# Will Apple Canada's prices follow dollar's strength?



## satchmo (May 26, 2005)

I know Apple Canada had revised it's pricing a few months back when our dollar was skyrocketing. Well, it's shooting up again. Which begs the question, will they adjust prices again? And what if our loonie climbed past the US dollar?


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## CdnPhoto (Jan 8, 2006)

From past history, they tend to update pricing when they come out with new hardware.


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## adagio (Aug 23, 2002)

The CDN $ hit 99.99 cents today.

Don't be holding your breath for a price break.


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## monokitty (Jan 26, 2002)

What CdnPhoto said.


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## 8127972 (Sep 8, 2005)

If you want a cheaper price for Apple hardware, don't wait for Apple Canada to drop the price. Cross the border and buy it at the Apple Store in Buffalo. Apple seems to want to hose Canadians for all they can get.


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## MacGuiver (Sep 6, 2002)

8127972 said:


> If you want a cheaper price for Apple hardware, don't wait for Apple Canada to drop the price. Cross the border and buy it at the Apple Store in Buffalo. Apple seems to want to hose Canadians for all they can get.


Actually they're not alone. A friend looking to buy a Yamaha ATV recently pointed this out to me. The ATV he wants is listed on the CDN. Yamaha page with a SRP of $12,000. Same ATV on the US Yamaha page has a SRP of around $8500.  

He's contemplating cross border shopping as well.

Cheers
MacGuiver


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## 8127972 (Sep 8, 2005)

MacGuiver said:


> Actually they're not alone. A friend looking to buy a Yamaha ATV recently pointed this out to me. The ATV he wants is listed on the CDN. Yamaha page with a SRP of $12,000. Same ATV on the US Yamaha page has a SRP of around $8500.
> 
> He's contemplating cross border shopping as well.
> 
> ...


True. Check the price of a car in Canada and in US. There's a HUGE difference.


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## monokitty (Jan 26, 2002)

8127972 said:


> True. Check the price of a car in Canada and in US. There's a HUGE difference.


Check the pricing on importing cars and ATV's from the U.S., and you may feel the extra hassle isn't worth saving a buck.


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## Gene B (Jul 2, 2001)

I sent the email below to [email protected]
I hope to stay with .Mac, so alternatives at this point in time are not an option. 



The US and Canadian dollar almost equal as it closed the day (Sept. 17) at 98.64 cents US. (Analysts now say the Canadian dollar could reach parity with the US dollar in the coming days or weeks, already up 13.9 percent this year against the greenback.) The .Mac membership is $99.00 US and $139.00 CAN. Why the $40.00 difference? Also what are the taxes that I'm being charged? With my figures I don't come close to the $44.48 CAN estimate. 

I'm mostly happy with my .Mac membership but the disproportionate difference in US and Canadian membership costs makes me wonder if Canadian members are being taken advantage off. There are now other alternatives and they offer just as much or more for less. 

Why is the Canadian membership so high when compared to the US?


The reply received yesterday.

From [email protected]


Dear Eugene, 

I understand you are disappointed in the Canadian .Mac price and also believe you may have been overcharged in sales tax. My name is Lauren and I am able to provide you with some information regarding this. 

The price of a one-year subscription to .Mac is $139.00 (CAN) and $229.00 (CAN) for the .Mac Family Pack. This amount is not based on currency conversion. It is a price point that has been set. I urge you to submit feedback via our support site regarding this matter. 

The .Mac Support Team does recognize that our best advice comes from our customers and that they are instrumental in the improvement of the .Mac suite of services. If you wish to provide feedback to be considered for possible product enhancements, please use the .Mac Feedback page at http://www.apple.com/feedback/mac/tm.html to do so. This will ensure that your comments will be read by the individuals responsible for such decisions.

Regarding the the tax on your .Mac order confirmation, this is an estimate. Please review the charge when it appears on your credit card statement after October 17, 2007. It should appear for the correct amount at this time, as you will only be charged the tax that is necessary by law. I apologize for the confusion this has caused. 

