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View Full Version : Are you still buying in the USA? Why?


Reef Supplies
04-22-2012, 02:32 PM
With our dollar being at par, the only reason you should be buying in the US is if there is a product you can not find here OR if your buying large amounts. We have a couple of suppliers in the states whom we deal with on a monthly basis and we need to buy $5000+ to make it profitable. We try to keep the shipping/duty/brokerage cost between 8 and 12% of the total sale.

As a hobbiest you cant possibly be saving money from buying US, can you? Check out this site, it is pretty accurate http://www.thefinalcost.com/shipments/calculate/

On 2 occasions this weekend we were asked to match a US retailers price. Both times we were actually cheaper when calculating the TRUE cost of the US item delivered to your door. 90% of the time UPS will be handling your US/CA border brokering. If you buy a $200 item you need to add $25 just for brokering, then you have shipping, Disbursement fees and Visa fees. Visa charges about 2.5% conversion fees.

Being Sunday, I'll be back and forth all day so my replies will be delayed.

Please discuss

Ray

Aquattro
04-22-2012, 02:35 PM
I don't even look at US prices. I have a network of vendors I deal with that take care of me, and saving a couple of bucks isn't worth the price of not supporting the companies that are there for me when I need something.

Reef Supplies
04-22-2012, 02:36 PM
I don't even look at US prices. I have a network of vendors I deal with that take care of me, and saving a couple of bucks isn't worth the price of not supporting the companies that are there for me when I need something.

Well said

tim the toolman
04-22-2012, 02:44 PM
I feel much safer buying as close to home as possible. I like to be able to see what I'm buying before I spend and also I would like to make any warranty work as simple as possible.

68shelby
04-22-2012, 02:48 PM
My local fish store sells the halides I use for $130 and up a piece, sorry I can get them online for a less than half. There markup and then theres gouging.

Cal_stir
04-22-2012, 02:52 PM
Sometimes you just can't buy it in Canada, nobody has a decent supply of JohnGuest fittings or refillable media cartridges, so, once in a while I order from BRS, other than that, it`s All Canadian for me.
I live on the border but have no desire to go to the US, I have no passport, no nexus, no nothing, TOOOOOO many guns overthere.

tim the toolman
04-22-2012, 02:57 PM
My local fish store sells the halides I use for $130 and up a piece, sorry I can get them online for a less than half. There markup and then theres gouging.

I also ordered bulbs from the us before until one shipment showed up and 2 bulbs did not work. They said that with bulb a there was nothing they could do so I was left holding the bag.

Reef Supplies
04-22-2012, 03:00 PM
My local fish store sells the halides I use for $130 and up a piece, sorry I can get them online for a less than half. There markup and then theres gouging.

So you buy them in the US..no one here has them?

I feel much safer buying as close to home as possible. I like to be able to see what I'm buying before I spend and also I would like to make any warranty work as simple as possible.

Yepp, warranty is another good reason to buy here.

Sometimes you just can't buy it in Canada, nobody has a decent supply of JohnGuest fittings or refillable media cartridges, so, once in a while I order from BRS, other than that, it`s All Canadian for me.
I live on the border but have no desire to go to the US, I have no passport, no nexus, no nothing, TOOOOOO many guns overthere.

I agree that for some reason RO equipment is hard to find here. This is why we decided to bring in Spectrapure in May.

marie
04-22-2012, 03:01 PM
I only buy from the US when I can't find what I'm looking for here..... but having said that I have to pay shipping costs for whatever I buy and anything I do get from the States I get shipped usps and the brokerage fee is only $5
eg. I bought 3 phoenix 250K mogul bulbs from premium aquatics and after including all shipping costs they came to under 70$ can.each and to top it off canada post must of messed up because they left the parcel on my doorstep without collecting their brokerage fee or the taxes :lol:

reefme
04-22-2012, 03:03 PM
I feel much safer buying as close to home as possible. I like to be able to see what I'm buying before I spend and also I would like to make any warranty work as simple as possible.

+1 for me.

tim the toolman
04-22-2012, 03:05 PM
I think that another point that should be made is keeping the $$ local. I have a LFS that I go to whenever I can in hopes that a good store owner can stay in business. I'm glad this hobby doesn't have a walmart mentality yet, and I hope it never will.
Here's to the little fish in big water :lol:

Reef Supplies
04-22-2012, 03:07 PM
I only buy from the US when I can't find what I'm looking for here..... but having said that I have to pay shipping costs for whatever I buy and anything I do get from the States I get shipped usps and the brokerage fee is only $5
eg. I bought 3 phoenix 250K mogul bulbs from premium aquatics and after including all shipping costs they came to under 70$ can.each and to top it off canada post must of messed up because they left the parcel on my doorstep without collecting their brokerage fee or the taxes :lol:

Can't realy beat that..I assume they were on sale? PA sells then at $69.99.

Our (and lot's of other CA stores) MH 250K mogul are a tad over $70.

Ray

daplatapus
04-22-2012, 03:07 PM
I kind of agree with Marie. I don't have a LFS that deals with much of what I use (actually don't even have one here in Port Alberni). All they have is some Hagen tests and Tailored Aquatics supplements. When you consider the price of Salifert tests and BRS's alk, Ca and Mg, even with the shipping I pay about a third of what it costs me locally, not including the minimum hours drive to get anything at $1.37/l for gas.

Aquattro
04-22-2012, 03:10 PM
I'm glad this hobby doesn't have a walmart mentality yet, and I hope it never will.


Oh, it absolutely does now! So many people quibble over a couple of bucks. Sure, I can get that item at J&L for 3 bucks cheaper, but now I no longer have a store up the road to go browse around. I always try to buy locally first and support the stores that let me hang out with my coffee and poke around with the products.

marie
04-22-2012, 03:10 PM
Can't realy beat that..I assume they were on sale? PA sells then at $69.99.

Our (and lot's of other CA stores) MH 250K mogul are a tad over $70.

Ray

At the time I was looking for the single ended Phoenix bulbs and the only ones I could find in Canada were double ended. The weren't on sale, the regular price was $64.95

04V10
04-22-2012, 03:12 PM
Well I might as well be the bad guy. I'm all for supporting the Canadian economy, and local shops, however when I can buy something online and have it show up to my door for half price compared to buying in Canada, I'm gonna do it. Here's a perfect example, I wanted to get new tires for my car and would have paid $4800 for just tires from the dealerships or local tire shops. There was also a back order until the end of June for the back tires. I order online on a monday from tire rack, and they show up to my door on Friday, for$2200!!!!

