Will you cross-border shop this summer?
Posted by Gail | Filed under In the News, Smart Shopper
According to a BMO Capital Markets report we will be flocking to the border states as a result of higher duty-free limits that were announced in the federal budget and kicked in on June 1 this year. When these limit increases were announced earlier this year, I commented on how dumb I thought it was that our government was encouraging us to spend our money in America. Sure their economy needs a boost, but is that really our job?
The new duty-free limits go up by 400% for stays of more than 24 hours rising from $50 to $200. Limits for visits longer than 48 hours will double from $400 to $800. That’ll help all the border cities’ local economies crash and burn as residents cross the border for not only for cheaper food and gas but just about everything else. It’s estimated that U.S. prices are about 14% less than Canadian prices, so how will local retailers this side of the border compete?
They don’t stand a chance. Since Canadian retailers face higher tariffs for finished goods from Asia and are charged more by suppliers, higher prices for consumers won’t be able to compete with cheaper, and now duty-free, imports from the U.S.
The last time retailers were faced with huge cross-border shopping numbers was after the GST was brought into effect and the strong Canadian dollar made cheaper U.S. products very appealing. The question now is whether the heightened border regulations will be enough to stop Canadians from spending their hard earned money in the good ol’ U.S. of A, as opposed to in their own local economies.
According to the Bank of Canada, cross-border shopping accounts for less than 2% consumer spending, and thus isn’t a big macroeconomic issue. Tell that to the communities around the border where real people will see even more real jobs disappear as we honk and lurch our way through the long line-ups to save 20-30% on a name-brand handbag or a new computer. And, since the Bank of Canada’s numbers are based on declared goods purchased, it actually has no idea how much Canadians are really spending (and will continue to spend) across the border.
This carrot was thrown at us as a distraction from the fact that they were increasing the age at which Old Age Security would be going out. So young’uns, feel free to shop your brains out in the U.S. to save money. Just remember to stash your savings in a retirement account because you’re going to need it later.
June 25, 2012 at 7:27 am
We don’t cross boarder shop. We also choose to take family vacations here in Canada.
June 25, 2012 at 7:43 am
It’s rare that I cross border shop anymore. I guess it’s just the time and gas that it takes to get there is not worth the discount to me.
June 25, 2012 at 7:47 am
We do cross boarder shop for some things. As an area with a rural economy there are many things we can’t get. We got custom made bedroom furniture in Maine made of solid wood for less money than particle board big box furniture here in Canada. I had tried for months to find solid wood furniture here in our area of Canada and there was nothing at all available. Even when you are willing to shop in 3 or 4 different provinces you can’t always obtain what you want even if you are willing to pay extra for it.
June 25, 2012 at 7:54 am
As one half of the duo managing my family’s finances, my goal is to be the most fiscally responsible I can for the family spending – getting to the end of the month before the end of the money, as Gail would say.
So sometimes that means cross-border shopping and that most certainly means discount store shopping.
I live in a very small (about 1000 people) Canadian village in a rural area near the US border. Local merchants will say it’s places like Wal-Mart and other discounted retailers that hurt small stores more. I agree. I don’t shop in the US on a weekly basis (more like 3 times a year) but I will shop wherever I can get weekly staples (mostly groceries) at the lowest price for the value. Which means I might buy my milk and coffee and Wal-Mart and my produce at the local farmer’s market. It also means I shop at second-hand stores for clothes. Vintage stores are great for maintaining a classic low-cost wardrobe.
If there’s choice in my area among retailers, it’s my right (and my duty) to choose what’s best for me.
I find the label of cross-border shopping somewhat misleading, unless folks are travelling across the border for shopping alone. Which I have done in the past. Until we had a few Wal-Marts and Superstores in my area, the best grocery selection and pricing by far was across the border. For my family now, cross-border shopping happens in conjunction with a cross-border vacation. And I don’t need to justify where I take my vacations or why.
One year I went with a group of friends on a Black Friday trip. And to my great suprise, it was a great trip! First off, the customer service is much friendlier (compared to where I routinely shop in Canada) south of the border, the selection is greater and the prices were phenomenol. And shopping centres were large enough to handle the volume of shoppers and there were more than enough clerks and cashiers on hand. I raved about that weekend experience for months.