I hope this information has been of help to you, Eugene. Please do not hesitate to respond to this email if you have any further questions. I am happy to help. 

Sincerely, 

Lauren 
.Mac Support 


My reply to the above.

Thank you for the response. Why was this price point set if it has nothing to do with the exchange rate. What is this rate based on? Is it a charge based on market conditions? Is it based on what the Canadian Market is willing to bear? Makes me rethink my .Mac subscription. Many up here in Canada believe I have more money than brains to subscribe to .Mac with the lacklustre performance and usurious rates for Canadians. And again, what taxes am I being charged? I have contacted .Mac Feedback but it states that no personal replies are forthcoming.

Waiting for a reply.


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## adagio (Aug 23, 2002)

I've sent Apple my 2 cents worth.


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## madgunde (Mar 10, 2006)

I heard you can buy a .mac retail package from the US and use it in Canada for a new .mac account, or to renew an existing account. My brother bought one from ebay for less than US retail and the guy emails the codes to you right away. I'll definitely be doing that next time I go to renew if Apple doesn't do something about the price by then.


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## Steve-O (Apr 7, 2005)

I'm thinking that you will not see a price break from companies for some time. Please keep in mind that everything on store shelves right now was purchased before the canadian dollar surpassed the USD. (I'm assuming it will soon so i wrote it in past tense I am not crazy) So until products are purchased with a stronger Canadian dollar you will not see price breaks.

This however is in complete contradiction to when gas prices go up, with the excuse given that our dollar went down .008 cents.


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## (( p g )) (Aug 17, 2002)

Gene B said:


> I sent the email below to [email protected]
> 
> 
> The price of a one-year subscription to .Mac is $139.00 (CAN) and $229.00 (CAN) for the .Mac Family Pack. This amount is not based on currency conversion. It is a price point that has been set. I urge you to submit feedback via our support site regarding this matter.




Apple's reply doesn't make sense. Since the surge in value of the CDN dollar, Apple has dropped the prices on most of its products. As things stand right now, we're being charged an astonishing 40% premium on .Mac for no reason apparent other than "because we want to." 

Outrageous...


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## dona83 (Jun 26, 2005)

I'm guessing most of you over there live close enough to Buffalo to get .Mac for $99USD. I'm an hour + border waits from Bellingham here.


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## harzack86 (Jan 30, 2005)

adagio said:


> I've sent Apple my 2 cents worth.


Will this give you a 2 cents rebate on your next purchase?


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## monokitty (Jan 26, 2002)

--


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## Gene B (Jul 2, 2001)

Another reply. At this point I'll never receive anything close to being a reasonable and informative reply. Anyone know Job's email address? Even addresses of his immediate subordinates. 

Dear Gene, 

I understand you have further questions regarding the Canadian .Mac pricing and estimated sales tax. 

Unfortunately, I am unable to comment on Apple's pricing decisions. 

Fortunately, I can assure you that the feedback you left at the support page will make it's way to the department who makes such pricing decisions, though you will not receive a personalized response. Again, I am sorry this has caused you so much frustration. That is not our intent. 

The estimated sales tax you have been quoted is only an estimate. I apologize for the inconvenience the email has caused you. When your membership renews you will receive an email stating the actual amount you will be charged. The amount you are charged will only include applicable sales tax as deemed by your local laws. 

I hope this does not hinder your enjoyment of the .Mac Suite of Services and I thank you for your understanding. If I can help you with your .Mac service, please let me know. Have a great day.

Sincerely, 

Lauren 
.Mac Support 
http://www.apple.com/support/dotmac 
http://www.mac.com/learningcenter


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## adagio (Aug 23, 2002)

harzack86 said:


> Will this give you a 2 cents rebate on your next purchase?




