You hire talent in Argentina and don't know how to get the equipment to them. It is a more common problem than it seems.
Companies based in the United States, Europe, or other LATAM countries run into the same obstacle when they try to solve it from the outside: importation.
Equipping remote employees in Argentina: Providing hardware - notebooks, monitors, peripherals - to collaborators working from Argentina for a foreign company, without the equipment crossing a customs border. It includes procurement, pre-delivery adjustments, shipping and, at the end of the employment relationship, retrieval and secure erasure of the device. |
The real problem: importing hardware to Argentina
Importing a notebook from abroad involves high costs and unpredictable times. Argentine customs are strict. A shipment can be held for several weeks with no one knowing when it will be released.
The biggest problem is not the amounts. It's that the rules change all the time.
In 2023, the tariff on notebooks suddenly went up. It had been at 0% since 2017 and jumped to a range between 8% and 16%, depending on the weight and characteristics of the equipment.
The effect was immediate: 48 hours after the announcement, the best-selling notebooks on Mercado Libre had risen by an average of 37.5%.
In 2025 and 2026, on the other hand, there were progressive tariff reductions for other electronics categories.
A company planning the onboarding of a collaborator in Argentina three months in advance can reach the day of shipment with a different tax structure. Different from the one they had in mind when they put together the budget.
What happens when a company tries to solve it on its own?
None of these rules are intuitive for an IT or HR team operating from another country. What we usually see are three scenarios.
1. The equipment gets held up in customs
Without a customs broker, without the correct NCM code, without knowing which regime the shipment fits into, the package gets stopped. Nobody has a concrete release date.
2. The company ends up buying twice
When in doubt, they buy local equipment so the employee can start working. And they end up paying for the one that remains stranded in customs, not knowing exactly what to do with it.
3. The total cost exceeds the value of the equipment
Between duties, taxes, and customs broker fees, the cost piles up. Added to that is the time of a collaborator unable to work. The real cost of skipping local purchasing usually exceeds what it would have cost to resolve it from within.
Buying local: taking importation out of the equation
The way to avoid all this is not to improve the import process. It is not to import.
Acquiring the equipment within the country means that the hardware does not cross any borders or become subject to any customs regime.
The challenge that arises: not knowing reliable suppliers in a market that isn't yours, and having to handle delivery logistics without a local presence.
At First Plug, we take care of that. We have our own equipment and operation in Argentina, without intermediaries. We are the only partner for remote companies that manages the entire cycle.
Importing vs. buying locally: quick comparison
Importing from abroad | Buying locally in Argentina | |
|---|---|---|
Delivery time | 3 to 8 weeks, with no guaranteed date | 72 hours from the quote |
Additional cost | Tariff (8%-16%) + taxes + customs broker | No tariffs or customs fees |
Risk of withholding | High: depends on the NCM code and customs criteria | Zero: the equipment never crosses a border |
Manufacturer's warranty | May not apply if the equipment did not enter through an official channel | Official warranty active in the country |
Procedures for the company | Customs broker, customs documentation, tracking of the regime | None: does not require an entity in Argentina |
Budget predictability | Low: tariffs can change between quotation and clearance | High: cost is fixed in the quotation |
How to build a budget with no surprises
Before requesting a quote, it is best to have all the items clear. This checklist applies whether you decide to import or buy locally.
Cost of the equipment. The price of the laptop or device according to the configuration required for the position.
Shipping and logistics. Shipping within the country is not the same as international shipping with multiple legs.
Shipping insurance. Covers loss or damage during transport. Especially relevant for international routes.
Tariffs and taxes, if applicable. Only for imports. Calculate based on the current value of the equipment, not the original purchase price.
Customs broker management. Fixed cost added even if the shipment is not withheld.
Time until the collaborator can work. Translated to cost: the salary of a position without producing during those weeks.
Margin for tariff changes. If the quote was made weeks in advance, tariffs may shift before the actual clearance.
Adjustments prior to delivery (MDM). If the equipment needs to arrive configured, that process adds days that are rarely included in the schedule.
What happens to the warranty if the device is purchased outside Argentina?
The warranty for an imported device has real limits in Argentina. That is the first thing to know.
Apple offers an international warranty in several countries. But the official technical support in Argentina is designed for devices imported through the local distribution channel.
A device purchased abroad may end up without access to under-warranty repair within the country. Or with a much slower process: the device has to be sent back abroad.
A device imported outside of official channels may not be eligible for some local services. It may also be excluded from replacement and renewal programs that do apply to devices purchased in the country.
Buying in the destination country through an official distributor avoids this gray area. The warranty is active from day one, with certified technical support available locally.
Most common mistakes when resolving this without a local partner
There are errors that appear time and again when a company tries to handle equipment without local help. These are the most frequent ones.
Buying without verifying if the provider invoices locally. A provider that does not invoice in the country can complicate expense deduction and generate accounting issues.
Not planning for pre-shipment setup time. If the device requires MDM or pre-installed software, that step adds days that are rarely factored into the schedule.
Underestimating customs times. Setting a start date without room for delays leaves the collaborator without tools from day one.
Having no plan for device offboarding. Without a clear retrieval and secure wipe process, the hardware remains in limbo or tracking is lost.
Coordinating purchase, shipping, and support separately. Working with different providers at each stage multiplies fail points and complicates any claims.
Benefits of equipping with First Plug in Argentina
Real predictability. We quote in 24 hours and deliver in 72 hours to the employee's home. No reliance on tariffs, decrees, or customs times.
Zero legal paperwork. You don't need to set up an entity in Argentina. We coordinate everything from our local operation.
A single point of contact. Acquisition, MDM adjustments prior to delivery, tracked shipping, centralized inventory, and offboarding with secure erasure. All with the same contact person.
Official warranty across the entire fleet. Every device comes with an official manufacturer's warranty. On top of that, we add an extended warranty and accidental damage coverage.
100% original Apple, with certified support. We work with official Apple distributors in Argentina. The Apple line comes with an official warranty and certified technical support.
Return on investment at the end of the useful life. When an employee leaves, there is a BuyBack program that returns part of the hardware investment to the company.
Conclusion
Importing hardware to Argentina is not impossible. But the real cost is rarely in the price of the equipment.
It is in the customs clearance time that no one can promise. In the tariffs that can change between when the quote is given and when it is dispatched. And in the warranty that gets lost along the way.
For most companies hiring one or a few employees in the country, buying locally solves that problem at its root. It doesn't just manage it better.
This is not exclusive to Argentina. Each country in the region has its own customs rules, tariffs, and times. In future guides, we will review how to equip remote employees in Colombia, Brazil, and Mexico.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I import a notebook to Argentina without paying taxes?
Generally, no. Except for specific exemptions with very low value limits, importing electronics into Argentina is subject to tariffs and taxes that vary according to the type of product and its declared value.
How long does it take to import electronics to Argentina today?
There is no fixed timeframe. It depends on the regime, documentation, customs broker, and customs criteria at that moment. In practice, it can take from a few weeks to more than a month, with no guaranteed date.
Is it better to buy in Argentina or import for a single employee?
For a single employee, buying locally is almost always more predictable and more economical in total cost. It avoids tariffs, customs brokers, and the risk of retention. Importing only makes sense for large volumes and with several months of planning.
Does the warranty of equipment purchased abroad apply in Argentina?
It depends on the manufacturer and the purchasing channel. In many cases, the warranty has practical limitations, with official technical support reserved for equipment imported by local distributors. Buying in the destination country avoids this problem.
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