I work in a large Canadian city and during the daily commute recently, the radio host was interviewing the manager of a large retail centre. They were rapidly trying to expand and offer all sorts of things a shopper might find in the US. Which is great, but at the end of my day, my holiday may take me south of the border, certainly not to an area shopping centre. Sometimes the Canadian retailer needs to remember the cross-border shopping is part of a larger vacation and they shouldn’ t be competing for my business; do a good job of marketing yourself as a destination and you’ll attact other Canadian shoppers or perhaps some from south of the border.
Now, if a Canadian retailer wants to attract my routine shopping, offer better customer service (try training your employees, I’m tired of telling Canadian Tire store clerks where to find certain items!), strengthen your return policies and lower your prices! As a business leader, if you’re concerned about the tariffs applied to your goods, use your membership with your business association to lobby the government for a better fee structure.
In the meantime, I’ll manage my family budget as I see fit.
June 25, 2012 at 7:55 am
The only reason to cross border shop is NOT to save money – but to buy stuff you can’t get here for any price. My son and son-in-law both shop in the USA for clothing and shoes for the big and tall. Just not available here.
My in-laws shop over the border all the time – for all kinds of things – and then complain cause their kids can’t get jobs. Go figure …
June 25, 2012 at 8:06 am
No passports so, no cross border shopping. I don’t think I would anyway. I prefer to give my business to Ontario businesses. We never shop in WalMart and will not shop in Target when it moves in to the area. I’m sure there are businesses we shop at that are owned, somewhere down the line, by Americans. If I find out about it I will stop shopping there. Not very friendly of me I guess lol.
June 25, 2012 at 8:11 am
Living in Ottawa, we are pretty close to the border. We barely border shop though. The one thing we do however is when ordering stuff from the States – we send stuff to the UPS store and save a ton of money in shipping costs. The UPS people charge a small fee to store your package – then you simply go to the border and declare what you have (which means paying the taxes). Hubby orders lots of stuff for the school and probably goes across the border 3-5x a year.
Last year we had to go to a conference in Rochester and I went to Waterloo Outlets – As I was shopping for baby stuff – I thought I would do a little outlet shopping. Honestly, I was really disappointed. I found that the baby stuff was not really worth the drive. Because I was not shopping for myself, I didn’t do any looking at grown-up stores, so I’m unsure what those prices were like. I did stop at Target and loaded up on Health and Beauty items – my staples like mascara, face wash, soap are all way cheaper in the States then they are here.
June 25, 2012 at 8:18 am
No passport either and not planning to get one, especially to shop in the states. My friends keep wanting to take me for the day and say its great fun but I’m not a shopper anyway so I don’t think it would be much fun.
Exciting to me is seeing my emergency fund grow ( i know boring right) I don’t need to get my rush shopping for things I probably didn’t need in the first place.
June 25, 2012 at 8:36 am
I don’t cross border shop although I live close enough to do so easily. I, too, avoid Wal-mart as well as Marshalls which has recently arrived. I believe that it is important to support Canadian businesses. It’s often hard, and sometimes impossible, to find products made here but at least by shopping in Ontario, or on-line across Canada, you can support the stores and employees here and contribute to the Canadian economy.
I do visit major U.S. cities on holiday but don’t buy clothes or other items I can buy here. I usually pick up something from a museum shop or a gallery as a souvenir.
June 25, 2012 at 8:37 am
No passport, haven’t been to the states in years, no plans to go. Paying attention to prices, saving for purchases, and waiting for sales goes a long way. My friends who cross-border shop somehow seem to rack up the visa bill along with the deals!
June 25, 2012 at 8:46 am
It’s 240km to the border — 400km to the nearest city. That’s a lot of gas — so no, we don’t cross border shop.
Internet shopping is a different story….
June 25, 2012 at 8:49 am
We do go to the US once a year for a little get a way and to shop. It is not so much the prices as it is the selection. There are just so many more options. I support local businesses here in NS as much as possible throughout the year, so I don’t feel bad about buying in the US once in a while.
June 25, 2012 at 9:23 am
I have to admit, I do enjoy an annual cross-border shop. It’s the prices of some products that stun me…and the selection of articles of clothing. I was in Buffalo this past weekend (2.5 hour drive from home) and I was able to buy one year’s worth of face wash for $36! At $3 a bottle, I was floored! Especially since it is $20/bottle here in Canada. And the product is Made in Canada! For that cost, I couldn’t help myself!
While I normally shop in Canada, my annual trip across the border saves me loads of money on my sensitive skin.
