US vs Canadian DVD pricing (1 Viewer)

[Jeff Ulmer]

Is anyone else getting tired of the discrepancy between US and Canadian pricing these days? Looking at the M*A*S*H complete series set, the US version lists for $199US (roughly $230CDN), the Canadian at $349CDN - over 50% more. Amazon.com has been pushing their Canadian site for some time now, but even with the free shipping in Canada, the price difference just doesn't add up. When compounded by the bilingual cover art issue, it's very hard to justify supporting Canadian retaillers any more.

 

[Coruscant]

Amazon.com has the collection for pre-order at $139.99 US. Amazon.ca has it for $156.72 CDN. That's almost precisely the exchange rate.

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

This doesn't just apply to this particular set, it is all over the place. Northern Exposure sells for >$50CDN, but less than $30USD at Amazon.com. Since discounts often are based on the MSRP, buying in Canada usually means paying too much.

 

[Gord Lacey]

No....it IS the converstion rate. Amazon.ca hasn't listed the set using the Canadian SRP, they've listed the set using the converted US price, then discounted it. Chances are Fox Canada will get on their case and make them change it.

Fox is far and away the worst when it comes to CAN SRPs.

Gord

 

[Nick Martin]

When it comes to buying DVDs and CDs, I am always sickened by how much more the canadian prices are. I hate it, plain and simple.

 

[Lou Sytsma]

You think DVDs are bad. Check the difference in US and Canadian prices for books and magazines. Ridiculous.

 

[Mark Talmadge]

GUYS GUYS GUYS!!! You're forgetting that the US to Canada dollar conversion has always favored the US Dollar. When the Canadian dollar is strong it always offsets that delicate balance.

The Canadian dollar has always been weak against the US dollar and this always makes US goods costlier in Canda so quit the complaining. This has always been the case for quite a very long time. If you don't like it then buy the items from Amazon.com instead of Amazon.ca.

Also, why is this topic in the TV Shows forum? It should be placed elsewhere. (BOOOOOO)

 

[Richard_Gregory]

Hah! You should se the difference between USA and UK DVD prices then, where US dollars miraculously turn into UK pounds on a one-for-one basis, even though a UK pound will buy you nearly two US dollars these days!

Surely the way forward is to find a USA based store that offers cheap (or better yet free) shipping to Canada; many US stores have quite cheap shipping to Europe so it can't be too hard.

Not sure about Customs entanglements, are US-Canada shipments free of import duties etc - you're both NAFTA aren't you?

Believe it or not, it is often cheaper for a UK collector to buy a USA edition, pay to have it shipped over the Atlantic by air, and then pay as much as 20% on top in import taxes - than it is to buy the UK edition!

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

I'm through with buying any Warner or Fox product in Canada. They completely lost me as a customer, I'll be importing or making monthly trips to Plattsburgh from now on when I want to buy my DVDs.

I went to pick up a bunch of box sets the other day... The new Hanna-Barbera Collections, etc.

Magille Le Gorille... what the hell is that??


I've had it with this idiocy. Even the small under-the-radar releases are affected. I'm not supporting this. And the prices are higher also. We're definitely getting the short end of the stick on this side of the border. I don't understand it...

 

[Gord Lacey]

Mark, you're missing the point. We KNOW that goods cost more in Canada because of the exchange rate, the problem is that the Canadian and US Suggested Retail Prices are so completely out of whack that they're being calculated at an exchange rate that has never existed. MASH is $200 US, or $350 CAN - 1.75 times the US price. The current exchange is 1.12, or $200 US = $224 CAN. If the CAN SRP was $250 then you wouldn't find anyone complaining.

Some companies are better about this than others. Fox and Warner Bros seem to be the worse, while Lionsgate and a couple of others are usually bang-on, or within a dollar or two. I spoke to someone at Fox in Canada and asked about how they calculate the Canadian SRP and she said she couldn't give me an answer. There difference is very noticeable on big-ticket items like this.