I haven't purchased .Mac from Apple in three years now. I started getting an American buddy to buy from Amazon.com @ $79 then sending me the Key Code. (yes, it works fine). Last fall I picked up at deal at Future Shop about a month after I renewed. I just used that to renew this year and again it worked okay.

When I gave Apple a piece of my mind I reminded them that an auto .Mac renewal isn't a physical item. There is no packaging or warehousing involved. There is no need to pay a higher price for an item that a retailer may have purchased and had sitting on the shelf prior to the increased dollar.

Don't forget we're getting double whammed. We're paying tax on $139, not $100 like it should be.


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## Fen (Nov 26, 2004)

One of the worst examples is our price for a 30" and the USA's. $1799 US vs $2099 CDN... for shame!


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## tt-tsquared (Aug 25, 2006)

If you'd like to see changes to the prices make sure and voice your opinion to apple. If they get complaints from enough people they will make changes.

I actually found this thread because I emailed .Mac billing support the other day to complain and got a reply back that was very similar to the reply posted earlier in this thread.

If you want to voice your opinion:

Email address to use: [email protected]

Sample email body:

It would be really nice if you guys would adjust the price you charge for .Mac in Canada. With the current exchange rate the way it is the price should be more in line with the US price. Instead we are paying a 40% premium for the exact same service. Please bring down the prices in Canada. 

Thanks,

me


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## dracohowe (Sep 15, 2007)

im thinking of going to buffalo next weekend to buy an imac


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## bighog (Jan 13, 2001)

Does anyone know if the top of their heads whether there is any problems ordering .Mac from Amazon.com from Canada? By renewal is due and if I could get it from Amazon.com I'm looking at a $50 discount.

Thanks


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## planders (Jun 24, 2005)

They obviously take the exchange rate into account (at least with new products) as the pricing for Logic Studio in the Canadian online store is identical to the US pricing, and was on the day of release last week.

How often should they be expected to revise their prices, especially when the currencies have been so volatile? It seems reasonable to do so when new products are released or upgraded, and perhaps after exchange rates stabilize for a while.

They want to sell stuff, not be seen as ripping off their potential customers, so I'm sure if things stay as they are today, we'll see some new pricing soon enough.


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## GratuitousApplesauce (Jan 29, 2004)

I've been hearing the "sitting on the store shelves for 6 months" argument a lot in the media lately and it sounds like it's a valid reason for why many of the retail goods we buy will not immediately drop prices.

However, in the case of the the online Apple store, I understood that the products one orders from there have not actually been sitting on any store shelves. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but don't many of the items get imported directly into Canada as ordered? If that is correct then Apple should be able to immediately adjust their pricing.

Now I understand that other Canadian Apple resellers may have purchased their Apple products some time ago, and Apple wouldn't want to quickly undercut them (or would they?), but I don't think the time frame is as long as six months. If someone who is a reseller wants to comment, that would be helpful.


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## jhollington (Jan 29, 2007)

The "store shelves" argument is a _huge_ oversimplification of the issue.

The actual reality here is that most major corporations that do business in more than one country usually have large investments in various international currencies to protect themselves against currency fluctuations -- otherwise they'd be either continually revising their prices, or be continually at risk of losing substantial amounts of money to a fluctuating dollar.

It normally takes a year or two for prices to stabilize on the basis of new currency exchange rates between Canada and the U.S., and this is not in any way unique to Apple. As an example, however, Apple actually _did_ adjust their pricing a little over a year ago specifically to address the currency exchange at that particular time, although even this was based on the currency trends over the previous year, and not the exchange rate at that particular month in time.