June 25, 2012 at 9:40 am
No, I support my local economy by shopping here (and support the local farmers by buying their produce).
June 25, 2012 at 9:44 am
Never have…never will.
I just do not see it as a money saver. We do not have our passports, so that would be an expense. The gas and wear & tear on the car adds up. There is also that ‘mob mentality’ of having to spend more money that necessary. I seriously doubt that those cross-border shoppers stick to their budgets. I know a few people who did that Black Friday shopping. Add up the gas, meals, hotel rooms and there goes that ’saved’ money!
June 25, 2012 at 9:51 am
I live just as far from Grand Forks as I do from Winnipeg. So if something isn’t available locally, if I want to go to a place I’m very familiar with, Winnipeg it is. If I know I can get it cheaper down south, or if it isn’t available up here, Grand Forks is the solution. And shipping things across the border is a pain in the tucchus, so I ship to a small company just 10 minutes south of me, pay them $2/pkg for the convenience, and toddle back up home.
On my last trip I got a pair of Sketchers runners for $50, groceries I can’t find in Canada or that are significantly cheaper, and 2 skirts totalling less than $50 (usually the type of skirt that I buy costs much more than $50 per item here).
And I don’t feel guilty. Maybe I should, but I can’t be bothered.
June 25, 2012 at 9:54 am
As much as I want to support the local and Canadian stores and economy, I buy most of my clothing in Florida when we visit my parents in February. I very much advocate buying local, however I will only buy clothes that fit well, and look good. I have problems finding a good fit here, I go to the boutiques that have good service, and $90 basic shirts, but they just don’t fit. The two big outlet chains in the states are opening up in Halton Hills in the fall. I can’t wait. I can shop more than once a year.
It is definitely all about the selection for me. I hate shopping, but it must be done every so often, and if there is a store that reliably gives me a good look and fit, I will shop there.
When I go in February there are also the President’s Day sales on. Quite honestly I can not resist buying my children their summer wardrobe for $3-5 a shirt, or $8 shorts. Or a tshirt for myself for $5.00.
June 25, 2012 at 9:54 am
Oh, and I should add…
If you do your math carefully, it can be worth it to buy big tickect appliances down there (homework = making sure the electrical is approved for Canada, adding border taxes, adding cost of travel and possibly a rental truck, loss of wages for a day of travel, making sure the item is comparable in quality). I know our labour, shipping, and taxes make purchase prices higher, but that’s a huge difference.
June 25, 2012 at 9:59 am
I shop where I get the best deals. When we vacation in the States, a trip to the stores and any available outlet malls is in order. I love the variety of things they have available, especially the items that we just don’t see here. A girl’s weekend in Grove City was lots of fun, and we came home with great bargains! We’re vacationing in Cape Cod next month and I will definitely be visiting stores during our time away. You need to know the prices of a similar product at home to know if it’s worth buying in the States.
June 25, 2012 at 10:27 am
I’m not a big shopper so I would have to spend way more than I normally do to justify the cost of travelling.
I am surprised how many people cross boarder shop for groceries, there are different (less) regulations around food in the USA. I’m really glad I live in a country that protects consumers.
June 25, 2012 at 10:45 am
I’m heading to Las Vegas for a conference today and I will be doing a lot of shopping. Quality kids clothes at the outlet mall are about 30% of the price here, whever I find myself in the states, I stock up on the next size. As well, I need some new work clothes and I will be visiting Ann Taylor and the Dress Barn both of which are not available here. I do support my local retailers. I live in the country and there is a general store nearby. I make sure to buy almost all my gas and milk (pay a premium for the privilege) there. I want to make sure the store survives, because it is handy to have closeby.
June 25, 2012 at 11:01 am
I don’t genuinely believe our Government is actively looking to boost our retail numbers. To be honest with the impending collapse of the Euro and all the National debt, I am anticipating the creation of a North American Union with a single currency.
Heck, the same ‘budget bill’ that raised the retirement age also included provisions to sell out Environment Canada to the EPA, and let the FBI and DEA operate inside Canada.
One currency doesn’t seem that far off after all, but they will probably spoon feed it to us.
June 25, 2012 at 11:02 am
I travel to the USA once or twice each year, and I very often buy clothes on my trips. The selection of styles for women’s clothing is much better than in Canada. As another poster said, the Dress Barn and Ann Taylor are not available in Canada yet they have clothing styles that I find very attractive. Further, there are many other retail shops for women’s clothes that are simply not available to me in Canada and I have the patience to wait for my stateside trips in order to shop at those stores. Each time I plan a trip to the USA, I save up a pot of cash so that I can shop without guilt.
