Import It or Buy It Locally?
By George · updated 2026-10-08 · worked examples checked against the Bahamas Tariff Act (schedule version 2026-2027)
Amazon is often cheaper than shopping locally, but not always, and the difference is easy to misjudge. This is a quick way to check a particular item.
The break-even test
Buying locally is cheaper when:
local price < (US price × duty multiplier) + freight
The multiplier includes duty, the 1% processing fee and VAT on top of both. It's 1.1 × (1.01 + duty rate):
- 0% duty: multiply by 1.11 (laptops, monitors, printers, headphones, cameras, books, medicine, baby gear, LED lighting, cement, solar)
- 10% duty: multiply by 1.22 (smartphones, batteries)
- 20% duty: multiply by 1.33 (clothing, shoes, toys, cosmetics)
- 25% duty: multiply by 1.39 (furniture, hand tools)
- 35% duty: multiply by 1.50 (TVs, microwaves, vacuums, fridge-freezers, small kitchen appliances)
- 45% duty: multiply by 1.61 (speakers, consoles, power tools, bedding)
- 60% duty: multiply by 1.77 (mattresses)
These hold for entries of $1,000 or more, where the processing fee is a true 1%. On smaller entries the $10 minimum applies and the effective rate is higher: add about 10 percentage points on a $100 item and about 3 on a $300 item. They also leave out fixed levies, such as the $5 on a laptop or the $15 on a fridge.
Then add freight, remembering that it's taxed too. Customs charges duty on it (duty is assessed on the CIF value) and VAT on top, so $120 of freight on a $600 TV at 35% costs you $178.20, not $120.
Where importing usually wins
Duty-free, high value, light weight. A $1,200 laptop lands at $1,338.70, 11.6% over the US price, and it weighs three pounds. Computers, cameras, headphones and printed books are the strongest cases in the schedule. A local store would have to be within about 12% of the US price to compete, which is uncommon for electronics.
The same goes for anything you can't get locally at all, whatever the duty rate.
Where a local store usually wins
High duty, bulky items, or both.
- Mattresses (60%). A 77% landed premium before freight, on something expensive to ship. Nassau stores are often cheaper outright.
- Bedding and comforters (45%). The same situation with smaller numbers.
- Speakers and soundbars (45%). A $250 soundbar comes to $409.75.
- Small appliances (35%). A $150 microwave landing at $239.25 is rarely worth the wait.
- Cheap items. Under about $50, the $10 entry minimum alone can cancel out the price difference. A $15 book costs $12.50 to bring in.
In between, work it out
Between roughly 20% and 35% duty, it depends on the actual price difference and the actual freight quote. Rather than estimating, get the landed figure from the calculator with your real freight cost and compare it with a local quote.
Three things people leave out
Returns. Import charges are paid on what comes into the country, not on what you keep. A returned item has already cost you duty, fees and VAT, and getting those back isn't practical for an individual. Being able to take something back to a local shop has real value, especially for clothing.
Warranty and service. A US warranty you can't realistically use from Nassau is worth less than a local one. For appliances and power tools this can outweigh a modest price difference.
Time. Consolidating to save the $10 minimum means waiting weeks. It's often the right choice, but the wait is a cost too.
An example
A $600 television bought in the US at 35% duty, with the $5 levy. Import charges are $307.50, so it lands at $907.50 before freight. Add $100 of ocean freight, which is dutiable and part of the VAT base, and it comes to $1,056. A local store selling it for $1,000 is cheaper, and you get a warranty you can use locally and no three-week wait.
Make it a duty-free $600 laptop instead and it lands at $676.50 before freight, which a local store is unlikely to match.
The price is the same in both cases. The tariff line is what changes the answer, so check the multiplier before you buy.