US$ vs. C$ Differences
by MaxPower
The Canadian dollar has been on fire recently reaching 30+ year highs vs. the US dollar. Some say parity is only a matter of time, then we Canadians will be able to look down on the greenback and call it things like the American peso and the dollarette.
Until that time, we should complain to retailers who continue to SCREW us because their prices are still at points where it would have been acceptable when the C$ was trading at $0.65 rather than $0.95/US$
Examples (data from CBC.ca, commentary is pure R4NT) US$ converted into C$ at today's spot price of C$1.05/US$1
Books - latest Harry Potter book - C$36 @ Coles, US$21 (C$22) @ Borders - a 39% discount if you bought it in the US!! This is particularly egregious due to the fact that book jackets have the US$ and C$ pricing just so that all Canucks know how much they are getting screwed.
Contact Lenses - Bosch& Lomb @ WalMart - C$90, US$44.75 (C$47) - a 48% discount if you buy in the US! I don't know whether it is Wal-Mart or Bosch & Lomb itself that is price discriminating to such an insane degree, but a 50% price difference is crazy.
GAP Classic Boot Cut Jeans - C$80, US$50 (C$52.50) - a 34% discount if you buy in the US! Who buys GAP jeans, but still...
Kitchen Aid 10-Cup Coffee maker - C$140, US$80 (C$84) - a 40% discount. You could buy a Kitchen Aid coffee maker AND a pair of GAP jeans in the US and pay less than buying only the coffee maker in Canada.
Everyone isn't screwing us though - Tide detergent is exactly the same price in US$ or C$, as are some Panasonic flat screen TVs and iPods. So household goods and electronics it seems.
Next time you're in the US, use some of the newly mighty loonie to pick up some deals.