I am more than happy to shop for clothes at home. However, I prefer to hold off buying things at home until after I’ve had a chance to peruse the offerings stateside. If I can’t find exactly what I want in the USA, then I will go to the next-best option which I had already found and priced out in Canada.
Alero
June 25, 2012 at 11:07 am
I cross boarder shop often. The savings is not 20 to 30 % I find amazing deals around 50 to 70% off products we don’t get here in Canada. Also the base price is cheaper before the discount. I take a few friends and share gas cost and the border is only 1 hr away from me. It is well worth it for me. I don’t buy food or go to Walmart. I only buy the name brand products I like that we get here for crazy!!!! Amounts of money. I am sick and tired of always paying more for everything just because we live in Canada. There is no good reason for the price gaps. So I will continue to shop there. I would love to shop here and help our retailers but until they bring the prices down to come close or even match the us prices It just doesn’t make sense.
Happy Monday everyone
June 25, 2012 at 11:22 am
I’m not really a big shopper, so the idea of driving across the border just to go shopping doesn’t have much appeal for me. However, I do travel to the US a few times a year for work or fun – but still don’t do a lot of shopping or buy big-ticket items – it’s really for the experience, and there’s a LOT to experience in the US!
The issue with buying big-ticket items is the warranty – generally difficult to do a return across the border. I do a certain amount of internet shopping – even with the duty payable when goods come across the border, things like clothes or sometimes electronics can end up significantly cheaper.
I don’t feel any sense of patriotism in terms of buying decisions. For food, I tend to buy as much local stuff in season as possible, even at a premium over grocery store prices, because it’s fresher and tastier and I want it to continue being available. For clothes, electronics, books, etc, I’ll buy from whoever’s cheapest and most convenient. It’s not my job to support Canadian businesses – it is, however, my job to get as much bang from my hard-earned bucks as is feasible. I am happy to support Canadian retailers who have figured out how to offer me the quality goods that I want at a better price than I can get elsewhere. Honestly, I’m not even sure why we have duty on goods from the US – aren’t we supposed to have free trade with them now?
June 25, 2012 at 11:41 am
I shop over the boarder purely for the different stores there. I like the selection in the states, and the outlet mall in buffalo is great for good deals
June 25, 2012 at 11:57 am
We go to Ohio once a year to spend American Thanksgiving with my brother and his family and we shop. I don’t do the 5 a.m. Black Friday thing, but we do go to the stores later in the day. As much as I believe we should support the Canadian economy, I have to support my own family economy first.
A can of Walnut Oil at Loblaws is $15.99. At Kroger in Cincinatti its $5. Same can, same brand, same everything. If the difference was $1, maybe I would buy it here, but the savings are just too great to ignore.
Shoes, Clothes,Cosmetics are just so much cheaper in the U.S. than here at home. We always make sure it’s a Need and not a Want and if it means it will help us pare down our expenses it makes sense for us. I also agree that the selection is far greater.
I won’t make a point of driving to the states to shop, but if I am there anyway, I will not ignore the savings.
June 25, 2012 at 12:00 pm
I believe Gail’s most important point is at the end of the article….
June 25, 2012 at 12:04 pm
If I end up in the States, I buy a few cans of Barbasol because you can’t buy it anymore in my city.
However, in my personal opinion, I see cross-border shopping as anti-patriotic. Canada is the country that gives you healthcare, gave you a good education so you can get that job where you earn the dough. Paying a little more here (and so the taxes stay in our country), not only helps our own economy by supporting local business, but it helps pay for the things we take for granted.
…If you ever broke an arm down there shopping, you’d be trying to figure out how to run home to the Maple Leaf as fast as possible so you wouldn’t have to pay a US hospital bill.
June 25, 2012 at 12:47 pm
For many products it is not worth it to shop in the US. With the exchange and time involved – it is better to shop in Canada.
In saying that: here are some products that I but in the US:
- running shoes
- gas
- dairy
- some clothing (not available in Canada).
