Canadian dollar and shopping online

Megalodon · #1 03-06-2015, 05:39 AM

With a weak Canadian dollar, it seems some Canadian online retailers are actually cheaper than their American counterparts now. Is anyone else finding this?

PayPal's exchange is 28.6% currently, I calculated. Tonight I checked out on BRS but didn't complete the payment.

Take for example, Hanna calcium regents, which are $18.29 US on BRS, or $23.52 CDN.

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/hi758-...ine-water.html

But it's only $19.99 CDN on reefsupplies.ca.

http://www.reefsupplies.ca/online-st...=search&page=1

Or a salinity monitor on BRS is $117.99 US, or $151.74 CDN.

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/pinpoi...y-monitor.html

But it's only $146.60 at J&L Aquatics.

http://www.jlaquatics.com/phpstore/s...uct_ID=pp-msal

Shipping and taxes are also cheaper. BRS charges 16% tax to BC, when it's only 12% locally. Shipping $125 CDN worth of items from BRS to Vancouver costs about $31 CDN, but only $9 from reefsupplies.ca.

SeaHorse_Fanatic · #2 03-06-2015, 06:18 AM

Good to know. I was ordering stuff from Amazon.com and other US based online retailers (not fish stuff) before our Cdn dollar tanked but I've stopped most of that due to the poor exchange rate. Of course my in-laws choose this time to go for a family vacation to Washington state this weekend so I'll be spending lots of Cdn dollars to cover my American expenses. Yay!!! NOT! At least they're covering accommodations.

Anthony

Samw · #3 03-06-2015, 06:28 AM

I think that won't last long. Prices are based on cost and I think those prices are based on old supply which was purchased months ago when the CAD was stronger. So when the stores start restocking, their cost of goods brought in from the States will increase and so will the sticker prices.

Megalodon · #4 03-06-2015, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeaHorse_Fanatic

Good to know. I was ordering stuff from Amazon.com and other US based online retailers (not fish stuff) before our Cdn dollar tanked but I've stopped most of that due to the poor exchange rate. Of course my in-laws choose this time to go for a family vacation to Washington state this weekend so I'll be spending lots of Cdn dollars to cover my American expenses. Yay!!! NOT! At least they're covering accommodations.

Anthony

I was a big Amazon.com junkie up until December. I had stuff shipped to Hagen's of Blaine and then just hopped across the line to pick it up. But now I'm finding that even Amazon.ca can be cheaper.

Take, for example, this espresso machine for $ 614.11 CDN on Amazon.ca, with free shipping.

http://www.amazon.ca/Breville-BES870...ville+espresso

On Amazon.com it's $599.95 US. But add 6.5% WA state sales tax, and $2.50 for the shipping depot, that's $641.45 US, times 28.6% exchange, comes out to $824.90, more than $200 more!

http://www.amazon.com/Breville-BES87...words=breville

But I did just put in an order with petmountain.com to ship to Blaine. They don't charge WA state sales tax, there's a 10% discount for first-time buyers, and have free shipping over $75 US, so it worked out for me. Included is a Seachem Ammonia Alert and Kent Pro-Scrapers for cheaper than I could have at J&Ls. I also got Bio-Spira for my quarantine/hospital tank, which I can't even find up here. Nature's Miracle is also quite a bit cheaper (like Just for Cats Urine Destroyer). The only problem is they have poor selection, and now I have to go pick it up lol. I'll get gas and dairy while I'm down, and maybe some meat, but that's about it.

kien · #5 03-06-2015, 02:17 PM

Yup, another Amazon/eBay junkie here as well.. but not necessarily because stuff was cheaper. More so because there's junk there that I can't find in Canada. I'm definitely in wallet tightening mode now though.

Doug · #6 03-06-2015, 03:38 PM

I like Amazon also. My Tunze equipment came from them but the dollar was higher then. I stick with the mentioned sponsors. Reef Supply & JL Aquatics for most all my dry goods.

lockrookie · #7 03-06-2015, 04:17 PM

I am more partial to ebay not fond of Amazon. Most of what I get us usually from China.

TimT · #8 03-06-2015, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lockrookie

Most of what I get us usually from China.

Even stuff you get from Europe is made in China. I had to get a new power supply from Pacific Sun in Poland for an LED. The new one was this small little black plastic box... made in China.

Ikea is just Swedish for made in China.

lockrookie · #9 03-06-2015, 05:12 PM

I had to get a new power supply for my netbook pc from toshiba was over 100 bucks China 25 bucks. And I've been lucky with free shipping takes two weeks

RuGlu6 · #10 03-10-2015, 01:27 AM

BRS were hacked , i just received a letter from them advising that all is OK nothing to worry about keep shopping on line its safe

but customer's name, address, tel number, email, user name and password were "involved in the incident" and may have been potentially exposed.
Oh yeah and they have sincerely apologized. THANKS BRS!
This is supposedly for all who logged in to BRS from July 30, 2014 to Jan 30, 2015.