Online in Canada

SJSobczyk · #1 10-03-2005, 08:44 PM

Just wondering if anyone else shared these thoughts with me. Now i am not talking about one market specifically, i am talking about the Canadian online market as a whole.

But...Why is there so many less websites for Canadian resellers compared to american?

I mean look at the industry we are all interested in: Fish/Reef Keeping. I could search for hours and come up with very little sites compared to our brothers in the south. Which makes you think? How much business is the USA gaining from Canadian shoppers? All the prices look great, but once you factor in your duties, shipping, exchange rate, its not worth it.

The products i sell only have one online competitor in Canada. ONE! When i type in "pelican products" in google, there is about 2 pages of US sites before one canadian company comes up. Which is great for me, but how come Canadians arent jumping on the E-sale bandwagon?

So much opportunity for Canadians. Canada has such a vast market potential, yet is it being lost?

I want to know what you think? Why isnt there more online dealers in Canada?

Feel free to flame away!

Steve

Invigor · #2 10-03-2005, 09:04 PM

it's because J&L has an extremely large customer base, and with addictingly low prices, it's hard to go elsewhere, and since anywhere I shop, I have to pay shipping costs. and they have a good selection of the things I need.

Bob I · #3 10-03-2005, 09:04 PM

One important factor is very simple, it is population numbers. One tenth the population translates into one tenth the potential market.

SJSobczyk · #4 10-03-2005, 09:22 PM

Quote:

One important factor is very simple, it is population numbers. One tenth the population translates into one tenth the potential market.

Agreed! But still a very large population in Canada, and this kind of population could lead to a very succesfull business.

Steve

Delphinus · #5 10-03-2005, 09:42 PM

Not that I would ever trade living in Canada, but I think the hobby is just a little further ahead in the U.S. than it is here. By that I mean, even per capita, there are more people in the hobby down there. Plus, hobbyists seem to be more organized, i.e., MASNA/MACNA, so that makes it a bigger market.

Having said that, I think the hobby is growing great up here, north of the 49th, as well. Although we've seen a few online retailers come and go over the years, there are plenty more players today than there was, five years ago for example, in 2000. "Back in the day, I remember when even J&L wasn't around. And it was uphill both ways!"

Cap'n · #6 10-04-2005, 05:25 AM

Society in general is much more commercial in the states. Even in a comparable European market I doubt you will see the same opportunity / pressure to buy.