- wine
June 25, 2012 at 12:50 pm
I shop in Michigan usually once a month. I can find some great deals but I have to know my prices because not everything is cheaper. Just today I paid $3.49 for a gallon of gas (currently it is $1.18 per litre in my city), even with the toll I saved just on my gas, my groceries and a couple of articles of clothing just kept adding to the savings. When I go over I know what I am looking for and how much I want to spend that way I do not get carried away.
I do get some flak from people I know for shopping in the states but my response to them is that where I work we advertise to Americans to come over to Ontario and spend their entertainment money where I work. Without the American customers that patronize my place of Employement I would not have a job (we have Canadians that patronize my place of Employment but the Americans out number them by far).
Since both Americans and Canadians patronize my place of Employement I feel that I should spend my money not only in Canada but also some of it in the states.
June 25, 2012 at 12:52 pm
Edward, I am happy to pay income taxes to support our social safety net – and as someone earning a decent income, I pay more than many, and would be happy to pay even more if it would ensure that healthcare, education, public pensions, etc were there for everyone (me included).
But once I have paid those taxes, I see my income as mine to do with as I please – and my main motivation in spending is to get what I need/want for as little as possible, keeping in mind considerations like quality and convenience. The logic of capitalism is that if Canadian retailers can’t figure out how to offer goods and services at prices that will beat the Yankee competition, they’ll eventually go out of business. I see this as inevitable, in the long term. If they want to survive, they need to figure out how to offer things more cheaply, or offer unique products that we can’t buy elsewhere and are willing to pay a premium for (like, in my case, farm-fresh local produce), or figure out a competitive advantage over US retailers in areas where that’s possible. Others are certainly free to pay a premium out of some misguided sense of patriotism. I think a more practical expression of economic patriotism is to pay your income taxes.
June 25, 2012 at 1:19 pm
Edward, the healthcare we have here we pay alot for in our taxes. Canada doesn’t give us healthcare. So of course I would run back home to use it. Canada is the best country for many reasons, we all know that but we all need things to run our homes and the deals in the us are to good to pass up.
June 25, 2012 at 2:08 pm
There are two different things to look at here. Gail I’m afraid if I’m going to save a lot in the long run I will go where ever I can to save that money, if that is USA or Mexico or wherever. I don’t think that cutting off your nose to spite your face helps anyone. You aren’t going to stop shoppers from wanting to save their hard earned money. I don’t make a lot so if I can stretch my dollar I will. Not supporting our economy is the other point, I understand wanting to do so but why doesn’t our government make the same trade deals as the US does so we can reap the benefits?
June 25, 2012 at 2:15 pm
I border shop occasionally but I am North American Indian and have dual citizenship. We visit family while there at the same time. Why cant the government do something about the prices we pay and how much we are being taxed to pay for their paychecks, which is way too much for the little bit of work that they actually do. I feel sorry for the border towns because they are the ones that lose in the end. We try to buy local and support our community as we are entrepenuers also and look to sell and buy from our neighbors.
June 25, 2012 at 3:00 pm
I’m not at all interested in going south to shop. I’ll stay at home and support our own economy, thanks. For the times when I do want to buy something that I can’t purchase here–usually sports paraphernilia for my two brothers–I will shop online. I also avoid places like Wal-Mart here at home because it’s basically the same thing as cross-border shopping–I’m not going to support those places if there are Canadian alternatives. People love Wal-Mart because they can buy lots of stuff for cheap, but you get what you pay for, and I loathe the idea of supporting cheap, made-in-China crap. No thanks. Besides, as Gail is always telling us, we really don’t need so much STUFF.
June 25, 2012 at 3:10 pm
Last year, I had a conference in Toronto and invited my mother along. We came expecting to shop-our hotel was right near a mall and we’d read about lots of cute, specialty stores. And we hardly spent anything! There were few items exceptional enough to warrant the higher prices. Instead, we ended up watching Gail on Slice. So, I wondered, was it Gail’s influence that suppressed my inner shopper or a lack of (affordable) selection? Probably a little of both. I’ve since eliminated all of my consumer debt and am putting together an emergency fund. Thanks, Gail!
June 25, 2012 at 10:31 pm
I live a ways from the border but travel to the States occasionally, but not to shop. I don’t like their retail practices, the way they treat their staff, the fact that many Americans work for crap wages and no benefits, among many other things.
It’s the same reason I don’t shop at Superstore or WalMart…. they do the same thing here because guess what… SURPRISE….. they’re American!