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## GratuitousApplesauce (Jan 29, 2004)

jhollington said:


> The "store shelves" argument is a _huge_ oversimplification of the issue.
> 
> The actual reality here is that most major corporations that do business in more than one country usually have large investments in various international currencies to protect themselves against currency fluctuations -- otherwise they'd be either continually revising their prices, or be continually at risk of losing substantial amounts of money to a fluctuating dollar.
> 
> It normally takes a year or two for prices to stabilize on the basis of new currency exchange rates between Canada and the U.S., and this is not in any way unique to Apple. As an example, however, Apple actually _did_ adjust their pricing a little over a year ago specifically to address the currency exchange at that particular time, although even this was based on the currency trends over the previous year, and not the exchange rate at that particular month in time.


I figured it was an oversimplification. One thing that puzzles me though ... if most of Apple's products are produced in Asia and imported directly both into Canada and the US, as well as the rest of the world, shouldn't their Canadian pricing be reflecting what the Canadian dollar is doing against the Yuan or another Asian currency? Of course that would mean that the US pricing should be going up because it is the US dollar that is dropping against almost everything. But I doubt if you'll see that happening.

I understand that if you order a "build-to-order" Mac, the parts are added in the Asian factory and put on a plane for delivery into Canada right away. Maybe the economic-grokking section of my brain is too tiny to get this, but shouldn't something that gets imported to Canada today, reflect current exchange rates?

Of course I understand that Apple or any other company can't have a daily floating price based on the daily rate, but it would seem that something more than "whenever they announce new hardware" might be in order.


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## jhollington (Jan 29, 2007)

Well, this might be somewhat true if the cost of a product were simply the sum of its parts, but the reality is that this is not the case.

This is why I get quite annoyed when I see these iSuppli teardowns and people start screaming that Apple is making exorbitant profits because an iPod sells for more than double the cost of its parts. People seem to forget that Apple is a business, and there are many more costs associated with developing a product and bringing it to market, not to mention packaging, distribution, warehousing, labour costs, and administrative overhead.

In short, Apple still needs to keep the lights on in Cupertino, and their costing model is going to be based on U.S. dollars, since they're headquartered in the U.S., the research and development and engineering teams are in the U.S., the majority of their employee base operates out of the U.S., they're traded on the U.S. stock market, and report to (mostly) U.S. based shareholders.

Their raw manufacturing _costs_ will fluctuate with the exchange rate to China, but these would affect their internal bottom line more directly than their worldwide prices, in much the same way that a reduction in the cost of the raw materials themselves would. The actual price ends up as an indirect effect -- cheaper production does mean cheaper prices, but only after their first converted into a U.S.-based economy to take into account all of the myriad other production costs and overhead).


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## Heart (Jan 16, 2001)

Lars said:


> What CdnPhoto said.



What Lars said.


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## Oakbridge (Mar 8, 2005)

Unfortunately many of us live close enough that it looks like we're getting ripped off. The Market Pricing that was mentioned earlier is something that I've heard before and when I did some investigation, it proved to be true. 

Try this: Do a comparison of what you are interested in against the OTHER Apple online stores (i.e. UK, Australia, etc.), not the US. What appears to be happening from my perspective is that many global businesses are undercharging their customers for many items right now. It's not that they are overcharging us. My guess is that Apple Canada is maintaining it's same profit margins based on cost of components, etc. for items that are manufactured outside of North America while Apple US is seeing a smaller profit margin. 

Something that we are all missing is that the Canadian Dollar is not getting stronger, the US dollar is getting weaker. Look at the exchange rates for US$ to Euro, US$ to Yen, and US$ to British Pound.

As far as pricing, remember that we've always paid the same amount for iTunes Music Store, even when our dollar was much lower in value.


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## magnuscanadiana (Jun 26, 2007)

I work in the Foreign Exchange Market for the worlds largest FX company. The reason the pricing doesn't change very often is because retailers would rather not have to fickle with it. In addition, it's very easy to make a compelling argument for why you should lower prices to match that of the US based on FX rates but to do the opposite isn't so easy. The average consumer will not accept going in to Apple today to purchase a Macbook for $1,100 and then telling his buddy goes to buy one 5 months later and has to pay $1,200. The consumer would become irrate pretty quickly at the ever changing pace of the market. 

