Maddux Report credits MyUS.com, FedEx and others with shaping the future of Manatee county

As Published In:  MADDUX REPORT
April 1, 2009

ERIC BAIRD ONCE MAILED A ten-foot fiberglass shark to a cus- tomer in Italy. And then there was the gold-leafed full-sized replica of King Tut’s throne sent to Spain. For hundreds of customers throughout the world he ships high-end fashions and accessories from Saks, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom’s. Electron- ics like iPhones are popular, too.

His company is called MyUS.com, and here’s why he does it: A typical MyUS.com customer is someone overseas who buys U.S. products from websites or catalogues.  Many American companies won’t ship to an
international address, so Baird supplies a temporary U.S. street address, repackages the products at the company’s two Manatee County warehouses and ships direct to the customer’s door. In the process, he makes sure the shipments are in compliance with each country’s regulations. Sweden, for example, imposes restrictions on nutritional supplements. Germany doesn’t allow the import of radio-controlled devices. Spain is
particular about cosmetics.

Baird’s international shipping and package-forwarding business is used by some 30,000 customers from 200 countries. He also ships to U.S. citizens working overseas who “crave mail, magazines and goodies
from home,” says Baird. Or to business owners needing medical equipment, auto parts or other items they can’t find or afford in their own country.

In addition, he has a personal shopper service for customers whose international credit cards aren’t accepted by U.S. websites.

“Products here are often priced much less than in another country,” Baird says.  “With our discounted shipping rates and the relatively low dollar compared to many foreign currencies, it makes shopping here more affordable.” A self-described “military brat who grew up overseas,”  Baird says he saw the demand for just such a business and decided to capitalize on it. That was 10 years ago.

Lately, MyUS.com has taken awards from the Economic Development Council (EDC) of the Manatee Chamber of Commerce, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Tampa Bay Technology Forum, among others.

Baird says his company has grown 50 percent annually on average with 2008 revenues hitting $26-million. Inc. magazine ranked it 22nd among the top 50 logistics companies in the country.