I suppose if saving money at all costs is the goal, most people have no concience (sp) about the way workers are treated in Asia either. I think it’s disgusting what people will turn a blind eye to just to save a few cents. Buy Canadian, support Canadian when you can, and let the Americans and Asia support themselves….just my own thoughts.
June 26, 2012 at 7:02 am
I went to the States a week ago to shop for my daughter. I don’t necessarily find things cheaper, and we usually go about 3x/year, but sometimes, because we live an hour away, it’s worth it. My daughter is a size that is difficult to fit here in Canada. A girl’s 16 does not fit her here, and at age 10, I find it hard to find age appropriate clothing that does fit. The sizing in the US goes to size 20, and they carry a lot if plus sizes. If I found a store here, I’d happily buy here. But when it came time for swim season, I knew I’d have better luck there and save time.
The few pieces of clothing I get for her here are all American brands bought at outlets and Bargain Shop stores. Mostly, she receives hand me downs from others who have also purchased their items from the US.
June 26, 2012 at 7:57 am
Something needs to be done to provide an incentive for local shopping. For things like milk and gasoline, I can’t justify paying 300% and 25% more (respectively) just to have a good feeling for buying local. The dollar’s close to par and we have a better economy, so why are we paying so much more for the same items anyway?
June 26, 2012 at 8:13 am
Great points in the article Gail! Canadian retailers will never be able to offer the same prices as the American ones can due to the reasons mentioned: tariffs, duty, shipping, taxes, higher wages to workers, etc. It only benefits you when you shop local. You may see it as saving a couple of dollars, but if it ends up costing you a couple of dollars in the long run I don’t see how you have come out ahead. Plus, you wouldn’t catch me buying things like American milk/meat etc. What they are allowed to pump into their animals (hormones etc) vs Canadian is disgusting.
June 26, 2012 at 9:16 am
I don’t see what the big deal is about buying things across border if you are saving money! As a disenfranchised youth of Canada, I’m disgusted by our government. How much debt do they rack up in deficit?
It’s true, beauty staples that I buy are often cheaper Stateside. One item, for example, was $8.50 at Wal Mart US and $20 at Shoppers! How do Canadian business expect me to pay more willingly!?
Additionally, when Target arrives, if they can provide cheaper prices to Canadian owned and operated stores I will shop there. Those getting knickers in a twist about shopping big box/US retailers as opposed to Canadian must not care about paying more. Must be nice to have money to burn, but I’d rather save my pennies if I can pay less for the things I need. Period. That just makes cents (couldn’t help myself!)
June 26, 2012 at 9:36 am
I definitely cross border shop, for two reasons. One is variety and selection. The options available in a small border town in Upstate New York beat Montreal hands down.
The second is price. I recently purchased an electronic item that was $410 in Canada and I bought it for $190 in the US. Add on shipping to a US location (the manufacturer does not allow US retailers to ship to Canada) the total came to $205.
June 26, 2012 at 9:50 am
When I was younger and single, I always made it a point not to shop at WalMart or to prefer when possible to buy canadian (for example buying the car model that’s built in a canadian plant rather than american or japanese).
Now, with a family and a much tighter budget, I sometimes make the choice to go to these stores. I cannot afford to spend more!
As for US shopping, I live 30 minutes from the border and I never shop there. That can be a difficult decision for the family finances, but my limit is there!
June 26, 2012 at 9:55 am
I cross border shop, but only for clothing and shoes. The selection of clothing for curvier girls in Canada is awful! As a young woman into fashion, Canadian “plus size” just can’t compete in style OR price. With regular pricing, sales and specials I can take 3-4 months worth of clothing budget and get a whole season’s wardrobe – in Canada it would equal not even half that. I wish I could spend my dollars in Canada; I have heard from all of my fav spots in the US that they have tried to enter the Canadian market but our regulations on imports etc have made it impossible. And with the mall being only an hour from my home, it makes sense for both my style and budget to head south of the border.
June 26, 2012 at 12:33 pm
We border cross 3x a year, and buy items online all the time (shipped to a mailbox in the US). We love outlet shopping for kids clothes, shoes, athletic gear and makeup. I can often buy better quality brand-name items (Gymboree, Gap, Children’s Place, Carter’s) for way less than I would have paid for Joe or George brands here.
We recently bought kids furniture online and paid almost $1000 less than I would have paid here, even considering the additional cost of duty and taxes. Plus it’s closer for me to pick it up in the States than at the nearest Ontario retailer.
