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Canadian prices
- Thread starter RedValley
- Start date
All the packaging are also multilingual almost everywhere in the world for your information.
My AT&T answering machine came with 3 different languages instruction guide.
And my MSI video card has at least 6 different languages on the box/installation guide/software.
My AT&T answering machine came with 3 different languages instruction guide.
And my MSI video card has at least 6 different languages on the box/installation guide/software.
C
CLOSED ACCOUNT
Guest
WE both know this equation is not rocket-science...but merely a result of market-forces that determine a consumer price index for any given region.
There are 5 basic elements that comprise this.
1) Supply, Demand and popualtion base.
2) Economic structure & distribution
3) Transport & service provider costs (including fuel, etc)
4) Applicable local taxes, tariffs
5) Tradional regional pricing and psycho-social influences.
Apply these different components to your equation...and you can easily come up with an answer to your question.
Please note - number 5 is very important and often overlooked (at first glance) by many casual, lay observers.
Take just "fuel" costs in the USA...which are considerably lower than say, in UK, Europe, Australia, NZ and also here in Canada. This directly affects any "transportation" (shipping) costs, related services, manufacturing, and overheads right across the board.
Think of social aspects (such as taxation) in places like Scandinavia (where costs are relatively high) due to the existance of very strong social programmes & services provided within society as a whole.
Canada is somewhere in the middle between the two.
In comparison to Canada (and the UK/Europe/Australia, etc) the USA public sector will not tolerate extremely high 'fuel' (gasoline) prices...wages are also another factor to be considered, being considerably lower (in many states) than in other westernized nations.
By comparison, the US social platform is far more "lean & mean" than many of the other western economies...the lack of state funded, universal health-care is but one simple example here. Job related benefits, long paid holidays, and all the rest of it are also part of the gambit.
Consumer prices in America (espeically electronic goods) have been traditionally lower...than most other westernized countries for the past 50-60 years. It's a very "glutonous" society with an extremely quick "turnover" that has perpetuated a social economy of greed and excess, but at the same time has also provided an atmosphere of spend, spend, spend (up until very recently)...which in turn, from both an economic and psychological persepctive maintained the lower-pricing status quo.
Add the many psycho-social factors to the regular biz-trade aspects...and there ya have it.
Now, as this generational scenario is changing...we shall witness a leveling of the global playing field with regard to consumer pricing in general.
KEV
http://kvincentphotography.ca/stackedimages
http://kvincentphotography.ca/designerflorals
http://kvincentphotography.ca/macro
M
Marcamera
Guest
There is a difference between voluntary and compulsory.
Every PRODUCT here MUST be labeled in two languages.
Rgds
robtec88
Forum Enthusiast
Well, then I guess the short answer to Canadian prices being usually higher is because "they" can!!! and because we (Canadians - myself included) seem to like bending over and getting stuffed!
Other than that, I'm out of logical ideas.
Other than that, I'm out of logical ideas.
rfielder
Forum Enthusiast
Using Henry's as a price comparison is just wrong. They are expensive. Big stores with often few customers, lots of staff, huge amounts of stock on hand - you are paying for the experience, not the gear.
The other points about the relative size of the US vs Canadian markets have a lot of truth to them.
Something else to consider - not all our stuff comes to Canada by way of the USA. There are lots of importers who deal directly with the far east, and there are lots of product for the US (at least, for parts of the US) that go through Canadian ports.
--
Robert Fielder
Brampton, ON, Canada
The other points about the relative size of the US vs Canadian markets have a lot of truth to them.
Something else to consider - not all our stuff comes to Canada by way of the USA. There are lots of importers who deal directly with the far east, and there are lots of product for the US (at least, for parts of the US) that go through Canadian ports.
--
Robert Fielder
Brampton, ON, Canada
M
Marcamera
Guest
No, please tell me.
I'll be thrilled to know that driving around Quebec with not one English road sign.
Rgds
M
Marcamera
Guest
Kev, either too much time on yr hands or a skilled copy/paste ability.
I am also an economist by education, no kiddding, which, I will admit means I know little about everything but nothing really well.
Trade patterns and policies aside, economy is really plus and minus and the equation.
These signs are servants of psychology, which is the driver of economy.
Anyway, just an opinion, disagreements handily accepted.
What I was talking about were gross isolated aberrations in pricing between us and the USA. I see no reason for them. By the way, you know Americans buy a great percentage of their oil from Canada, yet sell a gallon of gas foe abt 3.50, while it costs some 5.00 here? Makes sense?
Today, I was trying to buy drums and toners for my office printers, went to Staples. They do not carry them in stores anymore, just a few, you have to order on line.
Well, if I have to do that, then I may as well disregard the immediacy of transaction and look elsewhere, I thought.
I did , and again ordered them from B&H , delivery tomorrow or Friday. Even with premium courier, I am saving 200 dol on a 620 dol purchase at Staples on=line.
How do you like that?
Rgds
C
CLOSED ACCOUNT
Guest
WE all know this equation is not rocket-science...but merely a result of market-forces that determine a consumer price index for any given region of the world.