Reef Pilot
04-22-2012, 03:13 PM
I live in south Langley, and the Pac Hwy border crossing is only 15 min for me. That's way closer than J&L. I use a freight forwarding whse in Blaine to pick up my online purchases. I choose my times to cross, so line-ups are not a problem.

Having said that, I still buy locally or online in Canada whenever possible and if the price is not too far out of line. In fact, I have found that J&L prices are sometimes equal or better than online from the US, incl BRS. Most times I buy online from the US, is when something isn't available locally, and then while I am at it, I usually stock up on a few other items.

To keep customers local, LFS's should offer to bring in special purchases at close to or equal US online prices, even if they don't make a profit. That way they will keep the customer coming back, and buying other stuff, that otherwise would have been lost sales.

Reef Supplies
04-22-2012, 03:16 PM
I think that another point that should be made is keeping the $$ local. I have a LFS that I go to whenever I can in hopes that a good store owner can stay in business. I'm glad this hobby doesn't have a walmart mentality yet, and I hope it never will.
Here's to the little fish in big water :lol:

It will never get there, this hobby is to personal (for a lack of a better term).

It has however gotten much more accessible and will continue to do so. Competition is VERY strong and that is what drives manufactures to make new products, better products and products that are accessible to the masses.

Back 12-15 years ago we had 1 maybe 2 reef stores in Montreal, live rock was $20 a pound and seaclone skimmers were at the top of their game, heh!

Ray

daplatapus
04-22-2012, 03:17 PM
To keep customers local, LFS's should offer to bring in special purchases at close to or equal US online prices, even if they don't make a profit. That way they will keep the customer coming back, and buying other stuff, that otherwise would have been lost sales.

I agree. While I understand this won't make a LFS rich, it will keep customers. I don't mind paying 10-15% more to have it local, heck for some things, even 20% but when things cost 100-200% more, sorry.

Reef Supplies
04-22-2012, 03:20 PM
Oh, it absolutely does now! So many people quibble over a couple of bucks. Sure, I can get that item at J&L for 3 bucks cheaper, but now I no longer have a store up the road to go browse around. I always try to buy locally first and support the stores that let me hang out with my coffee and poke around with the products.

Have to disagree.

Yes, we get the occasional client locking to save 5 bucks BUT most of the time we are talking about 10-15-20% differences in price for the same products. If my client can save 10-15% elsewhere, he should take it...he is a fool if he does not.

Reef Supplies
04-22-2012, 03:21 PM
Well I might as well be the bad guy. I'm all for supporting the Canadian economy, and local shops, however when I can buy something online and have it show up to my door for half price compared to buying in Canada, I'm gonna do it. Here's a perfect example, I wanted to get new tires for my car and would have paid $4800 for just tires from the dealerships or local tire shops. There was also a back order until the end of June for the back tires. I order online on a monday from tire rack, and they show up to my door on Friday, for$2200!!!!

Completely different animal. The car biz in Canada is out of whack it's pathetic.

Had a buddy who bought a brand new FX45 in the US, he saved $18K with the $ being at par! Thats $18K after all the paper work, duty and day time running lights instaled!

paddyob
04-22-2012, 03:23 PM
I buy BRS because I have yet to find certain products at the same or lower cost AFTER shipping is tallied.

I bought a JBJ ATO for $100 Shipped. Nobody was even close locally or even Canada wide, that I found anyways.

I am not rich, so I don't care who gets the end result as long as it's the best price.

If someone in Canada gets on board and realizes the dollar is on par, maybe they would stop over charging. Just my opinion.

I'm pro Canada, but more pro-money in the bank.

This is obvious to most people.

Anyone who justified spending 25% more, please send me your money, cause you don't need it. Lol.

paddyob
04-22-2012, 03:25 PM
Have to disagree.

Yes, we get the occasional client locking to save 5 bucks BUT most of the time we are talking about 10-15-20% differences in price for the same products. If my client can save 10-15% elsewhere, he should take it...he is a fool if he does not.

+1.

Cal_stir
04-22-2012, 03:29 PM
Oh, it absolutely does now! So many people quibble over a couple of bucks. Sure, I can get that item at J&L for 3 bucks cheaper, but now I no longer have a store up the road to go browse around. I always try to buy locally first and support the stores that let me hang out with my coffee and poke around with the products.

My closest LFS is 90 minutes away, went there this weekend and bought some things, wife likes a road trip now and then.
There is one 10 minutes away in the US, but we won`t go there.

daplatapus
04-22-2012, 03:31 PM
I agree. While I understand this won't make a LFS rich, it will keep customers. I don't mind paying 10-15% more to have it local, heck for some things, even 20% but when things cost 100-200% more, sorry.

Have to disagree.

Yes, we get the occasional client locking to save 5 bucks BUT most of the time we are talking about 10-15-20% differences in price for the same products. If my client can save 10-15% elsewhere, he should take it...he is a fool if he does not.


I think I've just been called a fool. :) Just kidding :D

Reef Supplies
04-22-2012, 03:33 PM
I buy BRS because I have yet to find certain products at the same or lower cost AFTER shipping is tallied.

I bought a JBJ ATO for $100 Shipped. Nobody was even close locally or even Canada wide, that I found anyways.

I am not rich, so I don't care who gets the end result as long as it's the best price.

If someone in Canada gets on board and realizes the dollar is on par, maybe they would stop over charging. Just my opinion.

I'm pro Canada, but more pro-money in the bank.

This is obvious to most people.

Anyone who justified spending 25% more, please send me your money, cause you don't need it. Lol.


The dollar being at par helps but that's not the only issue. The big issue is duty, shipping and brokering. The JBJ products are made in China so we pay 7% duty on that right off the bat, then we have to ship them here and pay brokering fees. Any NON US product cost us Canadians 7% more sine US made are duty free.

With that being said, the JBJ would have cost you about $110 at our store (free shipping over $175).

Ok, some products maaaaay be cheaper in the US, but not by very much at all.

Ray

Reef Supplies
04-22-2012, 03:33 PM
I think I've just been called a fool. :) Just kidding :D

heh :razz:

Actualy we are the fools casue we will price match anyway, heh!

Aquattro
04-22-2012, 03:34 PM
I guess for me, having a LFS is a luxury. If an item costs $120 locally, I can go pick it up right now, I'd rather do that than order online for $100.
It's just the way I shop...

tim the toolman
04-22-2012, 03:37 PM
Have to disagree.

Yes, we get the occasional client locking to save 5 bucks BUT most of the time we are talking about 10-15-20% differences in price for the same products. If my client can save 10-15% elsewhere, he should take it...he is a fool if he does not.