Having said that, I do believe that since most companies change their FX rates every 20 years or so (the best example of this is books...have you checked the US vs. CAD rates. I bought Angela's Ashes the other day which cost me $21.00 CAD when it sells in the US for $14.00! That's a 33% increase! The canadian dollar hasn't had that poor of an exchange rate against US in my lifetime.

In addition, there is one other variable that the consumer never takes into account. Retail fees. Just because you see posted in the paper that CAD is at .98C doesn't mean You're gonna get a US Dollar at $1.02CAD. Those are market value rates and unless you're buying hundreds of thousands of dollars you're still looking at adding about a 5% increase on top of the rate. 

Hence, if you're looking to buy a smaller item from Apple say....under $1000. Buy it in the US. If you're gonna drop some cash on MacBook Pro....just buy it here. They aren't robbing you like you think.

.....unless you're buying books! F.U. book stores!


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## Gene B (Jul 2, 2001)

"They aren't robbing you like you think."

So what about the .Mac subscription?


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## GratuitousApplesauce (Jan 29, 2004)

All these rational arguments notwithstanding, I imagine with all the publicity around the soaring loonie and faltering greenback, companies (including Apple.ca) are going to have to make some adjustments to pricing very soon or lose sales.

I took some vague note of a story a few months ago about some bookstores that were already ignoring the CDN $ price printed on the book covers. For the retail markets near the US border, like in about 80% of Canadian cities, the pinch of people flooding over the border will cut prices, even if they have to take some losses.


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## adagio (Aug 23, 2002)

.Mac has been the same price since it began. I think Apple has had sufficient time to adjust their pricing more in line with reality.


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## MacGYVER (Apr 15, 2005)

As a Mac user and living in Canada, I do think that Apple charges us Canadians way too much for something that doesn't change no matter where you live. I'm talking about .Mac and what it does and provides us Mac users. Just because I live in Canada, this doesn't change .Mac or give me more options on .Mac then say someone living in the U.S., so why do I pay 40% more for the exact same piece of software and service to use online? Is Apple going to charge us Canadians 40% more to buy Leopard? Why not? We pay 40% more for .Mac, might as well charge us 40% more for Leopard too.

We almost pay on par for the new iPods, iMacs and other hardware from Apple, and I imagine Leopard will be pretty close as well. iWork and iLife are either on par or a tad more. There is no excuse for Apple to charge 40% more for something that doesn't:

1. Physically change once you cross the border
2. Gives us Canadians extras for the 40% increase of cost

Apple needs to clean up their act when it comes to pricing their products in Canada. Either keep all YOUR product line in sync with what ever exchange rate you choose across the board, or don't sell it at all up here.


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## hUssain (Aug 10, 2007)

MacGYVER said:


> Apple needs to clean up their act when it comes to pricing their products in Canada. Either keep all YOUR product line in sync with what ever exchange rate you choose across the board, or don't sell it at all up here.


First, it isn't only apple that does this. Look at video games, $10-$50 difference depending on the dollar value _and_ release date. The price is set and stays steady regardless of the exchange rate, that's the way most companies function. It's way too much of a hassle changing the price so often. We will only see a change in price when a new, or revamped, product is introduced. 

Second, we aren't the only country suffering because of this. Do the conversion on EURO price of .Mac -> 139USD, UK -> 138USD, we aren't the only ones who suffer. 

.Mac pricing worldwide


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## MacGYVER (Apr 15, 2005)

You can't use the comparison of video games.

Take a look at EVERY single Apple hardware computer sold on their site, the Canadian prices are pretty damn close to the exchange rate a month ago with regards to the U.S.

Look at iLife and iWork, prices are the same as the U.S.

The iPods and iPhone are pretty much in sync with the exchange rate a few weeks ago both for Canada and U.S.

