Are you still buying in the USA? Why?

[madkeenreefer]

Originally Posted by Reef Supplies

Have to disagree.

If my client can save 10-15% elsewhere, he should take it...he is a fool if he does not.

Supporting the Canadian economy is great! supporting your local economy even better .
but you said it yourself "above quote" its foolish to spend your money at one place when you can get it cheaper at another.
A good example is pritty much any online retailer in Quebec, they are always going to be more expensive due to the higher taxes.
Same for your store vs lets say J&L Aquatics I get the same thing for less but its still got to cross the country to get here.
This is why I always by outside Quebec

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by Reef Supplies

Have to disagree.

Yes, we get the occasional client locking to save 5 bucks BUT most of the time we are talking about 10-15-20% differences in price for the same products. If my client can save 10-15% elsewhere, he should take it...he is a fool if he does not.

well said. I like seeing retailers who are also concerned about the money that stays in the consumers pocket. its to bad there not more common.

I will admit I always look at a few US places that cost very little in shipping and no brokerage charges and see which way is cheaper. after spending way to much money supporting local stores (ie. getting ripped off) it didn't take long for me to see how much I could save else where. and if I can save 5% when everything is said and done I will. when you look at the 10K+ I spent on my first tank 5% is a fair bit of money. what I find is that people tend to look at cost on a per purchase basis instead of a whole project basis.

As for our rising dollar that just makes the US stuff that much cheaper. it is very rare now days that a Canadian company passes on there savings because of a higher Cdn buck. I know 5 years ago, last time our buck was high, some retailers passed it on. an eg was a Harley got about 5K cheaper, but this time no deals are to be had anywhere. I think it is due to the uncertainty of the economy.

Steve

[Cal_stir]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

Oh, it absolutely does now! So many people quibble over a couple of bucks. Sure, I can get that item at J&L for 3 bucks cheaper, but now I no longer have a store up the road to go browse around. I always try to buy locally first and support the stores that let me hang out with my coffee and poke around with the products.

My closest LFS is 90 minutes away, went there this weekend and bought some things, wife likes a road trip now and then.
There is one 10 minutes away in the US, but we won`t go there.

[Reef Supplies]

Originally Posted by tim the toolman

I think that another point that should be made is keeping the $$ local. I have a LFS that I go to whenever I can in hopes that a good store owner can stay in business. I'm glad this hobby doesn't have a walmart mentality yet, and I hope it never will.
Here's to the little fish in big water

It will never get there, this hobby is to personal (for a lack of a better term).

It has however gotten much more accessible and will continue to do so. Competition is VERY strong and that is what drives manufactures to make new products, better products and products that are accessible to the masses.

Back 12-15 years ago we had 1 maybe 2 reef stores in Montreal, live rock was $20 a pound and seaclone skimmers were at the top of their game, heh!

Ray

[04V10]

Well I might as well be the bad guy. I'm all for supporting the Canadian economy, and local shops, however when I can buy something online and have it show up to my door for half price compared to buying in Canada, I'm gonna do it. Here's a perfect example, I wanted to get new tires for my car and would have paid $4800 for just tires from the dealerships or local tire shops. There was also a back order until the end of June for the back tires. I order online on a monday from tire rack, and they show up to my door on Friday, for$2200!!!!

[Reef Supplies]

Originally Posted by 04V10

Well I might as well be the bad guy. I'm all for supporting the Canadian economy, and local shops, however when I can buy something online and have it show up to my door for half price compared to buying in Canada, I'm gonna do it. Here's a perfect example, I wanted to get new tires for my car and would have paid $4800 for just tires from the dealerships or local tire shops. There was also a back order until the end of June for the back tires. I order online on a monday from tire rack, and they show up to my door on Friday, for$2200!!!!

Completely different animal. The car biz in Canada is out of whack it's pathetic.

Had a buddy who bought a brand new FX45 in the US, he saved $18K with the $ being at par! Thats $18K after all the paper work, duty and day time running lights instaled!

[RuGlu6]

Originally Posted by 04V10

Well I might as well be the bad guy. I'm all for supporting the Canadian economy, and local shops, however when I can buy something online and have it show up to my door for half price compared to buying in Canada, I'm gonna do it. Here's a perfect example, I wanted to get new tires for my car and would have paid $4800 for just tires from the dealerships or local tire shops. There was also a back order until the end of June for the back tires. I order online on a monday from tire rack, and they show up to my door on Friday, for$2200!!!!

+1 on 50% of the price.
But why stop at US border they get their stock from China anyway! None of it MADE in US of A or Canada.
Why not go to China direct?

I got my Calc reactor and skimmer delivered to my door at half of the Canadian price, DELIVERED to my local post office 5 min away fro me.
http://www.reefshops.com/product-377.html
.
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=74827
The unit above would cost me MORE then double here in Canada. I got it delivered with total of $133 Can plus I get $9 usd gift cert for next purchase.
So why would i shop locally ?....

[Cal_stir]

Sometimes you just can't buy it in Canada, nobody has a decent supply of JohnGuest fittings or refillable media cartridges, so, once in a while I order from BRS, other than that, it`s All Canadian for me.
I live on the border but have no desire to go to the US, I have no passport, no nexus, no nothing, TOOOOOO many guns overthere.

[Reef Supplies]

Originally Posted by 68shelby

My local fish store sells the halides I use for $130 and up a piece, sorry I can get them online for a less than half. There markup and then theres gouging.

So you buy them in the US..no one here has them?

Originally Posted by tim the toolman

I feel much safer buying as close to home as possible. I like to be able to see what I'm buying before I spend and also I would like to make any warranty work as simple as possible.

Yepp, warranty is another good reason to buy here.

Originally Posted by Cal_stir

Sometimes you just can't buy it in Canada, nobody has a decent supply of JohnGuest fittings or refillable media cartridges, so, once in a while I order from BRS, other than that, it`s All Canadian for me.
I live on the border but have no desire to go to the US, I have no passport, no nexus, no nothing, TOOOOOO many guns overthere.

I agree that for some reason RO equipment is hard to find here. This is why we decided to bring in Spectrapure in May.

[marie]

I only buy from the US when I can't find what I'm looking for here..... but having said that I have to pay shipping costs for whatever I buy and anything I do get from the States I get shipped usps and the brokerage fee is only $5
eg. I bought 3 phoenix 250K mogul bulbs from premium aquatics and after including all shipping costs they came to under 70$ can.each and to top it off canada post must of messed up because they left the parcel on my doorstep without collecting their brokerage fee or the taxes