Canadian Pricing

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

Hey, I was going by memory, and that's fading fast.. I know we were at a high today so I'm not doin too bad.

90cent would be nice, if stores pricing would reflect the change in the value of our dollar instead of increasing profits.. but it makes ordering from the US more appealing

[Toirtis]

You never know....mebbe we will see a dollar as strong as it was back in '57, when it was worth almost $1.07US.

[Big C]

I think that now that Canada has another medal in hockey the prices will go even higher... just to spite us!!!!

I'm also disgusted about the price differences. I have a friend in Ohio who receives all my orders and ships or brings to me, saving me a lot of CDN$. If you think about it, it's sad to do this to Canadian business, but whos fault is it?

[u2_Crazy]

Big Al's responded to my e-mail:

Unfortunately we are unable to pricematch american prices if you are ordering from Canada. As for the Canadian/American price differences there are many reasons why Canadian pricing is not always competitive with the American. This is also true the other way around. As I am sure you are aware, Big Al's has many retail chains in Canada. We have an agreement with these stores that we will not sell products for less than the retail stores will. It is unfair for us to do so. In addition to this, there are many tax/shipping/customs issues that Big Al's must take into consideration when pricing our products as well. Some of our suppliers are located in the United States and obviously we have to think about the cost of shipping these items to Canada. If you research further, you will notice that some of the American pricing seems to be more expensive than the Canadian when compared as well. At Big Al's we do our best to offer our Canadian Customers the best deals that we are able. I apologize for any inconvenience these differencecs in pricing has caused you.



Mandy
Customer Service
Big Al's Online
1 888 824 4257

I plan to respond, just not sure what to say yet. Any ideas?

[u2_Crazy]

I have responed to their response with

"Your website states:
* We Guarantee the Lowest Online Price
Our Lowest Price Policy" guarantees that you won't find lower prices anywhere else. If you do find the same product in stock sold anywhere online in Canada for less, we won't just match the price we'll beat it by 5%! *

Well, petsmart.com sells in Canada and they advertise the same prices you offer. Why would you not honour your policy here? If they are able to offer the same prices to ALL their customers why won't you?

Petsmart.com has a $19 brokerage fee to ship to Canada, Even with this brokerage fee, their prices are better, therefore, you are not honoring your Lowest Price Policy!

Sincerly "

Again, I probably won't get anywhere with them, but it is really frustrating to pay $50 more on this order than an American customer would have to.

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

Let's face it, with the new found strength of our dollar, just order from the states. I definately won't be ordering my Lights from Canada, for 360$, I get 3 130w 24" fixtures, with 6 replacement bulbs, even with taxes, duties etc. I'm saving hundreds of dollars. Lightbulbs with the fixture are 11$, up here they are 100$. so 6 spare bulbs with those fixtures makes it 1500$, instead of 360$..

You should have replied for them to cancel your order at no charge since they fail to match and beat the price you can get it for elsewhere and you will make public their failure to honour their pricematch guarentee.

They are at that point in breech of contract and cannot legally charge you anything. (I already had a run in with an idiotic retailer in Winnepeg.)

Interesting to see their response.

[Serge]

Just to play the devil's advocate here ..... Have you factored in the following costs?: Shipping fees (USD), Exchange rates, Import duties (read taxes) that Custom Canada will charge you? Import duties can sometime go as high as 25% of the canadian value of your purchase. I got burned a couple of times with the import duties.

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

Yes, I ordered a barrel for a paintball gun, it was 99$ US, after conversion, 130$ Shipped, taxes and duties, 21$, UPS' brokerage fee, a disgusting 37$, total price, 200Cad.

So the lights would be 360 US, converted to about 400$Cad, + shipping = 440$, Taxes and duties makes it at most 600$CAD, or 1500 from Big Al's..

[Toirtis]

Originally Posted by u2_Crazy

As I am sure you are aware, Big Al's has many retail chains in Canada. We have an agreement with these stores that we will not sell products for less than the retail stores will. It is unfair for us to do so.

Um...they do this all the time....the prices from Big Al's online are significantly cheaper than the retail prices in the store here (who, by the way, refuses to price match BA's online, or even bring in products from the catalogue that they do not normally stock in the store).