Is there a double standard

[Topaz]

We all know about the news of pricing in Canada should be coming down and some have already but NOT as fast as when the price of gas goes up. A gas station can fill its tanks and then a few days later the prices go up, even though that gas was bought at a cheaper price. On the other hand, companies are said we need to get rid of our stock before we can lower our prices like in the US. So why is there a difference?

[guyser]

. On the other hand, companies are said we need to get rid of our stock before we can lower our prices like in the US. So why is there a difference?

Because they can get away with it. As for retailors, to some extent I believe them with respect to stock. They paid X and now can get stock at X - 20% , well they have to sell the stuff and make room for the cheaper stuff.

As for gas, I think they have been lying to us all along about that one. I cant see how the price, paid sitting in the underground tanks , changes by the hour. But then again, someone with gas info should be along to school us.

As an aside, in anticipation of my trip to NY, I was checking out some athletic gear sites, Nike ,RBK, Adi Das and all the prices I checked were the same there as here in Toronto. So I will cancel any idea to buy shoes , lined tights and singlets. Going to check out dress shoes and jackets next.

Edited October 23, 2007 by guyser

[capricorn]

We all know about the news of pricing in Canada should be coming down and some have already but NOT as fast as when the price of gas goes up. A gas station can fill its tanks and then a few days later the prices go up, even though that gas was bought at a cheaper price. On the other hand, companies are said we need to get rid of our stock before we can lower our prices like in the US. So why is there a difference?

Additional costs of bilingual packaging, freight costs if manufactured or produced outside Canada and most importantly, greed.

The bottom line is "buyer beware". Consumers need to shop around, even if it means online purchasing or a trip south of the border.

[guyser]

Additional costs of bilingual packaging, freight costs if manufactured or produced outside Canada and most importantly, greed.

The bottom line is "buyer beware". Consumers need to shop around, even if it means online purchasing or a trip south of the border.

So true.

You reminded me of a funny story. A gf of mine was wanting to buy a hockey sweater , an nhl team, anyhow she goes to a website and it says to the effect, $350CDN / $225US. She called in and told them she wanted the US one. The operator said "umm...er..oh....we cant do that. "

[fellowtraveller]

Additional costs of bilingual packaging, freight costs if manufactured or produced outside Canada and most importantly, greed.

The bottom line is "buyer beware". Consumers need to shop around, even if it means online purchasing or a trip south of the border.

How does that apply to oil and gasoline?

I live in central Alberta, where the raw material is extracted and refined almost within sight. There is no packaging. Freight costs are as close to nil as possible.

And I pay 20-25% more than the USA.

[capricorn]

How does that apply to oil and gasoline?

I live in central Alberta, where the raw material is extracted and refined almost within sight. There is no packaging. Freight costs are as close to nil as possible.

And I pay 20-25% more than the USA.

I can't understand why gas prices vary so considerably. Gas pricing across Canada is incomprehensible to the casual observer.

For example, here in the Ottawa area, gas prices go up just before a long weekend in anticipation of the increased sales at the pump. No one seems to complain to know who to complain to. But we pay...

[guyser]

Gas pricing across Canada is incomprehensible to the casual observer.

You can say that again. Look at Yellowknife , kind of just up the road....$1.20 avg on regular vs Peterborough....wow what a diff.

http://www.mjervin.com/WPPS_Public.htm

[gc1765]

If you don't like the prices, don't pay them.

[old_bold&cold]

The auto industry and other big ticket items are still way out of wack. Their excuse about sellingoff stock is not even close as most have sai they only keep 30-45 days of stock in the warehouses. So the dollar has been oer par for more then a month and near par for two months, so that should have removed all that higher priced stock. The cars that are still 15-25% higher will just have to rust away. Base price corvette in US $48,000.00 here in Canada $65,000.00. Some other luxury cars are even more then this. The average compact car is still 15% more here in Canada the the USA, and that is just wrong.

We as consumers need to just walk away and not buy until things go our way and then some as punishment to those who tried to screw us.

[Army Guy]

I was going to purchase a new ATV this fall, the new Can AM 650 base price here in Canada at 13,500 dollars...The same bike sells for 8200.00 US...And it's built in QUEBEC...And it's Canadian distributor has issued that any US dealers selling thier bikes to Canadians will have thier lic removed.

This is not the only example, i checked the price difference on 6 other manufacturers and found the same difference in price over 5000.00 difference.

Edited October 24, 2007 by Army Guy

[scribblet]

I don't know about gas, other than there does seem to be some collusion and price fixing, we are being ripped off.

As for the rest, I also have some empathy for retailers; an item which comes in from China to Canada will have an 18% surcharge or tax on it, whereas in the U.S. zilch, so I don't think we can expect complete parity.

I believe that books for instance, are priced way ahead of time, a few months even, and magazines maybe a couple of months.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/22/business...s/22loonie.html

"A report released Thursday by BMO Nesbitt Burns, a unit of the Bank of Montreal, estimates that products are priced 24 percent higher in Canada than in the United States despite the Canadian dollar’s steady five-year march to parity with the United States dollar.