There are 5 basic elements that comprise this.
1) Supply, Demand and popualtion base.
2) Economic structure & distribution
3) Transport & service provider costs (including fuel, etc)
4) Applicable local taxes, tariffs
5) Tradional regional pricing and psycho-social influences.
Apply these different components to your equation...and you can easily come up with an answer to your question.
Please note - number 5 is very important and often overlooked (at first glance) by many casual, lay observers.
Take just "fuel" costs in the USA...which are considerably lower than say, in UK, Europe, Australia, NZ and also here in Canada. This directly affects any "transportation" (shipping) costs, related services, manufacturing, and overheads right across the board.
Think of social aspects (such as taxation) in places like Scandinavia (where costs are relatively high) due to the existance of very strong social programmes & services provided within society as a whole.
Canada is somewhere in the middle between the two.
In comparison to Canada (and the UK/Europe/Australia, etc) the USA public sector will not tolerate extremely high 'fuel' (gasoline) prices...wages are also another factor to be considered, being considerably lower (in many states) than in other westernized nations.
By comparison, the US social platform is far more "lean & mean" than many of the other western economies...the lack of state funded, universal health-care is but one simple example here. Job related benefits, long paid holidays, and all the rest of it are also part of the gambit.
Consumer prices in America (especially electronic goods) have been traditionally lower...than most other westernized countries for the past 50-60 years. It's a very "glutonous" society with an extremely quick "turnover" that has perpetuated a social economy of greed and excess, but at the same time has also provided an atmosphere of spend, spend, spend (up until very recently)...which in turn, from both an economic and psychological perspective maintained the lower-pricing status quo.
When I grew up in the 50's and 60's in the UK...cars were more than double the price in England than they were here in North America (because they were viewed as a luxury)...and it remained that way until around the late 1970's when suddenly the 'automobile' took on a completely different social priority in Britain.
Now today, the car is every bit a 'necessity' and priority in Britain as it is over here of course, and guess what? - the prices are almost identical now.
I used to buy left-hand drive cars in London, and take them to places like Greece, Israel, Jordan and sell them for a nice profit in the 1970's to early 80's. Once again, vehicles cost a lot more in those locations for a whole bunch of psycho-social/trade reasons.
It's social attitudes, priorities, and consumer want/demand that drive pricing structures. It's not about companies ripping people off, or gouging the consumer in a particular country...one must factor in, all the elements that contribute to any pricing structure.
Add the many psycho-social factors to the regular biz-trade aspects...and there ya have it.
Now, as this generational shift is slowly changing everything...we shall witness a leveling of the global playing field with regard to consumer pricing in general.
KEV
http://kvincentphotography.ca/stackedimages
http://kvincentphotography.ca/designerflorals
http://kvincentphotography.ca/macro
C
CLOSED ACCOUNT
Guest
Yes, I have a lot of time on my hands, I retired from the working world at age 39, some 15+ years ago. And, I don't cut n paste nuffink...I simply write my own text here
No, I don't love the price disparity between the USA and here in Canada...however, being a feirce haggler by nature...I do usually manage to negociate a good price-deal.
For example,
Take my Glyph external storage hard drive units. I get Annex Pro (in Vancouver) to match the B&H online pricing and now buy these units for approx $180 less...than I could purchase them at other retail stores (such as Long & McQuade) etc...on the street.
Here a recent image I took of the Glyph GT-062E
http://kvincentphotography.ca/still-life/hc8d183b#hc8d183b
I also left a few additional comments to my post above...on my post at the bottom of this thread.
Cheers,
KEV
http://kvincentphotography.ca/stackedimages
http://kvincentphotography.ca/designerflorals
http://kvincentphotography.ca/macro
It seems pretty obvious that about a gazillion factors go into the pricing equation. I'm no economist, just a Canadian photo shop owner/salesman/purchaser/window washer/lab fixer etc., but as usual, the caveat emptor rule applies. We retailers shop around for the best deal, to sell at a decent margin. If there was only one reason why prices differed from one side of the border to the other, I'm sure it could be addressed, but it's way too complex.
M
Marcamera
Guest
You have my respect here, and I am not kidding.Yes, I have a lot of time on my hands, I retired from the working world at age 39, some 15+ years ago. And, I don't cut n paste nuffink...I simply write my own text here
I think as good a tool is turning away and having them lose a sale. It won't happen so easily again.
I like the HD but like the picture even more.
I bought some LaCies at Vistek last year and have been plagued with problems.
E-SATA connection does not work with Stand-By mode, either continuously on or off and PC restart
FireWire connection has 10times speed difference between upload top a HD (slow) and download. Very weird, caused Adobe Premiere to crash all the time.
They work fine on USD 2, I called my computer wiz, he has been promising to look into FireWire, apparently there is no fix for ESata problem with Windows7.
Rgds
Still have to work, albeit for myself.
C
CLOSED ACCOUNT
Guest
It is complex.
Look at the differences just within Canada, let alone versus the USA, or overseas.
