Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!utgpu!utcsri!utegc!utai!ubc-vision!fornax!bby-bc!john From: john@bby-bc.UUCP Newsgroups: can.politics Subject: Re: prices in Canada Message-ID: <139@bby-bc.UUCP> Date: Thu, 9-Jul-87 12:58:45 EDT Article-I.D.: bby-bc.139 Posted: Thu Jul 9 12:58:45 1987 Date-Received: Sat, 11-Jul-87 09:00:54 EDT References: <133@bby-bc.UUCP> <414@pembina.UUCP> Distribution: can Organization: Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada Lines: 53 Summary: yes, it is getting better > Perhaps articles are more expensive in B.C. than Alberta. I don't have any experience with Alberta but prices are higher here than in Ontario for a variety of computer stuff. > While I have certainly encountered computers and related > items with this sort of pricing, I must say that in the > last year or so this has been less and less the case. Yes it is decreasing here in Vancouver too. The price of clones took a deep slide due to a lot of hole-in-the-wall stores run by a particular ethnic group (not necessarily relevant) selling with low profit margins - the established retailers had to follow suit. > I consider anything higher than 1.6 times the US price to > be a ripoff [1.6 is approximately (exchange rate * duty * fst), > duty on computers is 3.9 % if I remember correctly]. As do I. There is no longer any duty on computer stuff that I am aware of, so currently we have 1.33 * 1.12 = 1.49 approx. > > me : but that's the same as the US list price plus exchange + fst! > > > > salesperson : yes but our list price is relatively higher; you have > > to take the US list price and then add exchange + fst to > > get our list price. . . > which I'll take it or make a final counter-offer. No matter what > your looking for always be prepared to walk out without buying. I am. I usually ask their price and if it is high point out what it would cost me to get it landed in Vancouver from the US and add that I am willing to pay a *reasonable* amount more to be able to buy it from a local vendor and to keep some of my money in Canada. The typical response to this is "so go buy it in the US". It really makes me wonder. A common attitude among US retailers is that it is better to make a sale and move merchandise out the door even if you only make $1 than it is to let it sit on the store shelf. This seems to be rare here in Canada. . . > Bjorn R. Bjornsson > {ubc-vision,mnetor}!alberta!bjorn john