I guess for me, having a LFS is a luxury. If an item costs $120 locally, I can go pick it up right now, I'd rather do that than order online for $100.
It's just the way I shop...

Agreed. I am very impatient lol

Reef Supplies
04-22-2012, 03:44 PM
Heading off to Sunday lunch...will be back later. I look forward to reading more!

Ray

daplatapus
04-22-2012, 03:49 PM
Well here's one of the biggest items I use that gets my shorts in a knot about buying things for my tank. A 1L bottle of dkh Plus from my LFS costs me $34.99. I dose 50 ml per day so I need to buy 1 bottle every 20 days. I have never been in there yet when they've had the 1 gallon jug because it's too expensive to keep it on the shelf and for some reason most times they can't get it regularly. At BRS, I buy the 7 lbs tub that makes 7-8 gallons for $17.99. For me to purchase 7 gallons of my LFS product it would cost me around $900. I just can't afford to shop local (if an hour's drive is considered local).

Zoaelite
04-22-2012, 03:52 PM
Well here's one of the biggest items I use that gets my shorts in a knot about buying things for my tank. A 1L bottle of Calcium Plus from my LFS costs me $34.99. I dose 50 ml per day so I need to buy 1 bottle every 20 days. I have never been in there yet when they've had the 1 gallon jug because it's too expensive to keep it on the shelf and for some reason most times they can't get it regularly. At BRS, I buy the 7 lbs tub that makes 7-8 gallons for $17.99. For me to purchase 7 gallons of my LFS product it would cost me around $900. I just can't afford to shop local (if an hour's drive is considered local).

There are countless online retailers not only in Canada but on this board (Red Coral, J&L, CACO2REEF...) that will ship bulk chemicals right to your door. I agree though, BRS does have some amazing deals and considering there is really no source for ROX carbon in Canada they are a viable option.

Aquattro
04-22-2012, 03:54 PM
Well here's one of the biggest items I use that gets my shorts in a knot about buying things for my tank. A 1L bottle of dkh Plus from my LFS costs me $34.99. I dose 50 ml per day so I need to buy 1 bottle every 20 days. I have never been in there yet when they've had the 1 gallon jug because it's too expensive to keep it on the shelf and for some reason most times they can't get it regularly. At BRS, I buy the 7 lbs tub that makes 7-8 gallons for $17.99. For me to purchase 7 gallons of my LFS product it would cost me around $900. I just can't afford to shop local (if an hour's drive is considered local).

Well, I think there's always exceptions, and I too would buy elsewhere to save over $800 :) Regional access to "local" also needs to be considered. Time, gas, etc factor in...
In general though, most items at a LFS will be reasonably comparable to online/US prices. IME...

Cal_stir
04-22-2012, 03:57 PM
Well here's one of the biggest items I use that gets my shorts in a knot about buying things for my tank. A 1L bottle of dkh Plus from my LFS costs me $34.99. I dose 50 ml per day so I need to buy 1 bottle every 20 days. I have never been in there yet when they've had the 1 gallon jug because it's too expensive to keep it on the shelf and for some reason most times they can't get it regularly. At BRS, I buy the 7 lbs tub that makes 7-8 gallons for $17.99. For me to purchase 7 gallons of my LFS product it would cost me around $900. I just can't afford to shop local (if an hour's drive is considered local).

I use 100% arm and hammer baking soda, bought a 50lb bag at a local bulk food store for $50, makes about 50 gals.

Mike-fish
04-22-2012, 03:57 PM
i try to shop local but i wont pay double or even triple the price of what i can get it out of the states for and that's the after shipping costs per unit

troni
04-22-2012, 04:01 PM
I'd rather keep my $$ in my community, i have yet to buy onlin,e this next frag-a-lot order will be my first online order. and its still located in canada.

daplatapus
04-22-2012, 04:05 PM
I'd rather keep my $$ in my community, i have yet to buy onlin,e this next frag-a-lot order will be my first online order. and its still located in canada.

Don't get me wrong, so would I. And I stop in my LFS every time I drive through, and almost never leave without buying something. But for the big stuff I use a lot of, (stuff you would think they would sell at a lower margin because of the volume) I just can't afford to buy there.

Seriak
04-22-2012, 04:07 PM
Reef supplies: 90% Canadian 80% local now with golds and concept open here

Tires, cars, clothes, etc. I still by in the US. Price difference is huge on many of these items still.

troni
04-22-2012, 04:09 PM
I definately can understand that, and i yet have to be faced with that.

Delphinus
04-22-2012, 04:38 PM
In the late 90's and early 2000's I had no choice but to order many of the supplies from the States ... Fast forward to 2012, I haven't needed to do so in probably 7 or 8 years now, except for maybe the occasional BRS order (they really are the gold standard for some things). But otherwise the supply in Canada has improved hugely. In general I'd rather support local and/or Canadian though. I consider most of the vendors I deal with to be "friends" and while it may not be possible 100% of the time, I try to weight my choices in the direction that supports them. It's a tough business to be in..

lockrookie
04-22-2012, 04:43 PM
our local fish store in regina is very pricey here is an example eheim compact 5000 is 259.00 koralia 1050 69.00... 41.00 US and io salt 75.00 per pail. luckily at this time petsmart sells salt at 49.00 per pait 39 onsale so i buy that locally but when it comes to equiptment i have no choice but to search online. i will search canadian companies first then US. i look at shipping costs. and overall where ever is the cheapest gets my money. i have no choice i refuse to pay 259.00 for a pump i can get for 189.00 shipped. if its an emergency i have no choice ill buy it but id rather spend that 60 bucks on something else than throw it away.

one last example of lfs pricing verses say ebay given this ebay company is canadian. i recently purchased from another reefer a de mh light fixture he sent me spare bulbs he had one box had the price of 69.00/bulb. i looked on ebay.ca and found a place that sold said bulbs 3 for 68.00 when they showed up to my surprise they where in the exact same packaging.

now i know saltwater is a limited market and a tough to pay rent and other expenses if your giving the product away. and not getting profit for staff and bills. so i understand your frustrations with ppl trying to get lower prices out of you just cause they saw it cheaper online. i personally dont try to barter price with companies thier price is thier price . it is my job as the buyer to do my research and buy smart. the lfs has a reason for the cost of thier product. the reasons may be due to costs to getting it landed to thier shop.. staffing costs.. or thier yearly/monthly trip to some warm and sunny place.

it is what it is.... and if you happen to be the lucky one with the right price at the right time of my need/want or desire. your welcome. and if your costomer service shines maybe ill buy more next time.

ps. i dont mean to come off as a snot this is not my intention.. it can be frustrating in this hobby when you live in the middle of nowhere and limited options locally. lfs has saved and helped me alot and i still support when i can. just not pocket friendly at times.

fkshiu
04-22-2012, 07:43 PM
Have to disagree.

