU mainland. Higher shipping costs, longer delivery, customs fees and carrier handling — all need to be planned. This guide shows what to watch when online ordering to the Canaries and which delivery problems are common.
Amazon Canary customs — what happens?
Amazon is one of the most-used shops for Canary orders. But many Amazon features work limited on the islands:
What works
- Amazon.de delivers without issue
- Amazon.es delivers with longer wait
- Orders under €150 are H7-eligible
- Prime membership also usable on Canaries (videos, music)
What doesn't work
- Amazon Prime "1-day shipping" not guaranteed
- Many Marketplace sellers exclude Canary addresses
- Amazon Locker etc. don't exist on the islands
- "Same Day Delivery" doesn't exist
- Some books ship standard only
Tips for Amazon to Canaries
- At checkout, verify Canary delivery is supported
- Avoid Marketplace sellers if possible
- Bundle items to save carrier fees
- For €100+ orders: wait for confirmation before next order — €150 limit
- Address check: postal code 35xxx or 38xxx must be correct
What customs cost on Amazon orders
Example: €80 Amazon.de order:
- Goods: €80
- Shipping: €5
- IGIC 7%: €5.95
- DHL handling: €18
- Total: €108.95 — 36% surcharge
Tip: first H7 free → save €18 carrier fee.
AliExpress Canary customs
AliExpress is the biggest platform for third-country (China) imports. Extra complications:
AliExpress specifics
- Delivery time: 4–8 weeks (vs 2–3 weeks to mainland)
- High carrier fees with UPS/DHL — sometimes 100% surcharge on small items
- IOSS (Import One-Stop Shop): seller IOSS-registered + shipment <€150 → IGIC paid at order → faster clearance
- Without IOSS: H7 mandatory + carrier fee
AliExpress: IOSS or standard?
| IOSS seller | Standard seller | |
|---|---|---|
| IGIC | At order time | At delivery |
| Processing | Fast 1–3 days | Slower 5–10 days |
| Carrier fee | Lower | Higher |
| Recommendation | Prefer! | Avoid |
AliExpress tips
- Filter IOSS sellers: often labeled "Free Customs Clearance" or "Standard Shipping"
- Express for urgent orders, but higher carrier fees
- Small orders (under €30): often not worth it — carrier fee disproportional
- Third-country status (China): some goods need DUA
Otto, Zalando, MediaMarkt — standard shops
Otto
- Delivers via standard carriers
- 5–10 working days
- Higher shipping than mainland
- Classic B2C → H7-eligible
Zalando
- Canary delivery available
- But: returns are expensive (you pay shipping)
- Shipping cost up to €15
- B2C, so H7
MediaMarkt / Saturn
- External carriers
- Larger items (TVs etc.) often unavailable
- Verify before ordering
Mercadona
- Spanish supermarket — Canaries usually local-only assortment
- Online to islands unusual
Online ordering to Canaries — tips
1. Verify shipping address
Some shops have "Spain" as one field → Canaries not recognized. Check:- Postal code 35xxx or 38xxx
- Island as province
- Country code "ES" with "Canarias"
2. Bundle instead of single
5 separate €20 orders → one €100 bundle → save up to €100 carrier fees.3. Prefer IOSS sellers
With IOSS sellers, IGIC is paid at order → fast clearance, often lower fee.4. Keep value under €150
H7 instead of DUA → €80–150 less processing.5. Pre-calculate before ordering
€25 item looks cheap → with shipping and handling it becomes €50–60 → maybe not worth it.Delivery to Canaries — common problems
Problem 1: Lost shipment
- Wrong address
- Recipient not reachable
- Customs documents missing
Problem 2: High handling fees
Carriers sometimes charge €60+ on a €30 order.Solution: decline UPS Brokerage, file H7 yourself.
Problem 3: Seller refuses after payment
Sellers cancel after payment because Canary shipping is too complex.Solution: charge back via PayPal/credit card.
Problem 4: Wrong postal-code recognition
Shops sometimes don't check 38xxx → order calculated with VAT instead of IGIC.Solution: contact shop before ordering.
Problem 5: Customs declaration missing
Parcel arrives but carrier didn't file H7.Solution: self-file H7 via ImportCanariasFacil.
What does customs cost on Canary online shopping?
Quick calculator for typical orders:
| Order | IGIC 7% | Carrier | Total | Surcharge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| €30 | €2.10 | €8 (Correos) | €40.10 | +33% |
| €80 | €5.60 | €18 (DHL) | €103.60 | +30% |
| €145 | €10.15 | €25 (DHL) | €180.15 | +24% |
| €250 | €17.50 | €100 (DUA) | €367.50 | +47% |
Saving hierarchy
- Choose IOSS sellers (e.g. AliExpress with IOSS)
- Bundle orders instead of separate
- Self-H7 instead of carrier (€8.95 vs €25–60)
- Correos instead of UPS (€5–12 vs €30–60)
- Goods <€150 (H7 instead of DUA)
What Import Canarias Facil does — and what you do
Import Canarias Facil is not a customs broker. We are a guided online tool that helps you fill out the H7 form (invoice OCR, validation, PDF download). We explain step by step what to do as the recipient of a parcel ≤ €150 — whether your shipment is C2C (gift from a private sender) or B2C (Amazon, AliExpress, online shops).
What we do:
- Guided workflow for the H7 form with OCR recognition of your invoice
- PDF export of the completed form
- Step-by-step instructions for the next actions (carrier submission, payment, release)
What you as the parcel recipient do:
- Submit the completed H7 PDF to your carrier (DHL, Correos, FedEx, UPS, etc.) or upload it via the AEAT portal
- Pay IGIC (7% on goods + shipping) + carrier handling fee
- Obtain customs clearance and arrange final delivery
Communication with logistics companies and customs authorities stays between you and them. We do not act on your behalf.
