[APD] Re: Online Shopping in Canada

["James Purchase" <jppurchase at sympatico_ca>]

S. Hieber wrote:
"Is it weird or what that Bigallsonline is one of the
lower-priced online stores for USA customers but,
apparently,  one of the higher priced stores in Canada?

It's a Canadian company, is it not? I wonder what the deal
it there with that? Perhaps Al is saving up to buy a hocky
team?????? ;-)"

Yes, it seem  to be weird to me as well. I've checked out the US prices 
offered to his American customers and compared them to the Canadian prices 
available to his Canadian customers online for the SAME PRODUCTS, and the 
Americans invariably get the better deal.

Yes, "Big Al" is a Canadian, and a hell of a nice guy - I've been shopping 
in his stores for years. Some of his retail staff aren't so hot, but for the 
wages he probably offers that is only to be expected. It is wise for a 
consumer of anything to do some research before going shopping

The only reason for the price differential that I can see is that initially, 
as a "little guy from the Great White North" he knew that he would be up 
against very stiff competition when entering the online retail market in the 
US (That Pet Place / Drs. Foster & Smith, etc, etc. etc...), so he probably 
made a conscious decision to cut his prices to the bone for the US side of 
the operation in order to get a foothold in the very lucrative US market. 
The US has over 10X the population of Canada and inefficient/over-priced 
retailers can get eaten alive there by their competition. So far, it seems 
to be working for him - many online chats mention Big Al's online as being a 
very good place to shop for Americans.

Damn it all to Hell - first you have Florida and Hawaii and all that nice 
weather south of the Mason-Dixon line, now you are getting better retail 
deals from a Canadian company! I'm thinking of moving to Cuba! ;-)

But, as Richard Sexton can attest to, Canadian Tire is STILL my favorite 
LFS. GE "Sunshine" fluorescents (C50's, 5000 K full spectrum, great for 
plants and use in general) are dirt cheap and as long as they carry them, 
I'll never buy another "aquarium bulb" in a LFS here (although Tritons ARE 
really cool).

James Purchase
Toronto

... where it seems that April Showers are dragging into May........at this 
rate, I'll never get that suntan...

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