Canadian/U.S. Prices

inactionman · May 17, 2003 12:25PM

I was almost tempted to foolishly buy an iPod because I happened to have a little extra space on my CC until I checked the conversion between US and CDN prices. The 10gb iPod sells for 299US and 449CDN but if you convert US to CDN the price is 408CDN. Has there always been that kind of price difference between the two countries or do Apple's prices not reflect the recent surge in the CDN dollar? Would it be cheaper to buy from a US online retailer that ships to Canada? It's hard to justify an impulse purchase with that kind of price difference.

Edit: Just noticed that the price difference on the 17"PB is close to 700 dollars. Yikes.

leonis · May 17, 2003 12:39PM

Those authorized apple dealers in US are not allowed to export apple products....

You may need to have a trip down to US yourself if you want to save some money

stagflation steve · May 17, 2003 7:31PM

Because President Dumbshit has suicide bombed the American economy the US Dollar has been in free fall against the Canadian dollar and the Euro.

However, apple only does currency adjustments when a there is a new product revision introduced, so even if the Canadian and US Doller were to rise to 1:1 in the comming weeks, Apple would not adjust the prices until the next product revision is introduced.

Which makes an already had pricing situation even worse,

The only way you could buy from a US dealer is if you have someone in the US pay for the merchandise for you, But if we have an American billing address no one will care where we happen to ship it, so long as it isn't Iran or North Korea

jante99 · May 17, 2003 9:07PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Stagflation Steve

Because President Dumbshit has suicide bombed the American economy the US Dollar has been in free fall against the Canadian dollar and the Euro.

Interesting way of explaining the US economy.

viking · May 18, 2003 10:29AM

That would be a little strange if all imported goods changed prices everyday based on the exchange rates. Yes the dollar is down now, but it could be higher tomorrow. Does that mean that someone has to change the price stickers everday? Anyway, someone has to pay for the fuel and the trucks and the drivers to bring them over the border.

ghost_user_name · May 18, 2003 10:41AM

Quote:

Originally posted by viking

That would be a little strange if all imported goods changed prices everyday based on the exchange rates. Yes the dollar is down now, but it could be higher tomorrow. Does that mean that someone has to change the price stickers everday? Anyway, someone has to pay for the fuel and the trucks and the drivers to bring them over the border.

The dollar have been in free fall for a long time and currently is $1:6,5kr but we still pay 10 kr per $ when we buy Apple hardware like we did one year ago.

And I can´t imagine the transportation to Canada is much more than to US. The iPod isn´t produced in Cupertino but in asia.

viking · May 18, 2003 11:55AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Anders the White

The dollar have been in free fall for a long time and currently is $1:6,5kr but we still pay 10 kr per $ when we buy Apple hardware like we did one year ago.

And I can´t imagine the transportation to Canada is much more than to US. The iPod isn´t produced in Cupertino but in asia.

I use to live in Canada for three years. I bought a G3 desktop there and the box had the packing label stuck to it showing its route to Toronto. I remember it going through Buffalo first before arriving in Toronto. I wouldn't be surprised if Apple products are still shipped to the U.S. first. That is why I was saying that they have to be trucked across the border.

The dollar was still actually okay up until September of last year. In October it started to decline to the point where we are now, but thats not even a year ago. I would imagine that the value would have to stay low for a longer period of time than that for prices to change. Or maybe Apple just doesn't want too much of that funny money.

jll · May 18, 2003 12:57PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Anders the White

[B]The dollar have been in free fall for a long time and currently is $1:6,5kr but we still pay 10 kr per $ when we buy Apple hardware like we did one year ago.

/B]

The new iPods are cheaper than the old ones in Denmark, and don't forget that our 25% sales tax is included in those prices.

Plus, as Stagflation Steve mentions, prices aren't adjusted internationally unless Apple US adjust prices or new models are introduced.

It works both ways, as we benefitted from a rising dollar price earlier.

jll · May 18, 2003 1:02PM

Quote:

Originally posted by viking

I use to live in Canada for three years. I bought a G3 desktop there and the box had the packing label stuck to it showing its route to Toronto. I remember it going through Buffalo first before arriving in Toronto. I wouldn't be surprised if Apple products are still shipped to the U.S. first. That is why I was saying that they have to be trucked across the border.