Gord

 

[FallGuy]

I'm in Canada and always order from amazon.com as, even with their shipping charges you save considerably over CDN online retailers or buying in local stores. Also, amazon.com doesn't charge GST and I've found them excellent to deal with. Several years without a hitch in an order (and I tend to buy a lot).

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

The Canadian dollar has NOT always been weak against the US dollar, in fact it was worth more than the US dollar at one point. This is not about exchange rates, it is about MSRPs that are vastly higher in Canada. A 12-15% difference is understandable, a 50% markup is not.

As for placing this in the TV area, it is because TV sets (and the M*A*S*H example) are the DVDs most often hit by this discrepancy to a noticible level due to their pricing.

 

[Mark Talmadge]

I know that Gord but I seem to recall a short time ago that the Canadian loon or the Canadian dollar was doing quite well in regards to its worth on the international market. I think this may be a reason why the prices on US Goods remains higher than normal.

 

[Ruz-El]

I've started to be picky, by loading up my cart in Amazon.ca and Amazon.com and than figuring out the exchange rate on the US items to see whats cheaper.

sometimes you get lucky, Warners Tough Guys from Amazon.ca for $35CDn currently on order.

I could give a shit about bi-lingual packaging, so dispite the time consuming aspect, this works best for me.

What I don't understand is how DVDSoon was able to charge less than US MSRP and what Amazon.ca had as a list. Granted, they folded at one point, but they are still up and apparantly selling. Has anyone tried them since?

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

DVDSoon operated on a pay now, get later (maybe) basis. I had luck on one or two things, but the hassle when they couldn't deliver wasn't worth it.
With a strong CDN dollar, the prices on goods bought from the US are LOWER than they were a few years ago. The price discrepancy is far more than even the worst exchange rates in many cases.

 

[Ruz-El]

I spoke too soon, DVDSoon seems to be in bankrupt/shutdown status again.

 

[MishaLauenstein]

Yes, so there are no duties, but you have to pay the Federal Goods and Services Tax (6%) and whatever Provincial Sales Tax your province has. The annoying thing is that when Canada Post administers the collection of these taxes for the governments, they charge a $5.00 adminstration fee. So a $20.00 purchase, for which I pay $2.60 in taxes, ends up costing me $27.60! For small purchases, the amazon.ca price always comes out better for me than the amazon.com price due to the $5.00 charge.

 

[StevenWillard]

There's no need to travel across the border to buy anything or even order from the states.Just dont't buy it.If your in a place like Toronto there is tons of used dvd stores with tremendous deals.Be patient and everything in time gets reduced and sometimes bigtime reduced.We as the consumer are the boss, not them.Dont complain just don't buy it at least when something first comes out at least and in a couple months it will be reduced.Screw them and theyre high price's.I rarely spend more then 30 bucks canadian for a season and I got some that is sold for 80 or more in the store for the same 30 dollar price(like Babylon 5 seasons,Buck Rogers complete series,Andromeda,Angel,Jeremiah,hercules etc and etc.).Buy USED!!!! trust me its much better cause the used store itself does'nt buy scratched or mangled sets unless they plan on putting it out there for a dirt cheap price which is still good.I rarely buy things when they first come out, to me thats not smart cause your at they're mercy.I want to buy brisco county but ill wait and eventually get it for 30 that im sure of.

 

[Albert_M]

My first TV on DVD set was Sopranos S1... which in DVD time, goes way back... and I got it from Amazon Canada because it translated to maybe $52-53 dollars, US.

Though I since felt that was too much for the short seasoned show and never picked up the following seasons.

In any case, it can be worth on some sets to go the Canadian route.

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

I have yet to be charged ANYTHING extra ordering through Amazon.com. The CP handling does affect other vendors. These days, even if there were an extra $5 the US pricing is better in many, if not most cases. Has anyone been taxed on their Amazon.com shipments?