The only problem with Apple's product line and yes you're right about the other countries, is their .Mac service pricing scheme for outside of the U.S.

Heck even iTunes music prices are the same here as in the U.S., and that is a service product just like .Mac is from Apple.

Once again, Apple needs to keep ALL their services and products in line with the same pricing of exchange rate across the board. We should not be charged 40% to use the same service as someone living in the U.S.

Most companies don't keep the exchange rate of prices the same across their entire product line and then PICK ONE product and charge 40% more for another country while the rest of their product line stays the same for the exchange rate of price in that same country. Do you understand now?


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## hUssain (Aug 10, 2007)

MacGYVER said:


> You can't use the comparison of video games.


Yes, I can, and I did


> Take a look at EVERY single Apple hardware computer sold on their site, the Canadian prices are pretty damn close to the exchange rate a month ago with regards to the U.S.
> 
> Look at iLife and iWork, prices are the same as the U.S.
> 
> The iPods and iPhone are pretty much in sync with the exchange rate a few weeks ago both for Canada and U.S.


Guess you forgot that most products were updated, and as such the price was likewise updated. As well my pricing comparison to video games hold, $10-$50(I would even go as far as to bump the upper number to $300), sure the software is priced almost exactly the same, but again the were released not too long ago. OS 10.4 released a while back is priced with a $20 difference.

I'm going to quote myself because you didn't read what I said


> The price is set and stays steady regardless of the exchange rate, that's the way most companies function.


and this other quote is usefull for the .Mac argument


> Second, we aren't the only country suffering because of this. Do the conversion on EURO price of .Mac -> 139USD, UK -> 138USD, we aren't the only ones who suffer.
> 
> .Mac pricing worldwide


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## adagio (Aug 23, 2002)

Ah... but .Mac has been updated. Check it out. It's at version 5.0


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## Oakbridge (Mar 8, 2005)

magnuscanadiana said:


> I work in the Foreign Exchange Market for the worlds largest FX company.
> ...(edit)...
> 
> Having said that, I do believe that since most companies change their FX rates every 20 years or so (the best example of this is books...have you checked the US vs. CAD rates. I bought Angela's Ashes the other day which cost me $21.00 CAD when it sells in the US for $14.00! That's a 33% increase! The canadian dollar hasn't had that poor of an exchange rate against US in my lifetime.
> ...


You must be the youngest employee in the world. 

I started Oakbridge in late 2001 and throughout most of 2002 I worked on a project for a US customer who paid me in US dollars. I was regularly getting the same exchange rate (Cdn$1 = US$1.45 - 1.50). It was probably late 2002 or early 2003 before it started on the path to the rates we are seeing today. 

Check the date of printing of the book, it was probably printed 4-5 years ago.


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## Kosh (May 27, 2002)

Gene B said:


> Another reply. At this point I'll never receive anything close to being a reasonable and informative reply. Anyone know Job's email address? Even addresses of his immediate subordinates.


Why send email? Anybody can send email. I would phone Apple customer relations, and if the first person you talk to can't do anything, ask for a supervisor. Either that, or send a real paper letter. Email nowadays is so easy, it's not really regarding as the personal touch.


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## monokitty (Jan 26, 2002)

Kosh said:


> Why send email? Anybody can send email. I would phone Apple customer relations, and if the first person you talk to can't do anything, ask for a supervisor. Either that, or send a real paper letter. Email nowadays is so easy, it's not really regarding as the personal touch.


Customer Relations and subsequent supervisors don't have the authority to change Apple Canada pricing, sorry. 

I would say: Deal with it or buy dot Mac from a U.S. seller or eBay. Serious.


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## Gene B (Jul 2, 2001)

Kosh said:


> Why send email? Anybody can send email. I would phone Apple customer relations, and if the first person you talk to can't do anything, ask for a supervisor. Either that, or send a real paper letter. Email nowadays is so easy, it's not really regarding as the personal touch.