Yes, we get the occasional client locking to save 5 bucks BUT most of the time we are talking about 10-15-20% differences in price for the same products. If my client can save 10-15% elsewhere, he should take it...he is a fool if he does not.

I order from the US because I work 10 mins from the border and bring things back over from my mailbox in Blaine, WA in amounts that don't incur duties/taxes. That saves me 12% right off the hop. For places likes MarineDepot and Premium Aquatics, there is a sweet spot where you'll get free shipping while still not triggering duties/taxes from CBSA. So I'll get the goods both tax free and with free shipping. While I'm at it I'll pick up a tank of gas at around $1/L. It's a no brainer on my part.

I estimate that 75% of my equipment/drygoods is purchased this way. It would be higher were it not for the excellent prices of our local dealers like J&L.

"Buying local" makes you feel warm and fuzzy and I would I do so if all else was equal. Unfortunately, it's not and financial reality hits.

RuGlu6
04-22-2012, 08:06 PM
Well I might as well be the bad guy. I'm all for supporting the Canadian economy, and local shops, however when I can buy something online and have it show up to my door for half price compared to buying in Canada, I'm gonna do it. Here's a perfect example, I wanted to get new tires for my car and would have paid $4800 for just tires from the dealerships or local tire shops. There was also a back order until the end of June for the back tires. I order online on a monday from tire rack, and they show up to my door on Friday, for$2200!!!!

+1 on 50% of the price.
But why stop at US border they get their stock from China anyway! None of it MADE in US of A or Canada.
Why not go to China direct?

I got my Calc reactor and skimmer delivered to my door at half of the Canadian price, DELIVERED to my local post office 5 min away fro me.
http://www.reefshops.com/product-377.html
.
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=74827
The unit above would cost me MORE then double here in Canada. I got it delivered with total of $133 Can plus I get $9 usd gift cert for next purchase.
So why would i shop locally ?....

paddyob
04-22-2012, 08:07 PM
With that being said, the JBJ would have cost you about $110 at our store (free shipping over $175).


Ray


Again... I paid $100 including shipping/brokerage/duty. Most things are cheaper at BRS.., and if I had cheaper Canadian options I would take it. Any day. Even at jl it's free shipping over $100... And it would have been $135.

$35 back into other tank supplies.






I buy livestock exclusively local. But dry goods, hard to compete anywhere in town.

whatcaneyedo
04-22-2012, 08:30 PM
My last purchase from the USA was a bulk order of media and RO filters but that was at least a year ago. I generally buy enough at a time to last a few years so I haven't needed to purchase anything from outside of the country since then. At the time BRS was still the lowest price for the best of those products even with shipping and brokerage factored in.

RuGlu6
04-22-2012, 08:36 PM
Here is an example
2.5L Bubble Magus Dosing Container $58.99+tax+$8.94 shipping= $67.93+tax=$76
http://www.reefsupplies.ca/canada/bubble-magus-dosing-container-2-5l/

Exactly the same item for $20 (select size in drop down window)
http://www.reefshops.com/liquid-storage-bucket.html
$43 total shipped looks a lot less the $76 to me. Plus i could use a $9 discount from my previous purchase.

Bubble magus NAC7 cone skimmer $248.99+tax =$278+free shipping
http://www.reefsupplies.ca/canada/bubble-magus-nac7-cone-skimmer/

Exactly the same item for $170+$38 shipping= total $208 shipped.
http://www.reefshops.com/bubble-magus-nac7-nac-7-cone-protein-skimmer.html

Seriak
04-22-2012, 08:47 PM
Here is an example
2.5L Bubble Magus Dosing Container $58.99+tax+$8.94 shipping= $67.93+tax=$76
http://www.reefsupplies.ca/canada/bubble-magus-dosing-container-2-5l/

Exactly the same item for $20 (select size in drop down window)
http://www.reefshops.com/liquid-storage-bucket.html
$43 total shipped looks a lot less the $76 to me. Plus i could use a $9 discount from my previous purchase.

Bubble magus NAC7 cone skimmer $248.99+tax =$278+free shipping
http://www.reefsupplies.ca/canada/bubble-magus-nac7-cone-skimmer/

Exactly the same item for $170+$38 shipping= total $208 shipped.
http://www.reefshops.com/bubble-magus-nac7-nac-7-cone-protein-skimmer.html

You have to be careful with that site. It looks like most of their stuff is 220V.

Magma
04-22-2012, 08:55 PM
As a hobbiest you cant possibly be saving money from buying US, can you? Check out this site, it is pretty accurate http://www.thefinalcost.com/shipments/calculate/




This is not accurate at all, I just used a previous order coming from the US and input all the values.

Actual Values
Sub Total $125.00
Shipping Total $12.00
Grand Total $137.00

Brokerage fee when the item arrived via Fedex $16.02 making the total cost of the item
$153.02

Same values put into this calculator

Final Price
CAD$ 184.53

Thats about 30$ different..

Not to mention I find if you can get items shipped via USPS 9/10 times if the dollar value is below 200$ you wont see brokerage fees, sure you have to wait longer but seems worth it IMO.

RuGlu6
04-22-2012, 08:58 PM
You have to be careful with that site. It looks like most of their stuff is 220V.
Yes it is all 220V.
Got my 200W voltage transformer for $10 on CraigsList. CalcReactor and Skimmer together are less then 30W both plugged in the same transformer so i am OK.
BTW this site is legit and support is OK too.

carnut
04-22-2012, 09:14 PM
if you can give me a canadian site that sells the same products at the same prices as brs even after duty and shipping I would shop at home. The only site i have seen is reselling the product at a mark up, higher then a us delivery.

paddyob
04-22-2012, 09:33 PM
No disrespect , but not certain if it's smart or suicide for a sponsor to start this type of thread.

madkeenreefer
04-22-2012, 09:35 PM
Have to disagree.

If my client can save 10-15% elsewhere, he should take it...he is a fool if he does not.

