The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

The e-commerce provider owned by Sebas Bastian and his partners has confirmed its expansion into freight forwarding services via a sales tax-free US address.

Aeropost, in a statement, said it has officially launched its Aeropost Courier arm, known as Click to Collect, that will offer the freight forwarding services. It will allow Bahamian shoppers to ship goods acquired from US online stores as well as Aerospace’s online marketplace.

Among the benefits that Bahamian shoppers can now enjoy, Aeropost said that besides its sales tax-free US address it will also provide weight-based shipping; advanced order tracking; a simplified returns process; secure transactions; multiple payment options, including Visa, Mastercard, American Express and PayPal; and a ClickBox smart parcel locker pick-up at more than 20-plus locations, including 24-hour package pick-up at all Esso locations.

Sebastian Bastian, Aeropost’s executive chairman, explained: “What’s going to make Aeropost unique in this offering, and what our niche is going to be, is Aeropost is one of four companies in the state of Florida that has its own zip code and that zip code is a tax-free zip code.

“So, when you are issued an Aeropost US address to make your purchases and subsequently have them shipped to The Bahamas on behalf of us, the sites that you shop on would not even charge you tax because it’s a tax-free zip code.”

Gershan A. Major, chief executive of Click to Collect Company, and in-country general manager for Aeropost Bahamas, said: “We are extremely excited to extend our business offering beyond our Aeropost Marketplace with the launch of our Click to Collect courier service.

“Our personal and commercial customers have been asking for the ability to broaden their shopping and shipping experience with us. We have listened and we have executed.” Aeropost Courier has been in existence since 1986, distributing some 40,000 packages per week.

Its Bahamian unit operates two hub locations - one on Carmichael Road and another on Thompson Boulevard. Smart parcel lockers are conveniently-placed throughout Nassau, including at Boyd Road, Cable Beach, Carmichael Road, Charles Saunders Highway, Mall at Marathon, Robinson Road and Wulff Rd and East Street, to give persons more convenience in picking up their shipments.

These lockers are also available at eight Esso service station locations: Faith Avenue, Oakes Field Road, South Beach, East Street and Soldier Road, Village Road, Mackey Street, Blue Hill Road, East Bay Street and Fox Hill Road. In August 2023, Aeropost Bahamas added a ClickBox smart locker location at the University of The Bahamas’ Oakes Field Campus.

Aeropost was acquired in 2021 by Click Partners, a group of e-commerce and operations investors co-founded by Mr Bastian. The regional e-commerce and cross-border logistics provider added that it has a presence in more than 38 countries and territories throughout The Caribbean, Central and Latin America, with The Bahamas becoming the latest addition to its roster in November 2021.

Aeropost said it offers a dual shopping function. This includes an extensive online catalogue of more than two million items to browse and shop, and which is now available in The Bahamas, plus a traditional courier service which provides clients with their own Miami PO Box address to ship orders from US online retailers.