Desktops are made in the US.

viking · May 18, 2003 1:39PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JLL

Desktops are made in the US.

The G3 Desktop I had said "made (or assembled) in Ireland."

jll · May 18, 2003 1:42PM

Quote:

Originally posted by viking

The G3 Desktop I had said "made (or assembled) in Ireland."

Strange, they are usually only for the European market.

dog almighty · May 18, 2003 3:10PM

The iPod I want (15GB) is currently worth $624.59CAN with the tax. From the Apple store, you pay $688.85. Holy crap man, the rip off is growing every day.

Is there any way I can maybe order it from the US store, paying just as much as it's worth in Canadian, or something?

jll · May 18, 2003 3:18PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dog Almighty

The iPod I want (15GB) is currently worth $624.59CAN with the tax. From the Apple store, you pay $688.85. Holy crap man, the rip off is growing every day.

As Stagflation Steve was saying:

However, apple only does currency adjustments when a there is a new product revision introduced, so even if the Canadian and US Doller were to rise to 1:1 in the comming weeks, Apple would not adjust the prices until the next product revision is introduced.

leonis · May 18, 2003 4:21PM

As for Canadian dollar.

The down in US dollar due to war is the major reason.

The second reason why CDN is rising is because of the Québec election. Canada doesn't have to worry about Canada breaking apart. Confidence on investment has gone up "dramatically" since.

stagflation steve · May 18, 2003 4:38PM

The principal reason is,

The interest rates in the united states are almost as bad as those in Japan. There is no incentive to leave money in the US when you can get a much higher interest rate in Canada or Europe.

towel · May 18, 2003 6:11PM

This isn't an Apple-specific problem. European companies have been getting hammered over the past few months because, as the Euro rises against the dollar, their US sales have been worth less and less. The unspoken assumption is that they can't change their prices daily to compensate for the currency fluctuations. One thing to keep in mind is that Apple's US price isn't necessarily the "real" price. Many components are bought and assembled elsewhere (especially in Asia), so as the dollar goes down those costs go up. If the Canadian dollar has been more stable recently than the US dollar, it might be more accurate to think that Candians are getting the same deal they always have, while US customers are being temporarily spared a price hike. But that situation won't last forever if Apple and other US companies think the dollar will stay weak long-term.

rampancy · May 18, 2003 6:55PM

Another reason why the iPod will cost us Canadians more than it does for the folks South of the Border may be the new levies being put into effect on digital media:

Quote:

Set for ratification in September, and slated to take effect Jan. 1, 2003, the levies would cost media manufacturers and importers CAD 60 cents (1 CAD equals 0.631356 USD) for each audiocassette, 59 cents for each computer CD-R/-RW disc and $2.27 for each recordable or rewritable DVD. Non-removable memory cards built into MP3 players or devices primarily designed to record and play music would be subject to a levy of 2.1 cents for each megabyte of memory, while non-removable hard drives in such devices are subject to $21 for each gigabyte of memory. This last rate would add over $100 to the price of Apple's iPod portable music player, which touts a 5GB hard drive and currently sells in Canada for $599.

http://www.medialinenews.com/issues/...ws0320_1.shtml

From what I see, the levy on MP3 players haven't been put into effect yet, but I'm pretty sure that it'll be coming soon, if the last levy increase was any indication.

inactionman · May 18, 2003 10:52PM

I thought the levy on media was quashed. Well, I hope it never actually is implemented. In order to justify it, the assumption is that every form of blank media/storage will be used for piracy of some sort and the levy exists to compensate for the lost revenue. It was a while ago that it was in the news so the facts may have morphed in my brain so I could be quite wrong.

Analysts are expecting the CDN dollar to reach 80-85 cents by year end-if this happens can Apple and other US companies keep the prices they set when the dollar was valued at 63 cents?

I'd go buy an iPod in the states but as far as I know the warrenty wouldn't travel across the border as easily as the iPod would. Any one know about warrenty coverage for int'l purchases?

Canadian/U.S. Prices

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