Is Cross Border Shopping Unpatriotic ?

[Topaz]

The finance senate committee has had many hearings on the difference in pricing and much is TAXES, fed, provincial, manufacturing and it just add to the cost, along with the difference in the dollar.

[Topaz]

The only thing I know that was told to me was the Canadian told the US agent he was a SG and knew his rights and that stated the balling rolling. I've heard worse things the US customs have done to certain Canadians ,especially women.

[overthere]

The finance senate committee has had many hearings on the difference in pricing and much is TAXES, fed, provincial, manufacturing and it just add to the cost, along with the difference in the dollar.

No, that is not it.

Honda vehicles were 20% higher in Alberta than in Arizona, and the only major difference was the 5% GST, so the difference was 15%.

The difference is that the Candian market is smaller and easier to control. Manufacturers charge more here than in the US because they can get away with it.

The Internet is changing this somewhat... For example, car dealers here- in some cases- have reduced parts cost quite a bit because they are getting eaten by internet competition. This of course only applies to common parts. If you are buying 'dealer only ' parts, they are still far higher than they are in America.

[Bryan]

I cross the border multiple times per year and I've never had to check in with US Customs when returning to Canada. How would that even work? Did they have a road block prior to the crossing?

[bush_cheney2004]

U.S. prices for identical goods and services do not apply in another country. Why would they ?

[guyser]

U.S. prices for identical goods and services do not apply in another country. Why would they ?

This is your (rare non-Canada focused) posting in a nutshell: stating the blindingly obvious with no insight or original thought, just deference to the status quo that adds nothing to the discussion. 5,000+ posts per year of this trash. Unbelievable.

May as well since the same crap gets posted.

[Smallc]

I cross the border multiple times per year and I've never had to check in with US Customs when returning to Canada. How would that even work? Did they have a road block prior to the crossing?

I've crossed at multiple ports and I've never seen that either.

[guyser]

THey can stop you though. You are in their territory until you are on CDN soil. If they saw something from the myriad of cameras then maybe there is something to this.

Or maybe not.

Not to mention that a ton of them like to play stupid games with travellers. The number of idiots I have had confirms that.

Edited December 9, 2014 by Guyser2

[The_Squid]

I cross the border multiple times per year and I've never had to check in with US Customs when returning to Canada. How would that even work? Did they have a road block prior to the crossing?

Yes, they had border guards walking the 2 lines of cars as they lined up.

[guyser]

Yes, they had border guards walking the 2 lines of cars as they lined up.

That still seems weird, and I am not challenging anyone on this but am confused.

The border, our border is inside Canada and outside US jurisdiction. For instance take the Queenston Lewiston Bridge, halfway across going north one is on CDN prop. If after I passed under the CDN flag halfway thru, an American Border Guard would not anybody to me, and I would not stop nor talk to them.

Now of course there are spots like my old stomping grounds, Rossland BC and the border there at Kettle Falls is , oops rather was just a barrier arm so I guess there they can talk to you but it still seems kind of weird.

[The_Squid]

That still seems weird, and I am not challenging anyone on this but am confused.

The border, our border is inside Canada and outside US jurisdiction. For instance take the Queenston Lewiston Bridge, halfway across going north one is on CDN prop. If after I passed under the CDN flag halfway thru, an American Border Guard would not anybody to me, and I would not stop nor talk to them.

Now of course there are spots like my old stomping grounds, Rossland BC and the border there at Kettle Falls is , oops rather was just a barrier arm so I guess there they can talk to you but it still seems kind of weird.

It was years ago.... it may have still been on American soil... I don't know. I don't even remember if it was the truck crossing or the Peace Arch...

Regardless, I am quite certain there is leeway about what side of the border a guard happens to be on if they need to do a particular task.

[guyser]

Regardless, I am quite certain there is leeway about what side of the border a guard happens to be on if they need to do a particular task.

I doubt, very much, that any leeway is allowed.

Now one may make the case for following someone fleeing, but then the CDN Guards would be present.

[Boges]

Short of some electronics that have a different starting price, (a Smart Watch for example). Cross Border Shopping is no longer a prudent thing to do.

I've spent some time in the USA recently, not to shop but just to enjoy nice weather and such. But I did go into malls just to see what's there. TBH most things are the same price and with the exchange rate, anyone who's going to the US for consumer goods isn't saving any money at all.

Gas prices are still much cheaper but who in Canada ever thought we'd see prices under $1/litre ever again.

