Something strange happens when you shop online from The Bahamas.

You see the prices for the items you want.
$100 for sneakers. $800 for a laptop. $45 for a blender.

You add to cart. Click purchase.
Ship it to your courier, Go Postal, Blue Postal, Mr. Ship It, or another, at a warehouse in Miami. To your suite number. Then you wait.

“Your package has arrived. We’ll send the final bill shortly.”
And this is when the guessing begins. Will you be able to afford it? Is the clearing going to be double the item cost?

Nobody really knows.
How much is customs? Did the freight forwarder classify it right? Did they add VAT and import VAT? You don’t know. Sometimes not even the freight forwarder knows.

The final bill arrives. The horror.
That $800 laptop is now $1,000. That $45 blender, $95. Those $100 sneakers, $140. You don’t know whether to cuss, cry, or tell the freight forwarder to keep it. “I should’ve bought this locally, or waited until I’m next in Miami.” You’d have been way ahead. A lot of extra cash in your pocket.