As a Canadian, I am a little peeved. | GTAMotorcycle.com

As a Canadian, I am a little peeved.

Macs

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So I hopped across the border yesterday to Sault Ste Marie, Michigan. Spent an hour at WalMart, paid my bridge toll ($7 round trip) and even after my 2.5% CC conversion and currency conversion I saved over $90.

Rotella T6 5w40 - $21
Mobil1 5w-30 full synthetic - $25
2 Oil filters - $11

This ****'s ridiculous.
 
yep me and the wife go over every 2 weeks. Also gas is about $1 a liter
 
I was about to call BS on that being $90 savings ... but apparently synthetic costs more than I remember here. Hrmm
 
Just came back from a shopping trip in Niagara Falls NY. Filled up the car for $1 a liter. Price diff almost paid for the gas to go down there.

Picked up my packages for easy 50% savings vs purchasing and shipping up here. Declared all my items and was told to have a nice day. Boom additional 13% savings.

Even with the dollar disparity, its still worth it. Wait till the dollar disparity starts to bump up prices even higher in Canada. Then its really gonna be worth it.
 
The wife goes once a month,mostly grocery items,I think it costs me more but there is stuff we can't get up here.
 
Lower prices in the US than in Canada due to lower average wages, and lower taxes with consequently lower government supplied services.
 
I am there minimum once a month... i buy like 20 litres of milk, my grass fed butter, oil, pick up my orders from my u.s. address and top the tank...worth it everytime. Oh and I declare most of it, which is alot and the border usually tells me to have a nice day, and the odd time i do have to pay duty, still evens out for the times i dont.
Ridiculous how much cheaper stuff is there... I bought my new sectional at big lots last year...saved a grand easy!
 
I was about to call BS on that being $90 savings ... but apparently synthetic costs more than I remember here. Hrmm

That's about $50 right there. The rest came from gas and snacks/food

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I also go down to Niagara once every two months. I get my stuff shipped to a UPS store and and got there to pick up.

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Lower prices in the US than in Canada due to lower average wages, and lower taxes with consequently lower government supplied services.

Don't forget to factor in Tariff rates and the fact that many haven't been addressed or changed for years. Also the cost of regulations/legalities in Canada drives our prices up.
 
Isn't that the point about going camping? So you don't have to sleep in a sticky motel bed?

Yeah, life must be hard for all those business travelers now that they can't readily bring their camping equipment on a plane or setup camp across the street from their meetings.

Besides hot showers and comfort are for the birds.
 
Fresh air vs town square

anyone old enough to remember Green Acres?
 
Yep.

Anyway, as far as the thread goes, I see people are rediscovering the 90's.
 
Don't forget to factor in Tariff rates and the fact that many haven't been addressed or changed for years. Also the cost of regulations/legalities in Canada drives our prices up.

That may be true, but that's what free trade was supposed cover in most areas of retail. Understand that US retailers in Canada use the Canadian market to improve their overall gross profit. I'm an executive headhunter in Canada (with a specialty in retail) and I can tell you there isn't a retailer here that doesn't do it. The Canadian Retailers just jump on board for even greater gross profits because they can and we, as Canadians, take it.

We buy a lot of aftermarket bike stuff online in the US and have it shipped to a Buffalo address (aka postal box). Not only is the item significantly cheaper, less taxes, but it's usually free shipping as well to anywhere on the US main land. I would love to better support Canadian retailers but I just can't justify it when the price difference is that staggering. When you cross the border and declare it, they usually say, have a nice day !!! They always seem to be looking for alcohol and cigs!!!

For the ladies on the forum, many of the expensive cosmetics we buy (only sold at Holt Renfrew/The Bay ... BTW that is totally by purpose ... these two companies will not sell high end brands unless they are exclusive to them ... this way they cut out everyone else and keep the prices high) are at least 30 to 40% cheaper at Macy's, Nordstrom etc. Same with clothes/shoes especially. As more and more US retailers and designer retailers are arriving in Canada, you will see that they all do the same thing. Target is failing miserably because they grossly under estimated that Canadians are very well aware/versed at pricing, product quality, and assortments between the borders. You can buy the same crap Target sells up here at Wallymart for less. The assortments at Target in the US are totally different to the assortment in Canada. Canada (in the retail business) is known as the bigger gross profit centre for a lower end of product. BTW, when the Canadian consumer complained to the US Target President his answer was ... then shop in the US ... REALLY!!! What kind of answer is that when you just arrived in a new country and want to succeed. Lowes did the same thing when they arrived.

Sorry ... I'm ranting now :rolleyes:

Lower wages in the US really hasn't that much to do with it. I pay the same in NYC as I would in retirement town Florida.
 
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