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Are the Canadian buyers back??

Started by 1Cool,

119 posts in this topic

Hado

Hado

Posted
Posted
The problem we're having here (Ontario) is the cost of everything being higher.

 

Hydro is up, cell/internet/television crazy, and specifically in the southern/central areas housing is climbing.

 

It's leaving very little left over for buying with the exchange rate what it is.

 

Hydro is crazy. I personally changed to a cheaper provider for cell and eliminated TV. With the unlimited internet specials it is actually substantially cheaper than I was in the last decade. I am part of the GTA. Thankfully the housing increase only inflated my net worth but I see your point.

I'm still a slave to the big red machine :cry:

 

 

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comicquant

comicquant

Posted
Posted
The problem we're having here (Ontario) is the cost of everything going up.

 

Hydro is up, cell/internet/television crazy, and specifically in the southern/central areas housing is climbing.

 

It's leaving very little left over for buying with the exchange rate what it is.

 

I have a place north of north bay and on my way up I stopped in Heros Comics in London... The owner had just expanded the shop because he's been doing so well. I'm pretty sure its one of the largest shops in north america and it was packed an hour before closing. We have one shop in Indianapolis worth going to and there's never more than 2 or 3 people in there. So while access to the US seems limited it seemed some local shops were thriving.

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Hado

Hado

Posted
Posted
The problem we're having here (Ontario) is the cost of everything going up.

 

Hydro is up, cell/internet/television crazy, and specifically in the southern/central areas housing is climbing.

 

It's leaving very little left over for buying with the exchange rate what it is.

 

I have a place north of north bay and on my way up I stopped in Heros Comics in London... The owner had just expanded the shop because he's been doing so well. I'm pretty sure its one of the largest shops in north america and it was packed an hour before closing. We have one shop in Indianapolis worth going to and there's never more than 2 or 3 people in there. So while access to the US seems limited it seemed some local shops were thriving.

Makes sense people are buying in person in Canadian currency and not from the U.S.

 

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TheRealVenom

TheRealVenom

Posted
Posted
The problem we're having here (Ontario) is the cost of everything going up.

 

Hydro is up, cell/internet/television crazy, and specifically in the southern/central areas housing is climbing.

 

It's leaving very little left over for buying with the exchange rate what it is.

 

I have a place north of north bay and on my way up I stopped in Heros Comics in London... The owner had just expanded the shop because he's been doing so well. I'm pretty sure its one of the largest shops in north america and it was packed an hour before closing. We have one shop in Indianapolis worth going to and there's never more than 2 or 3 people in there. So while access to the US seems limited it seemed some local shops were thriving.

Makes sense people are buying in person in Canadian currency and not from the U.S.

 

Even so, it's still more expensive. 2.99 dc books currently cost me 3.99 canadian and 3.99 marvel books are over 5 bucks here. It's made it easy for me to drop my pull list down to about 10-12 books.

 

 

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roach04

roach04

Posted
Posted

Exchange is not great but it has been worse! I still have a US bank account and credit card but when my supply of greenbacks gets low it hurts to buy more. I keep hoping for oil prices to jump and move the dollar up 5 or 10% but that seems less likely with each passing day.

 

On a boardie recommendation I signed up for a US address and man has that saved me a ton of money. So many retailers in the States ship for free (or nearly) that paying a few bucks CDN for the mail forward has been phenomenal, I just got a box with 10 books from CGC, 2 books from Rich Henn, a couple of eBay purchases, a couple of boardie purchases for a total of $60 CDN. (CGC alone would charge $75 US to ship 10 books up here!)

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Hado

Hado

Posted
Posted
The problem we're having here (Ontario) is the cost of everything going up.

 

Hydro is up, cell/internet/television crazy, and specifically in the southern/central areas housing is climbing.

 

It's leaving very little left over for buying with the exchange rate what it is.

 

I have a place north of north bay and on my way up I stopped in Heros Comics in London... The owner had just expanded the shop because he's been doing so well. I'm pretty sure its one of the largest shops in north america and it was packed an hour before closing. We have one shop in Indianapolis worth going to and there's never more than 2 or 3 people in there. So while access to the US seems limited it seemed some local shops were thriving.

Makes sense people are buying in person in Canadian currency and not from the U.S.

 

Even so, it's still more expensive. 2.99 dc books currently cost me 3.99 canadian and 3.99 marvel books are over 5 bucks here. It's made it easy for me to drop my pull list down to about 10-12 books.