When I moved back to BC (in 2004) from Toronto...my monthly food bill went up approx 35% just by stepping off the plane. I bought "exactly" the same items as I did in Toronto...but my monthly grocery bill (for just me & the wife) went from $500 up to $800. Everything costs considerably more here in 'Lotus Land' than it does back in ole Hogtown. Just one tiny example, a 750ml bottle of Perrier Water was just 89 cents in TO....but a whopping $1.79 in any store out west.
I recently compared local food prices with my ex-neighbour in Toronto, and the ame applies today...our food prices in BC are still about 30-40% higher than in Ontairo...
One could ask why?
WE both get these items from the same destinations. The fresh produce in Ontario comes from Florida & Mexico...out west, we get it from California & Mexico. So very similar distances, transportation/distribution/import costs involved for both provinces.
Geo-demographics play a major role in this.
One of the main (BIG) differences tho...is that Toronto (GTA) is approx 85% ethnic based. And traditionally, that kind of populous just won't "tolerate" food prices above a certain level. It's psycho-cultural threshold factor...based upon social priorities, etc...in a similar manner to the way "gas" is viewed in the USA.
Out here in Victoria (for example)...we are a 95% WASP populous who traditonally expects to pay "top-dollar" for quality food...and also, doesn't have a cultural tendency to barter/haggle for anything.
Also, it's a much more affluent populous (in general)...so the market will bare a much higher pricing structure.
After a while, this higher level of "tolerance" to pricing simply in turn creates a "higher" platform right across the board...which effects everything from real estate prices down to foods.
In short, someone who owns a house costing $900,000 (the average price in my area) doesn't think anything of paying $1.79 for a bottle of Perrier...whilst folks who own a house valued at $350,000 in Scarbro, Ontario will think it's expensive.
My winter heating bills here in balmy-mild Victoria are the same as when I had my furnace on full-bore, 24/7 in Toronto all winter long. This month (as an example) my hydro & gas bills combined were almost $700...whereas I never paid more than about $400 per month in Ontario. OK, factor in the year diff (2004 to 2011)...but it works out the same now viz a viz inflationary figures.
And so on.......
KEV
http://kvincentphotography.ca/stackedimages
http://kvincentphotography.ca/designerflorals
http://kvincentphotography.ca/macro
DonA2
Senior Member
--KEV, when we moved here 16 years ago I was taken back by the availability and prices here in 'God's Island', BC. Now I find it's much more in line with the 'mainland', well much closer at any rate. Look at gas prices. Big oil is in lockstep. What happened is that we now have far more competition in the general market place. Our all electric utilities are about the same here as in Alberta in that there we had gas heating and electric utilities with water/ sewage added and it was somewhat colder. Competition keeps the market a little more honest.
Don V. Armitage
Don V. Armitage
Peter in Milton
Forum Enthusiast
Before buying anything I routinely check prices on Vistek, Henrys, and B&H. Some items, like my Gitzo tripod are identical in price, some are about 10% higher in Canada, and some, like Lexar CF cards are double. The solution is simple. I just order from B&H when they have a significantly lower price - all I need to pay extra is the shipping which is minimal (about the same as if it shipped locally) and it gets delivered to my door in about 3 days. I pay the Ontario/ Canada tax when I order (obviously these need paid if I buy at Henrys also) so no extras when it arrives. I call this the best of all worlds!
This new reality may be making live difficult for some retailers. But that's another story.
(I guess they will need to brush up on economics!).
This new reality may be making live difficult for some retailers. But that's another story.
(I guess they will need to brush up on economics!).
22codfish
Leading Member
Regardless of the many reasons for price differences, with the Free Trade Agreement between the countries, Americans and Canadians should be free to purchase where ever they wish. It's supposed to be a duty free open border. To get this agreement Canada agreed to export 60% of oil production.
So why won't Canon and Nikon in Canada honour American warranties on their cameras purchased in the States by Canadians? It's the same with new autos.
So why won't Canon and Nikon in Canada honour American warranties on their cameras purchased in the States by Canadians? It's the same with new autos.
C
CLOSED ACCOUNT
Guest
Yo Don,
Whenever our friends from Ontario visit us here they are always shocked at the food prices we pay here in BC, and that's not just here on the island. I recently did a comparison of certain grocery prices in Victoria, Squamish and west Vancouver.
The most expensive place was actually west Van, and not over here.
You did know that "BC" actually means - "bring cash" didn't you?
KEV
http://kvincentphotography.ca/stackedimages
http://kvincentphotography.ca/designerflorals
http://kvincentphotography.ca/macro
M
Marcamera
Guest
Heating costs alone will save you in Victoria more per year than you will spend additionally on food compared to Toronto.Yo Don,
Whenever our friends from Ontario visit us here they are always shocked at the food prices we pay here in BC, and that's not just here on the island. I recently did a comparison of certain grocery prices in Victoria, Squamish and west Vancouver.
The most expensive place was actually west Van, and not over here.
You did know that "BC" actually means - "bring cash" didn't you?
It is my speculation , but I would not be surprised if I were close to being right.
Rgds
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