Supporting the Canadian economy is great! supporting your local economy even better .
but you said it yourself "above quote" its foolish to spend your money at one place when you can get it cheaper at another.
A good example is pritty much any online retailer in Quebec, they are always going to be more expensive due to the higher taxes.
Same for your store vs lets say J&L Aquatics I get the same thing for less but its still got to cross the country to get here.
This is why I always by outside Quebec

toytech
04-22-2012, 10:30 PM
I cant remember the last piece of equipement i bought in canada , im by the sumas border so i get everything shipped to letter lock and have NEVER paid brokerage or duty or tax (bought 250$ in clothes for my wife today and same deal) .I have a problem buying something here for more (its always more here , even if its 5$ its more) and then i have to pay 12% tax because i might enjoy it . Im going to buy a RKL tomorrow and online its 30$ less than at j&l and the shipping is free , and i dont have to drive to burnaby , and i dont have to pay the 12% tax i voted down . If the prices in canada where better and i didnt have to pay so much tax i would buy local but im not going to support an economy that dosent support me.

jtbadco
04-22-2012, 11:02 PM
I believe its all about fair competition. If people can get it cheaper somewhere then they should buy there. If local businesses want to stay in business then they need to remain competitive with all sources.

I much prefer to support local businesses where and when I can but I organize group orders from J and L all the time because our local SW fish stores charge 3 times as much for the same items.

The fact is that there are still savings to be had across the border in some situations. Lots of suppliers offer free shipping and the cost of gas still doesn't make it unappealing to pick up across the line.

lockrookie
04-22-2012, 11:16 PM
No disrespect , but not certain if it's smart or suicide for a sponsor to start this type of thread.

in an odd sence of the matter at hand i kinda respect the vendor on this question. mainly from the information they can learn by our response if it can help them find a way to help and supply products at comparable costs. already mentioned was filtration media. some things are just not capable to get at lower costs and are out of control of the vendor being at the mercy of thier supplier. and thus far if they had something that i would like i may try them out. just at this time(no offence to reef supplies) thier site is new and i see nothing of intrest to me personally at this time.

scubadawg
04-23-2012, 12:37 AM
I always try a local supplier first if they can match or come close to the item I'm buying, I priced out a set of KW Variant 3 coilovers for my car

From U.S. Ebay: 3,299.99 Shipping 59.99 Final Cost: CAD$ 3940.41

2 suppliers from Edmonton, 3500.00 plus shpping and GST, 3600 plus shipping and GST.

Sponsor vendor from 6speedonline:
V3 $2800.00
Shipping to Canada is usually around $125-$150 based on exactly where in Canada it needs to go to. Final Cost: CAD$ 3462.16

Price from Toronto:
The KW V3s would be $2965 + 5% tax + $40 shipping so $3153.25 including shipping and tax.

I asked one of the local suppliers if they can match the Toronto price, and he said his price is his price, so Toronto get's my business

I don't understand how a supplier can turn down an profit just to bring an item that's prepaid? Isn't making some money, better than making no money at all, and what about future business, I won't be calling that company in the future to see if they want to match prices or come close.

Steve at Red Coral match a sale price form J&L, because I prepaid it, since he did not have it stock. I try to keep the money locally, if possible.

Reef Supplies
04-23-2012, 01:47 PM
Well here's one of the biggest items I use that gets my shorts in a knot about buying things for my tank. A 1L bottle of dkh Plus from my LFS costs me $34.99. I dose 50 ml per day so I need to buy 1 bottle every 20 days. I have never been in there yet when they've had the 1 gallon jug because it's too expensive to keep it on the shelf and for some reason most times they can't get it regularly. At BRS, I buy the 7 lbs tub that makes 7-8 gallons for $17.99. For me to purchase 7 gallons of my LFS product it would cost me around $900. I just can't afford to shop local (if an hour's drive is considered local).
I use 100% arm and hammer baking soda, bought a 50lb bag at a local bulk food store for $50, makes about 50 gals.

$900 is a LOT of money, but as Cal_sti wrote...there are options.

Here is an example
2.5L Bubble Magus Dosing Container $58.99+tax+$8.94 shipping= $67.93+tax=$76
http://www.reefsupplies.ca/canada/bubble-magus-dosing-container-2-5l/

Exactly the same item for $20 (select size in drop down window)
http://www.reefshops.com/liquid-storage-bucket.html
$43 total shipped looks a lot less the $76 to me. Plus i could use a $9 discount from my previous purchase.

Bubble magus NAC7 cone skimmer $248.99+tax =$278+free shipping
http://www.reefsupplies.ca/canada/bubble-magus-nac7-cone-skimmer/

Exactly the same item for $170+$38 shipping= total $208 shipped.
http://www.reefshops.com/bubble-magus-nac7-nac-7-cone-protein-skimmer.html

Where do they ship out of? Correct me if i'm wrong but I believe they ship out of Japan. Be it Japan, USA...Euro, you will have to pay duties, brokerage fees and tax on that NAC7.

This is a rough breakdown when using UPS ands shipping the NAC7...could be off a little.

duty $10.20
gst $13.09
coversion $5.20
brokerage $43.98
Disbursmant $6.61

So you need to add about $78, so if my calculations are correct your $208 NAC 7 will cost you about $285.

And you still have to buy a converter for the 220V.

Reef Supplies
04-23-2012, 01:52 PM
This is not accurate at all, I just used a previous order coming from the US and input all the values.

Actual Values
Sub Total $125.00
Shipping Total $12.00
Grand Total $137.00

Brokerage fee when the item arrived via Fedex $16.02 making the total cost of the item
$153.02

Same values put into this calculator

Final Price
CAD$ 184.53

Thats about 30$ different..

Not to mention I find if you can get items shipped via USPS 9/10 times if the dollar value is below 200$ you wont see brokerage fees, sure you have to wait longer but seems worth it IMO.

The $30 differnce is proably in the duty. If the shipper supplied the NAFTA and the item is made in USA, you save most of the duty. You also need to look at what visa charged you..very minimal, right around $3 for the conversion.

thanks

Reef Supplies
04-23-2012, 02:03 PM
No disrespect , but not certain if it's smart or suicide for a sponsor to start this type of thread.

Little bit of both maybe? hehe

We are very transparent, nothing to hide. Threads like this are what makes us vendors know what out clients want.


Supporting the Canadian economy is great! supporting your local economy even better .
but you said it yourself "above quote" its foolish to spend your money at one place when you can get it cheaper at another.
A good example is pritty much any online retailer in Quebec, they are always going to be more expensive due to the higher taxes.
Same for your store vs lets say J&L Aquatics I get the same thing for less but its still got to cross the country to get here.
This is why I always by outside Quebec

That's not how it works. We cant charge other provinces Quebec taxes :-)

Here is our tax breakdown

Alberta 5%
BC 12%
Manitoba 12%
NB 13%
Newfoundland and Lab. 13%
NWT 5%
Nova Scotia 15%
Ontario 13%
PIE 15.5%
Quebec 14.975% (no kidding we're pi$$ed lol)
Sask 10%
Yukkon 5%

in an odd sence of the matter at hand i kinda respect the vendor on this question. mainly from the information they can learn by our response if it can help them find a way to help and supply products at comparable costs. already mentioned was filtration media. some things are just not capable to get at lower costs and are out of control of the vendor being at the mercy of thier supplier. and thus far if they had something that i would like i may try them out. just at this time(no offence to reef supplies) thier site is new and i see nothing of intrest to me personally at this time.

