Are you still buying in the USA? Why?

[Reef Supplies]

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]

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]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

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]

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]

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]

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]

Originally Posted by 68shelby

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]

Originally Posted by 68shelby

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?

Originally Posted by tim the toolman

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.

Originally Posted by Cal_stir

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]

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

[reefme]

Originally Posted by tim the toolman

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.