our dollar buys more but only if your ask

[naesco]

To be quite honest I was totally shocked at the fact that there was only a $500.00 difference in 46,000 lbs of dry goods.

What this means is that we should be paying the same price American hobbyists pay for aquarium products.

The fact is we are paying substantially more.

I checked out a few other things as well. (quickly and I am no expert)
Seattle store lease rates are the same as Greater Vancouver.
Electricity is cheaper here.
Average US salaries are $12,00 per hour
Truck fuel is higher here.

There is no justification for paying higher prices here whasoever.

[G1GY]

As a consumer the best thing you can do is spend your money where you think you're getting the best value and service. A loss of buisness will make them adjust their pricing or cease to exist.

I order from the US on a weekly basis and have seen some minimal savings on stuff I buy from there.

I had a client come for a tattoo last week and ask me for a discount seeing as I pay less for supplies now than what I paid the last time they were here. I pollitely declined and asked the client to take their money to the US and enjoy the better value that he may get for it now and sent him on his way.

He's called me twice since then and I've told him that I'm much too busy.

As a consumer he made his choice just as I did as a retailer (of sorts.).

I guess what I'm saying is......... If you think you can get it cheaper from the US and it's worth your time and effort to do so, then do it. Just keep in mind that this will all ballance out at some point and if you dammage the relationship with the vendors that you've dealt with for a long time you may not be able to repair that when things are normal again. Try dealing with warranties and such with your US supplier.

Just a thought.

FWIW, I'm a aquarium supplies consumer and not a vendor of any type.

[naesco]

I am not suggesting that we abandon purchasing from LFS.

The issue is very simple
Someone is pocketing the huge savings we as hobbyists are losing.

If it is the importers or wholesalers, our local LFS should put pressure on their suppliers or look around for better suppliers.

If is the LFS and online stores that are pocketing the savings, they must understand that if they do not pass it on to us, we will take our business elsewhere, across the border only if necessary.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by naesco

I am not suggesting that we abandon purchasing from LFS.

The issue is very simple
Someone is pocketing the huge savings we as hobbyists are losing.

If it is the importers or wholesalers, our local LFS should put pressure on their suppliers or look around for better suppliers.

If is the LFS and online stores that are pocketing the savings, they must understand that if they do not pass it on to us, we will take our business elsewhere, across the border only if necessary.

Exactly why Gary suggests using your money to talk for you. Spending habits will dictate who sells what for how much. Reallistically though, if I stand at my LFS for an hour and mingle with the clients, most of them wouldn't even think of looking online, much less buy there. The local market shops price wise within itself, so as long as retailer 1 is 5% cheaper than retailer 2 down the street, they buy there. No consideration to what something might cost in California whatsoever. The people I talk to to that know what a J&L or OA is is probably less than 20%.
So, for now, the retailer still gets to dictate prices, especially in mid size markets like Victoria.

[naesco]

Doug are you the Mod. Please PM me.

Reefrat
The point of the thread was that the savings as a result of the high Canadian dollar are not being passed on to reefers.
My point was ask and you shall receive!

[digital-audiophile]

Retailers, Vendors and Distributors need to demand lower prices from the manufacturers.

Since I was out shopping for a high chair for my baby today I will take that as an example...

Just one model I was looking at a - fisher price was listed in store at Toys R Us at $159.99, on the toysrus.com US website the same item was listed at $99.99. How can this be justified? Both of these items have been shipped from China. Now You cannot tell me that it really costs $60 more to get it to Calgary vs. say.... Spokane?

We as Canadians are being taken advantage of.

[naesco]

Greg, it really frosts ya doesn't it.
Did you ask the store manager if he would honour the same US price.
It has been my experience that they will if you ask.
I understand from talking to them (they privately agee with my point and tell me their own Canadian buck experience) that they are putting pressure on senior management to do something but senior management are really slow to act.
The more fluff we raise the faster fair pricing will happen, especially with Christmas coming.