Beef - WTC price gouging Canadians

[Odhanan]

The difference in pricing sucks, that's clear.

Just made the experiment with Amazon.ca vs. Amazon.com. I'm located in BC.

I order a PHB 3.5 from Amazon.ca. I take Express shipping (less expensive option).
PHB: $27.69
Shipping: $5.90
GST: $2.01
= $35.60 CAD = $31.78 US

Then, I order a PHB 3.5 from Amazon.com. I take Standard International Shipping (less expensive option).
PHB: $19.77
Shipping: $6.48
= $26.25 US

Indeed. Seems cheaper from .Com on this one.

 

[Morrus]

You should see what Sony is doing to us in the UK for the PS3. Sony, a pound is worth about twice as much as a dollar. Therefore you don't charge the same number of pounds as dollars. Not if you want me as a customer, anyway.

 

[Lanefan]

WRONG. Buy from Amazon.ca. Much cheaper than in the stores. I tell all my friends to buy from them; they can save 1/3 off the list price. It's very rare for me to buy from a book store (gaming or otherwise) anymore. Free shipping and 1/3 off the cover price is too good to pass up.

And you wonder why your local gaming stores aren't doing very well...

As for the C$ vs. US$ difference, it's not the GST; that's a retail tax added on to the price. However, I'm willing to bet Canadian customs duty represents much of the excess markup. That, and a guess on the publisher's part that the C$ is going to drop in value again...

Lanefan

 

[Wik]

The gaming store I go to feels that the "price as listed" on D&D products is too high, and mark their prices down accordingly. I went there last year, bought myself d20 Apocalypse with a 20$ gift certificate, and with their markdown, I think I wound up paying, like, two bucks for the book.

But, yeah, canadian prices *suck*, what with the exchange rate as it is right now.

What really bothers me is, five years ago, when the canadian dollar was crap compared to the U.S., the price difference was about the same. Therefore, I can't really see the "shipping costs" being the problem, since the difference was about 30% back then, and it's the same now, even though our dollar is worth much more.

I just don't get it.

 

[Lanefan]

Side note: 3 BC'ers in the last 4 posts...not bad!

Lanefan

 

[Wik]

Henh, yeah. And two from Vic!

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

And you wonder why your local gaming stores aren't doing very well...

I don't wonder at all. Unlike a lot of people who won't accept reality, the internet is the way of the future. The bookstore is not. If you want to pay more b/c it makes you feel better to support your FLGS, go nuts. I do not. And a heck of a lot of other people don't either.

D&D and RPGs will survive just fine with or without book stores.

 

[Wild Gazebo]

I always buy from Amazon.com instead of Amazon.ca. It has always been cheaper in my experience. And I'm currenly up in northern B.C...er...central...well it seems northern.

 

[Shawn_Kehoe]

WRONG. Buy from Amazon.ca. Much cheaper than in the stores. I tell all my friends to buy from them; they can save 1/3 off the list price. It's very rare for me to buy from a book store (gaming or otherwise) anymore. Free shipping and 1/3 off the cover price is too good to pass up.

Yes... but the 34% discount is still being applied to a list price that is too high to begin with. Compare the price of a $30 US D&D book on chapters.ca to a $30 US hardcover from Marvel Comics. Both publishers employ archaic exchange rates, but for some reason Chapters chooses to sell the D&D books at MSRP and the Marvel hardcovers at fair exchange. (Minus the discount in both cases.)

Complete Mage:
http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/item/books-978078693937/0786939370/Complete+Mage?ref=Search+Books%3a+'complete+mage'

Astonishing X-men:
http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/item/books-978078511733/0785117334/Astonishing+Xmen+Volume+1+Hc?ref=Search+Books%3a+'astonishing+x-men'

 

[Shawn_Kehoe]

Am I holding down the east coast all by myself? Ah well, I knew that the Halifax Citadel would prove useful one day...

Shawn