The crash in oil prices will end up being a good thing for ROC (sans the Oil Patch).

[guyser]

. TBH most things are the same price and with the exchange rate, anyone who's going to the US for consumer goods isn't saving any money at all.

Bingo !

[bush_cheney2004]

Short of some electronics that have a different starting price, (a Smart Watch for example). Cross Border Shopping is no longer a prudent thing to do.

It is if you are buying a new BMW.

[Boges]

It is if you are buying a new BMW.

Sure, cars are cheaper. I'm unsure about the warranty situation though. But the Ambassador bridge isn't clogged with people looking to buy a car.

[guyser]

Sure, cars are cheaper.

They may not be by the time the dealer has made your car Canada Compliant. Skip that process and no warranty for BMW you just bought.

Also scheduled service/maintenance package is voided.

I'm unsure about the warranty situation though. But the Ambassador bridge isn't clogged with people looking to buy a car.

Acura

Honda

Kia

Mitsibushi

Hynudai

VW.....all these have no warranty for being brought into Canada.

Subaru **

and some fo the other big ones require special payment and things.

Subaru does not offer warranty to cars brought in new, however you can pay for the warranty work and then submit to US Subaru and hope to be paid.................hope.

Edited January 6, 2015 by Guyser2

[bush_cheney2004]

Canadian shoppers are still doing it....for clothing, footwear, household goods, etc. This trend includes on-line shopping:

VANCOUVER — A confession: I have purchased several holiday gifts online from retailers in the U.S., making me part of a trend.

New numbers reveal that online shoppers are showing a strong preference for American retailers — something bound to exacerbate the cross-border drain on Canada’s retail economy.

....Loss of retail business stemming from forays into the U.S., of course, is nothing new. Vancouver-area shoppers have long headed to Bellingham seeking superior product selection and cheaper prices.

The Retail Council issued a news release last fall, lamenting the tradition.

Similarly, the Business Council of B.C. last year estimated cross-border shopping in 2012, by way of same-day and overnight trips to the U.S., as well as trips over 48 hours, sucked $2.6 billion out of the province’s retail economy.

But what is new is the growth in online cross-border shopping — and the superiority of U.S. retailers’ online offerings.

The numbers show that more than two-thirds of Canadian online shopping activity in 2014 reflected purchases from American rather than domestic sellers.

http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Barbara+Yaffe+Canadian+online+shoppers+increasingly+buying+from/10674172/story.html#ixzz3O5AxeV00

[guyser]

Canadian shoppers are still doing it....

Stop the presses! Alert the police.......

Gee...did anyone ever say different? Get a new shtick.

[GostHacked]

I would want a cite for this... because the cross border shopping traffic is probably small enough to have no impact on retailers in Canada, except for maybe some that are right on the border.

What is a Canadian retailer? I think globalization has muddied any idea of a certain business being strictly Canadian. The places that people are going to are really the same stores that are on both sides of the border.

[Bryan]

The numbers show that more than two-thirds of Canadian online shopping activity in 2014 reflected purchases from American rather than domestic sellers.

http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Barbara+Yaffe+Canadian+online+shoppers+increasingly+buying+from/10674172/story.html#ixzz3O5AxeV00

Count me in those as well. I ordered a whole bunch of my christmas shopping stuff online, almost all of them from American retailers. There were different reasons for each purchase. In nearly every case, the price after shipping, exchange, and duty was still significantly less. In many cases, that was so even in US versions of the store we do have outlets of in Canada. In some cases the price was less of an issue, so much as having the item in stock was. Some of the stores, there simply was no Canadian equivalent.

[bush_cheney2004]

.... In some cases the price was less of an issue, so much as having the item in stock was. Some of the stores, there simply was no Canadian equivalent.

This appears to be the case more often than not, as clearly many Canadians have the means to afford such items. Sometimes an item is simply not available in Canada at any price. Add to that a potential for cost savings as well, and consumer behaviour is quite predictable.

Retail mail box services must be a booming business in border towns.

[Bryan]

Retail mail box services must be a booming business in border towns.

They are. As I mentioned before, I use them for the things that American businesses refuse to ship across the border.

[ironstone]

Personally I don't cross the border to shop but I don't have a problem with anyone doing it.I do buy small items from ebay which are always cheaper than what I would pay in Canada.Marketplace did an interesting show about the big gap between prices in Canada and the US.

http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/episodes/_search_results/52a2117524f245a2bf68765a1435a89c/