Can you Email us what you would like to see on our store? http://www.reefsupplies.ca/canada/contact/

Thanks!

troni
04-23-2012, 02:07 PM
Alberta 5%
BC 12%
Manitoba 12%
NB 13%
Newfoundland and Lab. 13%
NWT 5%
Nova Scotia 15%
Ontario 13%
PIE 15.5%
Quebec 14.975% (no kidding we're pi$$ed lol)
Sask 10%
Yukkon 5%





whoa!

Reef Supplies
04-23-2012, 02:08 PM
Thanks everyone for taking the time to share your thoughts! We (as I'm sure other vendors reading this thread) have learned a lot. We are doing our absolute best to offer fellow canucks the best possible prices (without degrading products) and service that we can and will continue to do so.

Lots more to come from ReefSupplies.ca, please keep on checking in form time to time!

thanks a ton!

Ray

Reef Supplies
04-23-2012, 02:10 PM
whoa!

Whoa is right! As an inc. we get the taxes back as but try buying a car at 50K and having to pay $7500 tax! Insane

paddyob
04-23-2012, 02:48 PM
Little bit of both maybe? hehe

We are very transparent, nothing to hide. Threads like this are what makes us vendors know what out clients want.





Great on yah!

I like the fact you want to be open to "criticism" or constructive feedback.

Good luck!

madkeenreefer
04-23-2012, 08:53 PM
A good example is pritty much any online retailer in Quebec, they are always going to be more expensive due to the higher taxes.
This is why I always by outside Quebec



That's not how it works. We cant charge other provinces Quebec taxes :-)

Thanks!

Acctualy its exactly how it works for me :biggrin: I live in Quebec city:wink:

I do know that if I use your code for -5% it does make a competitive difference.

Good luck with it all

Reef Supplies
04-23-2012, 09:29 PM
Acctualy its exactly how it works for me :biggrin: I live in Quebec city:wink:

I do know that if I use your code for -5% it does make a competitive difference.

Good luck with it all

Oh woops lol! I did't notice that.

intarsiabox
04-24-2012, 02:20 AM
$900 is a LOT of money, but as Cal_sti wrote...there are options.



Where do they ship out of? Correct me if i'm wrong but I believe they ship out of Japan. Be it Japan, USA...Euro, you will have to pay duties, brokerage fees and tax on that NAC7.

This is a rough breakdown when using UPS ands shipping the NAC7...could be off a little.

duty $10.20
gst $13.09
coversion $5.20
brokerage $43.98
Disbursmant $6.61

So you need to add about $78, so if my calculations are correct your $208 NAC 7 will cost you about $285.

And you still have to buy a converter for the 220V.

Don't get things shipped by courier and you don't pay brokerage or duty, most times not even taxes. I buy things from the US and over seas often and just get it sent via USPS or regular air mail and have only occasionally had to pay GST but never any of the other charges you list. Maybe from a business perspective when you are buying pallets of stuff you can't avoid some of these charges but a regular consumer can. It usually takes 2-3 weeks this way but it's much cheaper. I even have over seas merchants ask me what I want them to declare the value of the merchandise is to lower the potential GST costs on my end. I really don't know how customs decides when to charge GST or not but so far I only pay it 1 in 10 purchases.

mike31154
04-24-2012, 02:52 AM
I shop around, local, USA or global. On a fixed income so any $$s I can save I'll go for the best deal. It's a global economy after all. It also depends on the product I'm buying. With respect to hobby related stuff such as my sw tank, most everything is made overseas so I don't see any reason to line the pockets of a shell company that merely brings stuff in from the same place & marks it up. The beauty of the interweb. There's little incentive for me to bother having something shipped from Quebec vs from Asia since I live closer to the west coast.

With respect to items actually made in Canada (& in the US like my VorTechs)...... I like butter & prefer that it comes from somewhere within 100 Kms of where I live, so I look for Dutchmen's Dairy butter, cheese, sour cream etc., whenever shopping for dairy products. In this case it seems foolish to save a few cents or a dollar on a 1/2 lb of butter from some national supplier that has mega plants in Montreal, Toronto or another major center in eastern Canada when there are perfectly healthy cows producing what I like in BC. I know,,, the long haul truckers out there are gonna hate me.

I reckon in a few years when Asian workers start getting paid a decent wage & increasing fuel prices make shipping goods across the ocean less lucrative, there will be a major shift in how the global economy works. I still can't figure out what NAFTA means, free trade my a$$, Europe has the right idea there, just open up the borders & have a common currency, then the brokers & money traders will be out of a job, good riddance. An American dollar for all of N & S America! Sure there would be some growing pains, but in the long run it would level the playing field & true competition would result.

lockrookie
04-24-2012, 03:15 AM
Don't get things shipped by courier and you don't pay brokerage or duty, most times not even taxes. I buy things from the US and over seas often and just get it sent via USPS or regular air mail and have only occasionally had to pay GST but never any of the other charges you list. Maybe from a business perspective when you are buying pallets of stuff you can't avoid some of these charges but a regular consumer can. It usually takes 2-3 weeks this way but it's much cheaper. I even have over seas merchants ask me what I want them to declare the value of the merchandise is to lower the potential GST costs on my end. I really don't know how customs decides when to charge GST or not but so far I only pay it 1 in 10 purchases.

Wife s from the us if you mail the package and keep the items under a 60 dollar value you can get away with no duty...

Kind you he parents shipped up clothes she left in by and. THey charged us 40 dollars for used clothing we already owned

Sent from a pineapple under the sea...

Mike-fish
04-24-2012, 03:28 AM
with customs it's practically whose hands touch it. I've brought stuff in from the states 2 packages (to big and heavy to make it one) both with identical contents and such. shipped from same person (and address) same day to the same address on the same day. both shipped the same way too. one had a 20$ fee on it and the other one no charge.

mike31154
04-24-2012, 04:17 PM
I imagine it boils down to the luck of the draw in many cases for the smaller, lower cost items. If you consider the volume of goods coming in & going out of the country, customs can't possibly screen every single item. I'm sure much of it is xrayed to help them decide what gets scrutinized more closely.