Related articles
FAQ
Does Amazon deliver to the Canaries?
Yes, Amazon.de and Amazon.es. Some Marketplace sellers don't.
What does AliExpress shipping cost to the Canaries?
Shipping €5–15 plus IGIC 7% + carrier fee. With IOSS sellers often included.
Which online shops deliver well to the Canaries?
Amazon.de, Amazon.es, Otto, Zalando (with expensive returns), MediaMarkt (limited), AliExpress (with IOSS).
Common delivery problems?
Customs declaration missing, high carrier fees, long delivery time, sellers excluding Canaries.
When is online shopping worth it?
Bundle orders from ~€50 goods value. Small single orders → carrier fees disproportionate.
Create H7 for your online order →
Practical example 1: Tenerife student orders a textbook
Maria, a student in La Laguna, orders a specialist book on Amazon.de for €65 (€8 shipping). She is surprised that during checkout the note "Delivery may be delayed" appears. A week later DHL emails her: "Parcel at customs, action required."
What happens in detail:
- Customs is waiting for the H7 form (value below €150 → simplified version)
- Maria has to pay IGIC: 7% of €73 = €5.11
- DHL offers self-clearance handling for €18
Maria has two options:
- Option A: DHL handles it → final price: 65 + 8 + 5.11 + 18 = €96.11
- Option B: H7 self-filed via ImportCanariasFacil → final price: 65 + 8 + 5.11 + 0 (first form free) = €78.11
Saving: €18. For future orders she pays €8.95 per H7 — still cheaper than the carrier handling fee.
Practical example 2: Hamburg family sends a gift to grandparents on Lanzarote
Bea and Klaus from Hamburg send a box with family photos, a book and chocolate to grandma's 80th birthday — estimated total value €45. They use DHL Standard.
What happens with the shipment?
- Reaches customs on Lanzarote
- Carrier contacts the grandparents: C2C shipment, value declaration needed
- Grandma (86) is overwhelmed by the customs portal
Solution: her grandson Diego (lives on Tenerife) takes over:
- Logs into ImportCanariasFacil
- Selects C2C workflow
- Enters estimated value €45
- Ticks "no invoice available"
- IGIC: 7% on €45 = €3.15
- H7 PDF generated in 5 minutes
- Grandma pays €3.15 online → parcel released within 24 hours
Lesson: even C2C shipments need an H7. With help from a digitally-savvy family member, it's manageable.
Deep-dive: How exactly is IGIC calculated?
IGIC stands for "Impuesto General Indirecto Canario" — the Canary VAT. It has multiple rates:
| Rate | Application | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 0% | Basic foods, some books | Bread, water, certain books |
| 3% | Reduced rate | Newspapers, audiobooks, some foods |
| 7% | Standard rate | Most consumer goods |
| 9.5% | Increased rate | Jewelry, furs |
| 13.5% | Special rate | Tobacco (in addition to AIEM) |
| 20% | Luxury rate | Very rare, hardly used |
What is the difference vs. IVA on the mainland?
IVA (Impuesto sobre el Valor Añadido) is the Spanish VAT on the mainland with rates of 4%, 10% and 21%. The Canary IGIC completely replaces it.
Advantage for consumers in the Canaries: usually lower taxes than on the mainland (7% vs 21%). Disadvantage: a customs barrier that complicates online shopping from the mainland.
What is AIEM?
AIEM (Arbitrio sobre Importaciones y Entregas de Mercancías en las Islas Canarias) is a special tax on the Canaries. It protects the local industry by making imported competing products more expensive. Areas of application:
- Tobacco: up to 25%
- Alcoholic beverages (spirits, some wines): up to 25%
- Some construction materials: 5–15%
- Specific electronics: 0–10%
Practical tips for regular island shoppers
If you frequently receive parcels in the Canaries:
- Apply for an EORI number — free, simplifies future DUA shipments
- Get an NIE in time — at the police or Spanish consulate
- Find preferred senders — some online shops ship without issues, others refuse
- Plan combined orders — one larger order every 2–3 months
- ImportCanariasFacil subscription (€48.95/month) pays off from ~6 shipments/month
What to do in disputes?
If customs rejects your declaration or charges higher rates than expected:
- Written appeal to the Aduana (within 30 days)
- Consult a tax advisor (cost €80–200)
- Contact Canary consumer protection (OMIC) for carrier issues
- Online forum for Canary residents (e.g., Tenerife forum) — many have similar experiences
Frequently asked questions — extended
Are there allowances for personal shipments?
Yes. Personal shipments under €22 value are usually IGIC-free, but the customs declaration is still mandatory. That is the smallest threshold.
How do Lanzarote and Tenerife differ in customs?
Functionally identical. The main customs offices are in Las Palmas (for the eastern islands) and Santa Cruz de Tenerife (for the western islands). Shipments are usually routed to the nearest customs office.
Can I have parcels sent to a friend who handles the customs declaration?
In theory yes. In practice, the NIF/NIE of the declared recipient is used. If your friend clears it, their NIE goes on the H7.
What if I live in the Canaries but have no NIE?
Then you need one before you can receive parcels from the mainland. Apply at the Spanish police (Extranjería).
Do Brexit rules apply?
Yes. Shipments from the UK have been treated as third-country imports since 2021 → DUA-required from €150, customs duties 0–17%, higher carrier fees.