 

and your online purchases?
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Fan Boy

Fan Boy

Posted
Posted

On a boardie recommendation I signed up for a US address and man has that saved me a ton of money. So many retailers in the States ship for free (or nearly) that paying a few bucks CDN for the mail forward has been phenomenal, I just got a box with 10 books from CGC, 2 books from Rich Henn, a couple of eBay purchases, a couple of boardie purchases for a total of $60 CDN. (CGC alone would charge $75 US to ship 10 books up here!)

 

Good to see you are saving bit of money there. How was the trip back into Canada through customs?

 

I am expecting to pick up my parcels this weekend over the border. I think I should be getting about 60 books or that.

 

 

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MusterMark

MusterMark

Posted
Posted
The exchange rate is currently a few percent lower than the average rate for the last 25 years. The only buyers who believe the rate is so bad are those who convinced themselves the dollar is supposed to be at the historical high it was 4-5 years ago.

 

Maybe some Canadians took advantage of the high dollar and moved on. I don't see why anyone buying for more than the last 5 years would have stopped. They also may have purchased more when they had more power via the exchange to do so.

 

The GSP continues to be a pain.

 

Yep, the Canuckian dollar right now is just about right where it has been for the great majority of the time over the last 25 years.

 

 

 

 

 

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Guardian Comics

Guardian Comics

Posted
Posted

Was making 5 figure purchases when the exchange rate was at a 1.61 on my Visa card. It's all relative. The exchange rate really isn't that "high" compared to historical data. What if it never goes back, are you never ever gonna buy again? If the exchange rate slips to 1.5 your collection appreciates quicker than an American collectors does.

 

As for new books there are still retailers that still sell current books at cover in Canadian dollars, just need to seek them out.

 

Look at it positively, moreso than negatively.

 

Jim

 

 

 

 

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roach04

roach04

Posted
Posted

On a boardie recommendation I signed up for a US address and man has that saved me a ton of money. So many retailers in the States ship for free (or nearly) that paying a few bucks CDN for the mail forward has been phenomenal, I just got a box with 10 books from CGC, 2 books from Rich Henn, a couple of eBay purchases, a couple of boardie purchases for a total of $60 CDN. (CGC alone would charge $75 US to ship 10 books up here!)

 

Good to see you are saving bit of money there. How was the trip back into Canada through customs?

 

I am expecting to pick up my parcels this weekend over the border. I think I should be getting about 60 books or that.

 

 

I use these guys: http://crossborderpickups.ca/ so I don't even have to make the trips myself. Thus far (couple of months, probably 25 shipments) it's been wicked. The address is in Niagara Falls, NY - they get the boxes, send an email asking what's in it and value, and take care of everything else. If you're on the west end of Toronto, you can even go pick up your boxes at their warehouse in Mississauga. I'm on the east end and literally do one giant shipment a month - they'll consolidate everything into one box, slap an Expedited Parcel label on it, and bam, at my place in 24hrs.

 

I was referred to them by boardie Captain Canuck and it's really helped. The eBay GSP is no longer a factor in determining what I won't buy and it's so great to adjust the shipping calculator with a zip code on others -- and see $35 shipping become $4!

 

Given all the threads lately about importing to Canada, shipping to Canada, etc, it might not be a bad idea for others to chime in with what they use and maybe one of the veteran guys can create a sticky? I'm sure there are multiple options to do what this service does (maybe even better ones!)

 

 

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NewWorldOrder

NewWorldOrder

Posted
Posted

I have had a lot more Canadian sales on eBay the last 2 months. (shrug)

 

Had 2 tonight matter of fact.

 

I average 1 for every 15 eBay CGC sales goes to Canada.

 

If the book is worth under $200 I just ship 1st class and over I use prioirty mail by weight. I do not use the eBay Global shipping garbage. I don't know anyone in this hobby who uses that.

 

Jim (cgcworld) said it right. You Canadians got spoiled so stop your non-sense about being done buying. You just can't buy as much is what happened.

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lizards2

lizards2

Posted
Posted

It is ridiculous how the rates have gone up. I can ship a book to Hawaitt, a billion miles away, for under $4, but it costs $15 to go to Toronto, which I can drive to in an afternoon?

 

It's because Hawaii is a US state. But you knew that. ;)

 

 

wait..., what?

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