The notion that prices should be the same though – you can fault. It does cost more to transport goods in Canada, then the US. The US has a bigger market then Canada. Its the scale of economics.

We currently live (retired) in southern Alberta and regularly shop in Montana and Washington and we don’t get hung up on exemption amounts. We recently visited Spokane Valley for a couple of days (we needed a break from the wintery weather) and came back over the border with $1380 worth of goods which we’d had delivered by Amazon.com to the Montana Shipping Outlet in Eureka, MT. At the border, we answered the normal questions and then showed the list of items (about 50) to the agent at the border. He took one look and said “have a nice trip back to Calgary” I guess it would have been too much paper work.

Purchasing on-line from Amazon.com and having the items sent to a pick-up point in the US gets free shipping (most of the time). Shopping in Montana (0% Sales Tax) and Washington (Tax-free to Canadains that don’t have a PST like AB, BC, ON, and all of the other HST provinces – just show your drivers licence) gets more savings.

On the last trip we purchsed a Blanco Silgranite Sink (made in Canada). Home depot.ca price $684; Amazon.com $312. We picked up a Panasonic M/W oven (made in Japan) best price here was $399; Amazon.com $178! As it was we didn’t have to pay anything at the border; however a few $ in GST etc would still have been quite acceptable.

Three years ago we went down to Kalispell for the day, just to pick-up a water softener. It was $1199 here and $439 at HD in Kalispell. It was made in the US and attracted $22 in GST at the border.

We don’t spend on hotels unless we need the break why add $200 a day to your bill; it only reduces your saving. We spend hours on-line finding the best prices and organising deliveries. Likewise we find the best places to fill up with gas and review grocery store flyers (butter at $2/lb at Fred Meyer is better than $5.50 at Sobeys!).

On very rare occasions the pricing in Canada and the US is about the same – as it should be. We can all winge and complain as we hear the retailers telling us that it costs more to distribute goods here and then blame the duties and all of that rubbish. The bottom line is if more folks took the time to shop elsewhere than prices would start to fall.

I often email IKEA and Pier 1 to complain about their pricing which is about 60% more in Canada than it is in the US. They do send me back rambling letters about how difficult it is to change the pricing! I’d have thought with this computerised age it would have been pretty straightforward. Well let them struggle; we won’t buy there.

Finally, we appreciate that this all takes time and it’s difficult when you’re working.

Your topic Shopping in US | Better Value in Dollar was very interesting when I was browsing on Friday. I was searching for shopping and came across this topic. What do other people think? Great stuff….