tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166857565524883362.post3096469158420380713..comments2023-08-20T07:24:15.851-03:00Comments on The Soapbox - THE Place to Bitch!!: Cross Border ShoppersUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166857565524883362.post-32921173172590838542012-08-15T13:27:27.863-03:002012-08-15T13:27:27.863-03:00I am certainly not an economics expert, far from i...I am certainly not an economics expert, far from it I confess.. but I am (or I hope) that the increased cost (even from the same global retailer) is justified. Major retailers work with set margins, mark-ups and cost plus models. So without the ability to see why Ikea (as one example) is so significantly higher in Canada is more likely a reflection of the higher costs of doing business in Canada. And less likely gouging the consumer. It might be worth considering why cost of operations is higher in Canada? Well, workforce wages (who are paying taxes), business taxes, taxes on construction, maintenance - everything. And all of those these items, taxes to be specific.. feed our social system. (Health, Education, Quality of life). <br />I without question understand the fiscal temptation of huge discrepancies in pricing.. but following this temptation, will always result in money completely disappearing from our economy. $520 on your Ikea savings is tough to resist. But, $520 would buy you one band-aid with a hospital visit if we did not have free health care. <br />Da Moderatorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09901694131078120563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166857565524883362.post-52278759588676610142012-08-08T16:50:50.218-03:002012-08-08T16:50:50.218-03:00Would like to take another side. I occasionally sh...Would like to take another side. I occasionally shop across the border and have no guilt about it(once a year perhaps). Recently I made a purchase at Ikea in the States, this would have cost me $1150 (before taxes) in Canada but instead cost me $630 (also before taxes). I would have been more than happy to pay any taxes. This was not a way for me to evade taxes or other social services.<br />However, I do not understand the price discrepancy in such an example. I wouldn't care as much for a smaller difference in pricing, but that difference paid for a weekend away as well as other smaller purchases while there and I STILL had money left over from the difference.<br /><br />So furniture + trip + shoes + clothes (in the US) + gas vs. furniture (in Canada).<br />Tough to feel bad about that equation.<br /><br />I don't believe economies of scale apply here since both Ikea stores should get their stuff from a single source/manufacturer.<br />And the price difference is not all other taxes.<br /><br />So while I agree that mom and pop shops may not be able to compete, larger retailers should not have a problem getting very close in pricing to their US counter-parts.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166857565524883362.post-31721193591110138872012-06-04T19:12:58.133-03:002012-06-04T19:12:58.133-03:00lindabirch@shaw.calindabirch@shaw.caAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166857565524883362.post-39266211553127275852012-06-04T19:11:51.049-03:002012-06-04T19:11:51.049-03:00The Daily Townsman Cranbrook, BCThe Daily Townsman Cranbrook, BCAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166857565524883362.post-56798273119220438652012-06-04T18:02:55.278-03:002012-06-04T18:02:55.278-03:00send me your email address and I will email you an...send me your email address and I will email you any required contact info the paper requiresDa Moderatorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09901694131078120563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166857565524883362.post-90520122090161803452012-06-04T13:46:33.175-03:002012-06-04T13:46:33.175-03:00The Daily Townsman, Cranbrook, British ColumbiaThe Daily Townsman, Cranbrook, British ColumbiaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166857565524883362.post-56605524890520025332012-05-30T19:16:19.428-03:002012-05-30T19:16:19.428-03:00Which local paper?Which local paper?Da Moderatorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09901694131078120563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166857565524883362.post-80545880815517335122012-05-30T17:24:47.391-03:002012-05-30T17:24:47.391-03:00mind if I send this to our local paper as a Letter...mind if I send this to our local paper as a Letter to the Editor? I would have to use your name?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166857565524883362.post-35422676773037810632012-05-23T20:16:40.229-03:002012-05-23T20:16:40.229-03:00I am saying completely the opposite! And regardles...I am saying completely the opposite! And regardless of what the government allows Canadians to spend in the United States... It is a decision that we all can make, are we ok, with sucking our social systems dry and yet we refuse to support them by purchasing our consumables in the US? This is not a government policy issue. It is an issue with our personal spending choices, and the hypocracy that may exist as we expect government programs as we enjoy US shopping weekends.Da Moderatorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09901694131078120563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166857565524883362.post-18869026475613662592012-05-23T17:19:57.760-03:002012-05-23T17:19:57.760-03:00So what you are saying is that, it makes perfect s...So what you are saying is that, it makes perfect sense that our government raised the amount of $$ you can spend tax free in the states now too. What that 21 Billion number jump.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166857565524883362.post-85634409557061712432012-05-19T13:50:37.872-03:002012-05-19T13:50:37.872-03:00Well said.Well said.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com