During the three-decade slump from which the Canadian dollar just rebounded, Canadians became accustomed to paying more.

Not all price differences are a result of exchange rates. Some agricultural products, including milk, chicken and eggs, are produced under supply-management systems. Those closed markets maintain farm incomes but also elevate prices for Canadian shoppers." cont...

[Pliny]

As for the rest, I also have some empathy for retailers; an item which comes in from China to Canada will have an 18% surcharge or tax on it, whereas in the U.S. zilch, so I don't think we can expect complete parity.

What people on this thread are asking for, know it or not, is free trade.

Always ask what role government plays in pricing differences you pay.

Automobiles have parts made outside NAFTA so the difference in price could be the tariffs Canada imposes upon importing parts from Asia. It is something to look at if you want a clear understanding of price differences.

What percentage of American gas prices are taxes?

Because governments have a vested interest in the oil industry - a large percentage of their revenues come from there, you see influences in the market that appear as oddities and anomalies you don't see in other markets.

Are Canadians paying higher prices at the pumps and car lots because of the same influences of government we see in our Agricultural products? I am of the opinion we are. Of course, the lib-left are quick to blame humanity, greed and the profit motive which resolves nothing and encourages more influence from government and so the cycle goes.

[old_bold&cold]

What most Canadians want is pricing to be fair between the USA and Canada on most large ticket items, considering the new found buying power of the dollar. We already know thta it is not. Cars are a very big part of this and yes, cars built here in Canada by factories here using parts from here are selling in the USA 20% cheaper then here, and that is plain wrong. The same can be said for most of the whole new car market. With the exceptions of some european models they are no extra duties and only 6% on the european ones, so whay the other 14% and in the luxury end 30% mark ups. We all know that car dealers are not to be trusted at their word, but we are now learning that the manufacturers can not b e trusted either. So it is no wonder that people can and do buy their new cars south of the border. The manufacturers that try to stop this should be put out of business by the buying public. Bombardier, sells atv's and skidoos 30-40% cheaper in the USA and they are subsidized by the government here in Canada, and yet screw us the Canadian public. That is just wrong, and yes it needs to be stopped. All the big 3 auto manufacturers are way out of line in this and since they do get many government perks, I would suggest that they be givena date about a month from now to have even pricing, or all government perks will stop. Yes it would be like staring down someone who could cause us harm and high unemployment, but yes it still needs that kick in the butt to make them comply. They will do it, but will grumble all the way. Things like stoves and fridges are also way higher here and for no good reason. Since we have pretty much all turned to just in time shipping and warehousing, there is no large inventories that take months to dispose of. The dollar has been near par and over par for over 9 months now and that should have been more then enough time to make things even. Hell the new car model years have been done at close to par and it should not be even a factor on any 2008 model period.

It si just a rippoff by the greedy manufacturers and they need to be taught a lesson. I would suggest that people only do their christmas shopping in stores that have aligned themselves to fair pricing, and avoid all those who do not do so. Maybe that way the message will get thru that we as consumers are tired of the stupid farce being used to fleece us of our hard earned money.

[Fortunata]

Always ask what role government plays in pricing differences you pay.

The extra tariffs play a big part in some instances. Shouldn't Flaherty have known this before shooting his mouth off about retailers? And if he is so worried about Canadians getting charged more, shouldn't this government lower or abolish those same tariffs?

[geoffrey]

If you don't like the prices, don't pay them.

Alas, the only reasonable response in the thread.

Ebay has some good deals, it's nice seeing the CDN price below USD. Go buy your car in the States, might not get certain brands, but buy from one that will sell to you.

Consumers only have themselves to blame if they pay more for a particular product. You have the internet, you have a credit card. Have at it.

[mikedavid00]

As an aside, in anticipation of my trip to NY, I was checking out some athletic gear sites, Nike ,RBK, Adi Das and all the prices I checked were the same there as here in Toronto. So I will cancel any idea to buy shoes , lined tights and singlets. Going to check out dress shoes and jackets next.

You won't get many clothing deals in the US.

If you buy shoes at Nine West/Hush Puppies that will be cheaper. Levi's is cheaper.

Anything at Ikea is 50% cheaper in the US and you will get a steal if you shop there.

Diamonds are an amazing deal in the US right now.

Mostly everything except clothing, produce, and dairy and are cheaper in the US.

The best deal is a real estate investment in Florida right now in a cold market. By the time you get a %50 increase on your property, the dollar value should be back at 70 cents. That gives you 80% return on investement. Possibly in 5 years if you pick your property right.

[mikedavid00]

I was going to purchase a new ATV this fall, the new Can AM 650 base price here in Canada at 13,500 dollars...The same bike sells for 8200.00 US...And it's built in QUEBEC...And it's Canadian distributor has issued that any US dealers selling thier bikes to Canadians will have thier lic removed.

