HelperGuy Posted August 14, 2012 Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 When I consider the discussions we've had on this board about gringos protesting signs at WalMart, and American products being imported by CostCo, this story just makes me laugh: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/08/12/bc-bellingham-costco-canadians.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bigd Posted August 14, 2012 Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 Just courious, why did this make you laugh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainecoons Posted August 14, 2012 Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 Why is stuff so expensive in Canada that people are doing this? Taxes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HelperGuy Posted August 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2012 It made me laugh because it's usually Canadians complaining about rude, bigoted, cheap Americans coming across into our border. It made me laugh because wherever you go, someone is always complaining about "the other side", even here in Mexico. The cost of living is higher in Canada, and when our dollar is at par with U.S. bucks, it's well worth it to head across. Taxes probably play a large part in that. There also seems to be much more inventory available across the border, and competition for shoppers makes for much better bargains: Christmas, buy $50 of food and get a free turkey; butter, buy one get one free; more coupons... just a whole lot more competition. Heck, until a few years ago you couldn't even find a liqour sale in Ontario: the price was the price, period. Also, a lot of stuff imported into the States and is cheap to buy, gets re-imported into Canada, adding middlemen and delivery costs, driving the price up. Not that long ago, TVs and other home electronics were vastly more expensive in Canada because of that, and I think the populous still just has that mindset about the difference in prices. I can add, when I used to go shopping for stocking-stuffers for Christmas, I always went to a WalMart in Watertown or Syracuse, because they got so much more stuff and selection than the Canadian side. Sort of like the difference between WalMart here, where nothing changes, and Canada's WalMarts, where things sort-of change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainecoons Posted August 15, 2012 Report Share Posted August 15, 2012 Some of this sounds like what makes stuff so expensive in Mexico too. Lack of competition, excessive middle-man costs for example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rinel Posted August 15, 2012 Report Share Posted August 15, 2012 It made me laugh because wherever you go, someone is always complaining about "the other side", even here in Mexico. The cost of living is higher in Canada, and when our dollar is at par with U.S. bucks, it's well worth it to head across. Taxes probably play a large part in that. TVs and other home electronics were vastly more expensive in Canada because of that, and I think the populous still just has that mindset about the difference in prices. I can add, when I used to go shopping for stocking-stuffers for Christmas, I always went to a WalMart in Watertown or Syracuse, because they got so much more stuff and selection than the Canadian side. This is the same reason "surgical vacations" to Mexico, Costa Rica, India etc. are so popular, money talkes. Per the article "Anyone with a Costco membership can shop at any Costco store in the world." Common sense, yes? G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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