Cross Border shopping

[remarker]

I was at a Suzy Sher outlet today...got some great finds...awesome pants for $10 and a cute top for $3 (sorry i'm just happy about my finds and had to share!)

However...after the cashier had scanned the items...and right before i was about to pay...another customer (quiet rudely i might add) started yelling and arguing with my cashier about not having "US equivalent prices"...her argument was that 'if Walmart has it...then every place else should too" ....

I would love the cheaper prices right here in Canada...but being rude to poor cashier who have no control over prices is sooo unnecessary ...especially when i thought i was already getting a great deal

haha

in either case...(and i know this is a little/wayyy off topic)

Suzy sher is offering an additional 25% off red ticket prices on all merchandise in their stores (my pants were originally $15) plus i got another 10% off cuz of my SPC/Prestige card

No = someone yelled about US prices and you gave your opinion about shopping in Canada - TOTALLY on topic I think
Do you get everything 10% off (daughter has card) even stuff on sale?

[mam25]

Yep...it's a great deal

ALSO: someone told me something about an International Savings Card ...for Canadian shoppers to use while in the states...works like the SPC at major stores...approx. 10% savings...anyone ever heard of it?? or is it just a myth? LOL

[bcteagirl]

Glad you got a great deal! It does really suck that they were rude to the poor clerk.. I do hope that some major stores changing their pricing will force others to do so as well but I totally agree, it is not within the clerks control!

[Sally888]

I find the kids outlet stores the best deal ever in the states.

I got my oldest and oshkosh top and bottom for a 8 a piece, shoes for 5, boots for 5 etc...

Sure you can find some great deals here, but just not on the stuff I want.

We didnt have to show passports or B.C all they wanted to see was our licenses

[operabob]

Well, I would have filled in the poll as a "Yes" except for the comment about retailers gouging.

It's not as simple as that.

My wife runs a small home business catering to a niche market locally.

She gets supplies directly from a manufacturer in China and from a Canadian distributor and a US distributor.

The Canadian distributor buys from Europe.

The US distributor buys from Europe and also manufactures a product.

Most of my wife's product from China was purchased a year ago when our dollar was lower. Her cost is fixed regardless of our dollar's rise. Therefore there is lag time until new lower-priced stock arrives.

Ah! The new stock. The Chinese peg the Yuan mostly to the US dollar but because the US dollar has fallen the Chinese manufacturer has raised prices. Despite our dollar rising 15% recently our cost advantage is only abot 4%.

Our dollar has done well against the $US but so has every other currency. The Euro has done better. The prices on products we get from the Canadian distributor have recently risen as a result.

From the US distributor we get a slight advantage now on the products they buy from Europe. However, when they replace stock later this year it's going to cost them 50% more. They've already started raising prices on newer stock. That's called "inflation".

We will get an advantage on the items the US distributor actually manufactures. What used to cost $90 Canadian we can now sell to people for around $65 (all taxes & S/H included) and will be slightly lower than for people buying from the US.

So, a lot depends on where and when the product was purchased by the retailer. Large retailers can react quicker as stock turns over faster, but if I buy something for $60 that I sell for $100 and our dollar rises by 50% I'm not going to cut the price to the customer immediately to $50 (less than I paid) but new stock should be lower.

OB

[momg]

going to try

[travelgeek]

operabob, I agree with you. I think I posted on another thread that I still support the local small business owners even while their prices are higher than others, because I would like to see them stay in business. The anger and frustration is directed at mainly the car manufacturers and the big box retailers.... ahem Chapters. They were the first ones to *immediately* raise prices when our dollar was weak in 2000-2002. Now that our dollar is stronger, all we're hearing are excuses. Well, the dollar didn't immediately go to parity overnight, they've had years to adjust, but chose not to.

[Racefan]

My mom and brother's girlfriend went to Bangor, ME for the weekend. A couple of other ladies went with them. One of the ladies tried to pay in Canadian funds. She was told that they didn't accept Canadian money. I never use Canadian money in the US, but if someone said that to me, I wouldn't bother shopping there. My mom told me that she didn't find a lot of great deals.

[Pepsy]

I cross border shop to save money. One example is:
Velveeta cheese. In Canada I pay $7 for less than a half pound. I use 2 pounds a week. In the States, I can get 2 pounds of LeLand brand [which I find to be a better product] for $4. That saves me $50 if I buy 5 two-pound bricks!!!

[SavingKarina]

Wow, that's great savings, Pepsy!