I've been ordering various items in small batches from Asia via eBay for a DIY LED lighting build since January & have yet to pay any duty or brokerage. I made sure the items I purchased had free or minimal shipping costs, so no surprises. All the orders were under the $50 mark with 2 exceptions & even they were under $100. Funny thing though, although most items entered through Van, one order went all the way to Mississauga for customs processing before making it's way to Vernon. Go figure.

lastlight
04-24-2012, 04:42 PM
I have a duty for you.. I have duty for check you! no way.... May be right here something else.. I already owned and used charge $ 30.!

These bots are getting dumber... or is it just me? :lol:

RuGlu6
04-24-2012, 06:41 PM
Where do they ship out of? Correct me if i'm wrong but I believe they ship out of Japan. Be it Japan, USA...Euro, you will have to pay duties, brokerage fees and tax on that NAC7.

This is a rough breakdown when using UPS ands shipping the NAC7...could be off a little.

duty $10.20
gst $13.09
coversion $5.20
brokerage $43.98
Disbursmant $6.61

So you need to add about $78, so if my calculations are correct your $208 NAC 7 will cost you about $285.

And you still have to buy a converter for the 220V.

They ship from mainland China, i placed 3 orders from them already.
All i paid was item cost and shipping and that's it.
Plus they give me $9 gift cert every time.
My 220V converter was $10 and i can plug many things in it before i reach 200W limit

RuGlu6
04-24-2012, 07:01 PM
Speaking of crossing the border... i heard that it will soon be $200 duty free instead of $50 per person for less then 24hrs in USA.
Does anybody know when this will be implemented ?
Thx.

cwatkins
04-24-2012, 07:12 PM
Speaking of crossing the border... i heard that it will soon be $200 duty free instead of $50 per person for less then 24hrs in USA.
Does anybody know when this will be implemented ?
Thx.

It's been un-official for years. We've been bringing back stuff over the border for 2 or 3 years and usually the limit is around $200 per person for under 24 hrs.

I.E. If I buy a $550 home theatre equipment and bring it back, as long as there was 3 people in the car, no taxes, no duty. Just a thank you, have a nice day.

Seriak
04-24-2012, 07:15 PM
As of June 1, travellers coming back after 24 hours away will be able to bring in $200 worth of goods free of duty or taxes, an increase from just $50.

People gone more than 48 hours will be allowed $800 in duty-free goods, double the present $400 allowance.

There is no longer any specified seven-day limit on duty-free purchases.

RuGlu6
04-24-2012, 08:33 PM
As of June 1, travellers coming back after 24 hours away will be able to bring in $200 worth of goods free of duty or taxes, an increase from just $50.

People gone more than 48 hours will be allowed $800 in duty-free goods, double the present $400 allowance.

There is no longer any specified seven-day limit on duty-free purchases.
Thank you for that, can you post a link where you getting this info from please?
That's good news, too bad shop owners will not benefit from this.

Seriak
04-24-2012, 09:01 PM
I can't find the original site I got that from but here is one.

http://www.crossbordershopping.ca/blog/canadian-duty-free-allowances-set-increase

DiverDude
04-25-2012, 03:20 AM
I think the underlying reason that reefers are so hell-bent on pricing is that this is a HOBBY.

Hobbies consume disposable income and draw the ire (and wrath) of significant others. The less we spend on this sort of 'non-necessary' thing, the less guilty (on some subconscious level) we feel about it.

I've owned a hobby-related (non-reef) business in the past and I saw exactly the same thing.

Of course there's more to the story. The US is a HUGE market (more than 10x ours) and the pricing the vendors receive in Canada is NOT the same the US vendors get. I bought a Honda generator for $900 out of the US and they could still afford to ship it (within the US) for free. The same generator here in Calgary was over $1300. The Calgary vendor is not pocketing an extra $400 over the US vendor; he's paying more for the goods. How much more ? Is it $400 more ? I don't know.

So...add all this up and it's pretty easy to see the allure of shopping state-side. People need to be aware of the costs of getting product up here -which can be significant- and inform themselves on warranty issues.

Caveat Emptor !

fkshiu
04-25-2012, 05:00 AM
It's been un-official for years. We've been bringing back stuff over the border for 2 or 3 years and usually the limit is around $200 per person for under 24 hrs.

I.E. If I buy a $550 home theatre equipment and bring it back, as long as there was 3 people in the car, no taxes, no duty. Just a thank you, have a nice day.

Each border crossing has its own "declared overage" level dependant on a number of factors including staffing levels, traffic and other operational considerations. In other words, if you declare within a certain amount above the amount you are able to bring back duty free, the CBSA inspector will still waive you through. This is due to the fact that it simply isn't viable to collect small amounts of taxes when you've got a serious backlog of people waiting to cross the border. Policy wise, it encourages people to make honest declarations. There is actually no hard and fast number - only a guideline - because the individual CBSA inspector you deal with retains the discretion to impose duties/taxes or conduct a secondary search for any other reason under the Customs Act such as non-declaration of goods or immigration concerns.

For Peace Arch/Douglas and Pac Hwy/Truck the amount is usually around $200 per person. So even if you only hop across to pick up a package, you aren't legally entitled to any amount duty free (since you have to be away for a minimum of 24 hrs), but you'll still get through if you declare under $200. If there's a staffing shortage and a huge border wait, you may be able to get away with up to $300 or more of declared overage. Smaller crossings like Pt. Roberts generally have much lower declared overage amounts.

Megalodon
04-25-2012, 01:32 PM
No disrespect , but not certain if it's smart or suicide for a sponsor to start this type of thread.I was just about to make a large purchase of various things from BRS, but after reading this thread, I'm going to buy my Hanna checkers from Reef Supplies instead. With the Canreef discount, they're $6 more per unit, but there's no customs and all that other hassle, and plus I'll feel better buying from Canada. I'm still buying my bulk chemicals through BRS, however. You can't beat those prices.

So suicide? Nah. Smart? Maybe. He makes a good point.

mseepman
04-26-2012, 03:33 PM
I really try to buy local but as everyone else in the Okanagan knows, that's an expensive process. Using a local LFS keeps options open to me when I'm in a panic but paying $89-$99 for a bucket of IO salt is too painful so I end up stopping in a J&L a couple times per year.

Many of our LFS are under the same pressures that book stores have been under since the inception of amazon.com Bricks and Morter locations have different costs and I understand that the convenience of that has a cost to me. I hope that more of them look to move part of their business to the web so that they can off-set some of their fixed costs with a few more sales.

