Dear old United States

[Basile]

You can say what ever you want about the States for or againts but in terms of service and supplies they're # 1.

A few things to remember; they're 350 millions we're 31 millions and things cost less with lower taxes .

However; an example of me having to do 100km just to get the right PVC reducing elbow for my aquarium plumbing at Loews in the states that i couldn't find here at are Loews in Canada i find ridiculous. This applies to lots of stuff in are hobbies and not exclusively to are hobby .

Doing this poll i'm curious how many of you find the need to go statewise and why, supplies, service, price, road trip....lol. vote and tell us why.

[NU-2reef]

You should just go live in the states.

[IanWR]

I haven't had the need to look south of the border yet. Either I can get what I need at our lfs and keep the money local, or I have found what I need from online vendors in Canada. There are several dealers that offer free shipping over x amount which is never hard to reach. If I needed something that was unavailable in Canada I would have no problem ordering it from wherever, it just hasn't happened yet.

For those of you that live on the border I can see how you could save money drop shipping stuff and picking it up.

[BC564]

I havent found the need....other than gifts and junk you buy when your on a trip.

[reefermadness]

Im sure you could have found that fitting local if you looked. Maybe not at loews but most decent cities will have a store that carries everything (ie. underground sprinkler suppliers, etc).

I've never absolutely NEEDED to get something from the US. Sometimes I do for various reasons though.

[Coasting]

I go about every 2 months for various non fish related things. Food mainly... They have so much stuff we don't have up here, and its soooo much cheaper. Heck even my dogs Canadian made food, is $20 a bag cheaper down in the states.
As for fish stuff, When I used t5 lighting, I bought all my bulbs down there. They were at least half the price, if not cheaper, then any local or online Canadian dealer.

[Basile]

First i didn't ask for rude answers i asked who was going to the states for supplies, and how many times.
For those who think i go to the states with joy and for the purpose of saving, think again, first its 3 h both ways; i could do something else with my life. Second ; savings gas wise i still burn gas to get trinkets for my tank, as for moving there, thats plain rude. No i'd rather that are stores kept a better stock and a coherent one. And if i hadn't done 12 different hardware stores in the Nation's Capital who's got a pretty descent population and store variety i wonder about the smaller towns i wouldn't have to drive all the way there.Plus the internet is not always convenient when you want it NOW , its leaking, kinda stuff. The point is many stores here don't bother to serves us the way they do it in the states. So to all the managers out there who may be listening , reading or answering rudely pick it up butter cup! Its a sad situation when you have to go to another country to get stuff from the same company who serves both countries but leaves us with the left overs. If you ever visit a plumbing section in the states versus one in Canada you'll see what i mean. And by the way its a subject that is very recurrent from people who do go to the states and shop and see the difference, in price, services and diversity of products. You have to have been there to know what your talking about.......

[sphelps]

Sounds like you just don't know where to look, hardware stores are poor suppliers of PVC fittings the fact you'd expect them to carry odd ball fittings is just silly. Big chain stores don't carry everything for good reason, inventory costs money and higher overhead means higher prices. The type of fitting you're looking doesn't get used in typical "hardware store" applications but that's where specialty stores come in. There are many plumbing stores throughout Canada that carry everything you need, even in small towns I've managed to find pretty much everything. Also not sure why service would be better in the states from Canada, I think we get much better service in our own country.

[Reef Pilot]

The problem in Canada, is the cost of doing business, It is not just taxes, but the regulations that jack up the cost, and much of that is at the local municipal level. That means you need much higher gross margins to make a profit.

I was in retail (big box) my whole career. We used to be able to build a store from land purchase to opening in 2 - 3 years. Then it stretched to 3 - 5 years. Now it is not uncommon 5- 7, and even 10 years to get a large store up and running. And the costs just keep going up. And then it usually takes another 5 years or so, just to break even with the new store.

Some places are better than others. Alberta is still not too bad. But BC is very bad, and getting worse, especially in the Metro Vancouver area. And I know Ontario is bad, too.

It is very hard for a Canadian retail chain to grow organically (store by store). It is much easier to buy a dying chain (like Zellers and others gone by) and then get a head start with a bunch of stores. But that takes a lot of capital, which the struggling Canadian retailers don't have. As a result, American chains, with their massive economies of scale can come in and set up shop here, much easier than us locals.

Having said that, they all don't get it right either from the start. Target is a good example. And they can't sell the stuff here either for the same price as they do in the US.

But like I said, the real culprit is the municipal fiefdoms, called planning depts, that are really only there to serve themselves, not the tax paying public and consumers. As a result we are doomed to keep buying from the US whenever we can.

[The Codfather]

Originally Posted by Basile

So to all the managers out there who may be listening , reading or answering rudely pick it up butter cup! Its a sad situation when you have to go to another country to get stuff from the same company who serves both countries but leaves us with the left overs. If you ever visit a plumbing section in the states versus one in Canada you'll see what i mean.

First of all, theres a thing called a phone. Maybe use that first before driving all over the country side looking for a fitting. Second, I cannot imagine that there was nothing available that couldnt be used. Ive been to a wholesale a couple times, and they could always find a fitting or fittings that could be used instead of. Third, and probably should have mentioned first. A fitting. One? A manager/company/wholesale is not going to, and never will, bend over backwards to fill an order of one fitting. The cost of which was what? $1.50?? Tops??
Im sorry, but I laughed when I read this. This is called poor planning on your part. You mentioned "a leak, and you need it now".....Sorry, but pvc fittings and pipe dont just spring a leak. If anyone is planning on doing something serious on their tank that involves the plumbing, you had better have a plan and a good one.
Now before you complain at my answer, which I know is coming. Tell me this. Did you reasearch this at all? Again, the phone and computer in front of you would have solved your problem faster. And for the record, I shop local.