Bit of a Vent

[digital-audiophile]

Just my two cents.

The price differential does not sit at the level of the retail shop. The change needs to come at the manufacturing level.

If two of the exact same skimmer are manufactured in Germany and one is shipped to a LFS in Canada and one is shipped to a LFS in the United States with the dollar at parity and assuming that both stores have the same overhead and expected profit margin there should be no real difference in the price.

This of course should only apply to material that has been manufactured and shipped since the dollar has reached parity and it may take some time to ensure that the dollar does not vary from parity or near but in a years time I would expect to see prices on an equal footing. I know that we have to expect some differences on price based on different shipping lanes, duties and so forth.

Personally I have bought 99% of all my fish goods dry and live from local fish stores in my near three years in this hobby. I would persoanlly rather support my local retailer than even an online source like J&L. I have made a few purchases online but only becuase there were products I wanted that I could not find locally.

[fishmaster]

[quote=digital-audiophile;278851]Just my two cents.

The price differential does not sit at the level of the retail shop. The change needs to come at the manufacturing level.

If two of the exact same skimmer are manufactured in Germany and one is shipped to a LFS in Canada and one is shipped to a LFS in the United States with the dollar at parity and assuming that both stores have the same overhead and expected profit margin there should be no real difference in the price.

**********One difference I could see is Volume. Don't forget how small our population base is compared to the US. California has more people than Canada!!! I'm sure the "Big Player" vendors in the US could move volumes of product that would make our "Big player" vendors look like a joke in comparison. I run into this all the time in my industry, there are retailers down there who buy way more volume of certain product lines than we as a Distributor can buy. The cost is almost always lower with volume. So now you have US Retailers buying better than Canadian Distributors!!!! This isn't always the case, but it's not uncommon.************

[digital-audiophile]

I do not disagree with you, its all about supply and demand. I can understand differential based on the volume but not the 50%+ percent I see on many products (not just talking fish related)

[fishmaster]

Originally Posted by digital-audiophile

I do not disagree with you, its all about supply and demand. I can understand differential based on the volume but not the 50%+ percent I see on many products (not just talking fish related)

Don't get me wrong, there are allot of industries growing fat off the dollar. I'm talking about this industry. I honestly think it's pretty clean....There will always be some vendors who charge more because they feel they can. Some will charge more because they have to (can't buy enough volume to get the best prices) But, if you shop around, the prices are truely good here in Canada....and will get better in time. It doesn't hurt to ask your LFS if they can match a price + shipping to your door. Sometimes they can, sometimes they can't. But at least give them the opportunity to keep you in their store. Sometimes you'll find their great service is worth a little extra too.
PS-I'm not ranting to you Digital-audiophile about supporting your LFS(sounds like you already do!)

[midgetwaiter]

Originally Posted by digital-audiophile

If two of the exact same skimmer are manufactured in Germany and one is shipped to a LFS in Canada and one is shipped to a LFS in the United States with the dollar at parity and assuming that both stores have the same overhead and expected profit margin there should be no real difference in the price.

Most of the time this isn't how it happens though. You usually can't call up a factory in Germany and say "I'd like 3 please". They're going to sell them by the pallet or not at all. This means you have to call up a wholesaler, almost always in the US, and get them from there.

Now there is another thing that comes into that with currency. USD and CAD are at par but keep in mind this has more to do with the relative weakness of USD compared to the strength of CAD. If that wholesale operation is buying from Germany they are now paying more and will pass that cost on. This is already starting to happen.

The option for local guys is to find ways to buy direct or find Canadian wholesale guys that do it. This isn't always easy or even possible though.

[Zylumn]

Originally Posted by digital-audiophile View Post
If two of the exact same skimmer are manufactured in Germany and one is shipped to a LFS in Canada and one is shipped to a LFS in the United States with the dollar at parity and assuming that both stores have the same overhead and expected profit margin there should be no real difference in the price.


I am sure that a trade agreement between the two countries and Government taxes would create a parity and produce a " real difference in the price". I lived in the US for 8 years Near Everything is cheaper except Medical Services and Prescriptions.
Kevin

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Originally Posted by Zylumn

I am sure that a trade agreement between the two countries and Government taxes would create a parity and produce a " real difference in the price". I lived in the US for 8 years Near Everything is cheaper except Medical Services and Prescriptions.
Kevin

Yeah this is very true! I lived in the US for a long time too (my parents are american) and everything from food to aquarium supplies to toilet paper is cheaper. Medical services are more expensive as you said but not much more really than paying MSP here in vancouver. My US insurance was really about the same and covered much the same stuff. But thats besides the point...

I know I have brought this up before but in Florida I could get a lot of the equipment I try to get here for 2/3 or half the price! As for livestock, well its not fair to compare because of geography but down in Florida I would say everything is easily half! Imagine how your tank would look if for all the money you have put into your corals, you had double the amount!

Needless to say, it was really hard to buy stuff from LFS here when I first came back. Im used to the higher prices now again but it hurts to think of how cheap it was...

Actually the funny thing about all this, is that I work here from my home in Vancouver for a Los Angeles Film Studio and get paid in US dollars...So I was going to be loosing money over this. A year ago I was making a ton because our dollar was so much weaker. Luckily they have adjusted my wage with the times but that could have been terrible!

Edit: I will always buy online from the US first though if the prices are cheaper. Shipping is often free or very cheap if you spend enough anyways. I have no idea what all the headaches people are bringing up about shipping dry goods from the US but I have never had any. These days its so simple and easy to do. You get a tracking number and can check up on your package every step of the way. You can also request a delivery time from UPS. They will always tell you that they cannot do that but if you push hard enough, they will do it. I actually had a package that was suppose to come before 10 once but never showed up until 1. I had called UPS and told them I was suppose to be at work and loosing money because of them (which is not entirely true because I work from a laptop anywhere I want really). They ended up waiving the duty fee of $30 after I told them I would have to talk to the Better Business Bureau. They respond very well to that "threat" Thats the worst problem I have ever had and it worked out well.

[G1GY]

GreenSpottedPuffer,

You can save more money getting your stuff shipped by USPS.(Quite a bit more.)

I use UPS for shipments within Canada, but avoid them for anything international.

[rusty]

I can understand your frustration Neal. Having run one of these basement stores myself I know the Headaches that come along with it. Ordering fish for people when they say want it, and than they die because they don't come get the fish they ordered when they say they would. And the store gets to suck up the cost of that, and are still expected to offer huge deals the next time they walk in. Or the all time classic.. you have some fish or coral for sale for an absolutely awsome price and some dude tries to barter with you. ( Including calling you names and accussing you of trying to rip them off.) Although I agree that some LFS could do a better job of stocking their tanks and offering a bit better of deals please bear in mind that they do have lots of overhead, DOA livestock still has to get paid for and the people still have to make a living as well. No job comes with out headaches but it would be so much nicer if people spotted a good deal and appreciated it as well, without complaining. I mean this is a great hobby, expensive .... YES But great none the less.

One last thought for you all. Next time you see see a fish from Fiji, Hawaii, or where ever think, how much would it cost me to fly there?
Just my 2 cents

[wickedfrags]

I never begrudge another business for offering a lower price, for it is only they who know the true value of their product and service.