For me phone calls are useless. Lots of blab with nothing said and no paper trail. I agree snail mail is the best but email is more convenient and immediate.


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## myuill (Jun 4, 2006)

FYI,

If you buy a car in the United States you do not have to pay duty on it. Even a Chevy Colbalt is about $1,300 cheaper across the border right now.


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## jicon (Jan 12, 2005)

myuill said:


> FYI,
> 
> If you buy a car in the United States you do not have to pay duty on it. Even a Chevy Colbalt is about $1,300 cheaper across the border right now.


I don't know the frequency in which it happens (A buddy of mine allegedly saved $3000 on a new truck last week), but some dealerships will not sell new cars to Canadians in the States. Car manufacturers have discouraged the likes of Lexus and others from doing so.

U.S. car dealer rejects Canadian shopper


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

humour interlude


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## mojoprofilms (Nov 17, 2002)

It's the same with cameras - look at the price of the Panasonic HVX200 -

Vistek.ca - $5559 (on sale)
B&H Photo Video - $5199

Or really pronounced with the Canon XL-H1
Vistek.ca - $10499
B&H Photo Video - $7999

For a while, we're just going to have to deal with the fact that there are Canadian markups. And despite the dollar, I'm sure in many cases it has to do with duties on products or even materials inflicted by our own government.


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

Bit of history - still climbing too










Also recognize that in some cases the US prices are too low because of the steep decline in the US dollar against other currencies.

Inventories in the US lagging coupled with more competitive marketplace can hide shifts like this. The US is approaching a recession so companies will not risk upping prices into the face of that.

Any Japanese equipment has cost a LOT more in the last 3 months in US dollars. That's a 10% or so rise in the yen against the US dollar but have US prices for Japanese gear climbed like that??? nope.

As mentioned large biz has exchange protection contracts so costs can be hidden for a bit.

*This graph is since July 07 THREE MONTHS *










and look at the Euro moving up against US so repricing - especially in the last few weeks will not have occurred in the US 

*This graph is since June 07 ( got cut off )*









Commodities like drives react faster than products with longer manufacturing lead times.

So Seagate drives are UP this week because US dollar buying power is down and most are brought in under US dollar contracts.
Not so simple.


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## Chantal (Sep 14, 2007)

I just looked at the price for one of my textbooks on Amazon. It's $100.70 USD or $135.95 CAD. In other words, it costs us $134.19 USD for the same book. Nice. 

Hopefully book retailers will just start using the US price for now. It would be good if Apple and car manufacturers would do the same. 

:baby:


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

Books always bugged me with the games they play


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## Starkicker (Jun 12, 2007)

I was looking at buying a Subaru Legacy some months ago; one dealership I went to here in Canada quoted me an "on the road" price of $37,000 CDN. This is without any haggling or finangling on my part, I just walked in and asked for a price.

I called some dealerships in the States looking for prices and I worked out that I could buy the same car for $26,000 CDN "on the road". That sales guy said that he normally sells at least one to three cars a week to Canadians looking to take advantage of the rising loonie. Keep in mind, this was in Feb, so the dollar is considerably higher now. He'd even handle all the necessary paperwork for me to make it easier for me.

I didn't end up buying a Subaru, got my hands on a 15 year old Camry which runs like a champ, and I saved myself a tonne of cash. (Touch wood).

Through a series of events, I found myself pumping gas next to a guy who worked at Subaru Canada. We got to talking and I asked him why the price of Canadian Subies is so much higher than in the US, and he gave me a series of convoluted answers, but ultimately his answer was that I should pay $11,000 more to help the Canadian economy.


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## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

Auto - WOW ---- New cars from US up to 20% cheaper (cost to import under $200) - RedFlagDeals.com Forums

Reports of savings in the region of $10K or above.