Sadly, the bigger problem with the LFS is that they have stayed in the traditional rut of carrying only the big suppliers like Hagen, Coralife or Marineland. Sadly, the quality of those companies goods are sad or worse.

The bright spot for me is that I've convinced my local LFS to join me at MACNA this year so he can see what advances there have been in the industry. Even though this is their profession, I think the store owner is in for a big surprise.

Coleus
04-26-2012, 04:42 PM
no longer buy from US, now we have Concept Aquatics :-), price is very competitive (very close to J&L) and excellent service

Reef Supplies
04-27-2012, 01:37 AM
no longer buy from US, now we have Concept Aquatics :-), price is very competitive (very close to J&L) and excellent service

and don't forget, Dave is a nice guy :-)

saltfreak2012
04-27-2012, 02:20 AM
I am another "bad guy" who buys from the US 100%. The local pet store in Regina is not even an option as he gouges people with his prices so it leaves me no choice but to order online. The prices I get from a US online vendor after his discount can't be beat by any place in Canada. No tax or no brokerage fees everytime also when items are shipped USPS Priority Post. It is an expensive hobby so why pay more $$ buying in Canada?

Megalodon
04-27-2012, 03:44 AM
I am another "bad guy" who buys from the US 100%. The local pet store in Regina is not even an option as he gouges people with his prices so it leaves me no choice but to order online. The prices I get from a US online vendor after his discount can't be beat by any place in Canada. No tax or no brokerage fees everytime also when items are shipped USPS Priority Post. It is an expensive hobby so why pay more $$ buying in Canada?I fail to see how you're getting away with not paying taxes. Care to share? Legally?

BlueWorldAquatic
04-27-2012, 03:54 AM
I am another "bad guy" who buys from the US 100%. The local pet store in Regina is not even an option as he gouges people with his prices so it leaves me no choice but to order online. The prices I get from a US online vendor after his discount can't be beat by any place in Canada. No tax or no brokerage fees everytime also when items are shipped USPS Priority Post. It is an expensive hobby so why pay more $$ buying in Canada?

Just fell through the cracks, at the very least you must pay GST, & duties on anything entering into Canada. You have just been lucky not paying these fees. Some companies will include them already in their prices also.

Main issues are warranty, like in Echotech, if it is purchased in the USA, the warranty only applies in the USA, we can't help you. If it is sold from a Canadian distributor, and Canadian reseller can waranty it.

StirCrazy
04-27-2012, 02:56 PM
Have to disagree.

Yes, we get the occasional client locking to save 5 bucks BUT most of the time we are talking about 10-15-20% differences in price for the same products. If my client can save 10-15% elsewhere, he should take it...he is a fool if he does not.

well said. I like seeing retailers who are also concerned about the money that stays in the consumers pocket. its to bad there not more common.

I will admit I always look at a few US places that cost very little in shipping and no brokerage charges and see which way is cheaper. after spending way to much money supporting local stores (ie. getting ripped off) it didn't take long for me to see how much I could save else where. and if I can save 5% when everything is said and done I will. when you look at the 10K+ I spent on my first tank 5% is a fair bit of money. what I find is that people tend to look at cost on a per purchase basis instead of a whole project basis.

As for our rising dollar that just makes the US stuff that much cheaper. it is very rare now days that a Canadian company passes on there savings because of a higher Cdn buck. I know 5 years ago, last time our buck was high, some retailers passed it on. an eg was a Harley got about 5K cheaper, but this time no deals are to be had anywhere. I think it is due to the uncertainty of the economy.

Steve

saltfreak2012
04-28-2012, 05:22 PM
I fail to see how you're getting away with not paying taxes. Care to share? Legally?

Yes legally. The only way I pay taxes is if I use UPS who I refuse to use now.

saltfreak2012
04-28-2012, 05:30 PM
Just fell through the cracks, at the very least you must pay GST, & duties on anything entering into Canada. You have just been lucky not paying these fees. Some companies will include them already in their prices also.

Main issues are warranty, like in Echotech, if it is purchased in the USA, the warranty only applies in the USA, we can't help you. If it is sold from a Canadian distributor, and Canadian reseller can waranty it.

I have had no problems whatsoever with any warranty work and a friend recently had his US purchased MP-10 replaced under warranty. One purchase exception is salt which I buy Instant Ocean at Petsmart for a really decent price.

Realshow
06-08-2012, 03:35 PM
The cash that can be saved buying from the US can substantial.
However you do need to do your homework . I used to live in Richmond & the savings were quite often worth it to shop on the other side of the border.
the gas groceries & of course BEER!
I have since moved to kamloops & they absolutely hose you on everything here.
There are great savings just driving to Kelowna or back to Vancouver but it is a hassle & a couple of hrs driving.
So if im going to order it in from vancouver or wherever anyways. It only makes sense to get the best overall price despite where it comes from.

gobytron
06-08-2012, 03:47 PM
With our dollar being at par, the only reason you should be buying in the US is if there is a product you can not find here OR if your buying large amounts. We have a couple of suppliers in the states whom we deal with on a monthly basis and we need to buy $5000+ to make it profitable. We try to keep the shipping/duty/brokerage cost between 8 and 12% of the total sale.

As a hobbiest you cant possibly be saving money from buying US, can you? Check out this site, it is pretty accurate http://www.thefinalcost.com/shipments/calculate/

On 2 occasions this weekend we were asked to match a US retailers price. Both times we were actually cheaper when calculating the TRUE cost of the US item delivered to your door. 90% of the time UPS will be handling your US/CA border brokering. If you buy a $200 item you need to add $25 just for brokering, then you have shipping, Disbursement fees and Visa fees. Visa charges about 2.5% conversion fees.

Being Sunday, I'll be back and forth all day so my replies will be delayed.

Please discuss

Ray


Spoken like a vendor...lol
I cant help but think of books...
I'm an avid reader and it's so irritating to see the USD price 30% lower than the CDN. Even after nearly 2 years of parity between our currencies.

The reality is, in my experience, any difference in price that might equal savings to the end consumer is just eaten up by vendors and retailers.

Not saying that's not fair practice, lord knows Id run my business the same way and would relish the extra margin after struggling to compete with US companies for so long when all we really had going for us was our cheap dollars.

But to say were better off buying Canadian...I just dont see it.

You are better off if we all buy Canadian, and as an extension of the canadian hobbyist community we are certainly better off supporting Candian vendors and retailers but lets at least look at both sides of the coin.

It's no cheaper, and just like books, mysteriously any difference in prices to the end user are simply non existent...dollar parity or not.