They know how to do sales and clearance down there (plus I can use coupons to get it even cheaper).
June 26, 2012 at 8:57 pm
We are pretty regular cross border shoppers. I use a lot of coupons when I shop there and save even more $. There are also LOTs of products we love that we cannot get here. And some items are a really really good deal (eye drops I need cost $17 here and I can get them for $5 or less in the States).
With all this said, any trips to the States must come out of a special budget and for us, that’s our coin jars. We purposely try to save up a little extra change and after we’ve got enough we head out and make a day of it. Unless I am planned to buy clothing, we can easily get household staples and other treats without spending a ton of cash.
June 26, 2012 at 9:05 pm
I used to go across the border three or four times a year, spending about a grand each trip. In the last couple of years I’ve been doing a lot of decluttering, and I discovered that I rarely ended up wearing or using any of the stuff I bought on these shopping trips. Most of them were ‘OMG, that’s so cheap’ impulse buys that I regretted once I got home.
And I don’t really like buying American groceries unless they’re clearly marked organic and non-GMO, because they feed their livestock som scary hormones, pesticides and antibiotics.
I used to love buying electronics in the US, but prices in Canada are now pretty comparable and I like the peace of mind that comes from knowing I can return the item if it doesn’t work as expected.
Last but not least, I have a much stronger interest in supporting local businesses than I did when I was in my teens and twenties, because they’re the ones providing the local jobs and investing in the local community. There’s a lot to be said for that.
June 27, 2012 at 1:27 am
Like a few other ladies have commented, I cross border shop for many of my clothes. As a plus size woman I can get clothing in the US for half or two third the price i would have to pay for items here at home. The variety is also something I love. A good example..I got a bathing suit at Walmart across the line for $19. The only ones I could find near home were $69 and more..that is a lot of money that I can invest in my emergency funds, savings and retirment plan. Yes it may be considered unpatriotic and undermining Canadian business etc, but bottom line is, about money..my money !!
PS. I am often complimented on how well dressed I am…boosts my self esteem and moral. I could not afford to dress the same way if I did not cross border shop.
June 27, 2012 at 6:52 am
I totally agree with Claudia. I am very interested in this phase of my life in purchasing less stuff (specifically clothes) and cross border shopping definitely hinders this. I would rather spend my vacation dollars actually doing something rather than spending money on purchases while I am away. I also look to be more thoughtful with my purchases (when I absolutely need something) and search out more unique, local and independent companies in my home City.
June 27, 2012 at 9:38 am
I cross border shop about 3 times a year, and it saves a lot of time and money, because it is the only time I go shopping for clothing for me and my husband. I plan it out very carefully to make sure we get the clothing we will need for the next 4-6 months. We cross-border shop because the selection for big and tall men (hubby) and plus size women (me) is mediocre here in Canada, and 2, the prices for things that we can get here in Canada, are at least 50% off in the States. For example, for my hubby, his fav jeans are $15 in the US compared to $30 here, his fav running shoes are $50 compared to $110 here, and last trip over, we got him 7 good quality t-shirts and long sleeve shirts for $20! Just the savings on clothes for him alone more than pays for our gas. But like I said, I carefully look over our wardrobes and only buy what we will need. Where we live, it is an hour to get to the nearest decent shopping areas where we might not even be able to get what we need, where it is only 2 hours to the border, where we will be sure that we can get what we need. Add to that great customer service as compared to here, and an inexpensive restaurant meal, it is a nice day out. I would like to support local merchants, but it is not feasible at this point in our lives financially. If we had to buy all our clothing here in Canada, we would probably be walking around in rags.
June 27, 2012 at 5:41 pm
I want to eat healthy and I want local producers and stores to carry budget-friendly, healthy options. In a Capitalist society you ‘vote’ for such changes with your dollar (a very undemocratic, wealthy-biased system, but whatever, it’s what we have) and so I cross the boarder to Trader Joe’s. There is no such thing as a discount, organic foods grocery store in Canada, so until there is the U.S. will get my money (this is true even before the increase in duty-free allowances).
June 28, 2012 at 2:29 pm
None of us in the United states go to canada to shop either. I guess it works both ways. ps- I love your show Gail…..I watch it every saturday.
July 3, 2012 at 9:04 pm
We don’t have a patriotic duty to spend way more money for shoddier products, poor selection and lousy service. Canadian businesses will have to get more competitive. We live in a global society.