This is not the only example, i checked the price difference on 6 other manufacturers and found the same difference in price over 5000.00 difference.

I said this before and I'll say it again.

We are a self hating people that love to rip each other off.

We have a class based society that are out to screw one another.

Self hatred and our gov't programming is the real issue.

[mikedavid00]

Alas, the only reasonable response in the thread.

Ebay has some good deals, it's nice seeing the CDN price below USD. Go buy your car in the States, might not get certain brands, but buy from one that will sell to you.

Consumers only have themselves to blame if they pay more for a particular product. You have the internet, you have a credit card. Have at it.

I disagree in a moral sense.

Canadians are already shopping on ebay and shopping in the US.

Guess what that does to our Canadian economy? We'll never know.

All I know is that a book store in Toronto decided to charge the US listed price on his books and his business is up 89% since the same time last year. He was featured on the CBC. He said it was a concious decision and now he's making more money than ever.

But he's a rarity in Canada. That is not the Canadian way of thinking.

The Canadian way of thinking is 'how can I screw over my fellow Canuck'. That's how we think.

Lowering prices is the personal choice of the seller in Canada. The sellers are deciding not to lower prices unjustly so they can grab more money.

WE ALL SUFFER BECAUSE OF THIS. That is the piont.

Even though I'M PERSONALLY NOT SUFFERING because I'm just buying off ebay, but make no mistake, I realize that damage this does to our economy and country as a whole.

But it's not MY fault, it's THEIR fault for not lowering prices.

In the last 2 years I have probably sent $10,000 out of the country and into the pockets of some American.

This money would have went to Canadians if they played fair ball, but they chose the path of self-hatred so what do you expect me to do?

[stevoh]

I don't buy the "bilingual packaging" argument.

I recently bought some electronic hardware, and the packaging was in 5 languages, including spanish. Many areas of the US also require multilingual packaging and instructions (Florida, etc) and they don't pay more for it.

[Drea]

I said this before and I'll say it again.

We are a self hating people that love to rip each other off.

We have a class based society that are out to screw one another.

Self hatred and our gov't programming is the real issue.

It’s not about us “hating ourselvesâ€. Get real.

It’s about what the market will bear.

Retailers always charge the highest allowable price -- wouldn't you if you were a retailer?

Will I forgo that new Stephen King book because it's $9.99 US and $11.99 Candadian? Nope, I buy it anyway... I could order it but my time waiting is worth more than the $2 I save.

That being said, the Canadian market will no longer “bear†prices being higher here. Retailers realize (or they should) that consumers will shop for the best price. WalMart has already begun lowering prices and I expect other retail will follow.

[old_bold&cold]

The retailers are going to have to act fast as we are already into the Christmas shopping season and if things do not change by then, retailers will find that they lose 75% of their sales, in just that time frame alone. Yes, it would be nice if the wholesalers also thought about this as well.

[Moxie]

I prefer to buy second hand, or dumpster dive. I buy my books used, as well as most of my clothing. I have a twenty year old TV that works just fine. My sterio recently died and it was twenty five years old. I don't own a DVD player, I don't watch movies. I guess I'm retails version of a crappy customer. We've become a disposable society, it's cheaper to buy a new printer than it is to buy a printer cartridge. It's insane that electronic companies can exploit us as they do. Our landfills fill up with poisonous "NEW" electronics because they makes it to expensive to retain our electronics for a decade as we use to do with TV's, sterios, Fridges and Stoves and Computers. It's shameful.

[mikedavid00]

I prefer to buy second hand, or dumpster dive. I buy my books used, as well as most of my clothing. I have a twenty year old TV that works just fine. My sterio recently died and it was twenty five years old. I don't own a DVD player, I don't watch movies.

Geoffery?

Where are you? What do you think of this post. What does this tell you about our country and the shape we are in?

Edited October 26, 2007 by mikedavid00

[geoffrey]

What does this tell you about our country and the shape we are in?

It tells me that our country is free enough to allow whatever choices you want to make about your consumption.

I choose the 42" plasma, Moxie chooses a 21" dumpster TV. I wear Gucci shoes, Moxie wears burlap sandals.

Who the hell cares. If I waste my money (and it really is wasting) on ego boosting peices of shit and he spends his cash on things that actually provide REAL value, then I'm going to say he's one up on me and probably has more money in the bank to show for it.

Right now, I buy anything major from the States. Bought a new DSLR, and a new TV, all at ridiculous prices on eBay (with WARRANTIES!!!). When Canadians decide they want my business, they'll ask me for a reasonable sum in exchange for their goods.

Until then, I'll buy from whoever gives me better value.

[gc1765]

If I waste my money (and it really is wasting) on ego boosting peices of shit and he spends his cash on things that actually provide REAL value, then I'm going to say he's one up on me and probably has more money in the bank to show for it.

Gotta give you props for being honest