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## harzack86 (Jan 30, 2005)

Starkicker said:


> We got to talking and I asked him why the price of Canadian Subies is so much higher than in the US, and he gave me a series of convoluted answers, but ultimately his answer was that I should pay $11,000 more to help the Canadian economy.


Interesting. Maybe we shouldn't buy the Subaru (and save some cash) but still all give Subaru $11,000 to help Canadian economy?
Any volunteers?


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## VertiGoGo (Aug 21, 2001)

*Apple's Canadian Pricing Blows Chunks!*

Well, Apple had better hurry up and do SOMETHING about the frickin' prices of their products now. There is absolutely NO REASON why the exact same entry-level iBook should be $150 more expensive in Canada than in the US, when our dollar has been trading at par or stronger than the US greenback all day. 

Besides, if Apple can jump to provide $100 credits to the early iPhone buyers it hosed two weeks ago with a massive iPhone price cut, Steve should be able to step up to the plate and do something for his Canadian customers. 

We deserve better.


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## Mississauga (Oct 27, 2001)

Apple will suggest shipping expenses to Canada are high. Yeah, right!


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## Gene B (Jul 2, 2001)

Mississauga said:


> Apple will suggest shipping expenses to Canada are high. Yeah, right!


I wonder how large and heavy a .Mac subscription is?:greedy: :greedy: :greedy:


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## adagio (Aug 23, 2002)

Gene B said:


> I wonder how large and heavy a .Mac subscription is?:greedy: :greedy: :greedy:


Dang, my aching back. I knew I shouldn't have tried lifting it.


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## Gene B (Jul 2, 2001)

adagio said:


> Dang, my aching back. I knew I shouldn't have tried lifting it.


Well for the price Canadians have to pay for .Mac, it must be larger than the universe and heavier than Bill Gate's wallet. :greedy: :greedy: :greedy:


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## Pelao (Oct 2, 2003)

Even if the two currencies were to remain very close over a long period, I would not expect pricing to be exactly the same. There are different cost structures to doing business in each country.

Having said that, it seems clear some sort of adjustment is in order.


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## 1st-bit-apple-'84 (Sep 21, 2007)

VertiGoGo said:


> Well, Apple had better hurry up and do SOMETHING about the frickin' prices of their products now. There is absolutely NO REASON why the exact same entry-level iBook should be $150 more expensive in Canada than in the US, when our dollar has been trading at par or stronger than the US greenback all day.
> 
> Besides, if Apple can jump to provide $100 credits to the early iPhone buyers it hosed two weeks ago with a massive iPhone price cut, Steve should be able to step up to the plate and do something for his Canadian customers.
> 
> We deserve better.


There is hope...!

I phoned apple.ca on Sept. 20th about the pending delivery of a refurbished macbook pro I'd ordered 2 weeks ago. So I took up the opportunity to haggle them about the new 99 cent dollar vs. the $0.90 exchange rate I paid. Guess what? They BROKE. After a firm five minute conversation. 1-800 MY APPLE obliged with my reasoning and honoured the USA price on par with the Canadian Lonnie! 

Why drive across the border? Anyone who in the market for a Mac should try the same.

Let’s hope this wasn't just luck on my part and GO FOR IT.


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## brucebeh (Sep 22, 2007)

1st-bit-apple-'84 said:


> There is hope...!
> 
> I phoned apple.ca on Sept. 20th about the pending delivery of a refurbished macbook pro I'd ordered 2 weeks ago. So I took up the opportunity to haggle them about the new 99 cent dollar vs. the $0.90 exchange rate I paid. Guess what? They BROKE. After a firm five minute conversation. 1-800 MY APPLE obliged with my reasoning and honoured the USA price on par with the Canadian Lonnie!
> 
> ...


Hm! I'm definitely going to try that tomorrow for my iPod order!


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## A2Michael (Feb 21, 2000)

1st-bit-apple-'84 said:


> I phoned apple.ca on Sept. 20th about the pending delivery of a refurbished macbook pro I'd ordered 2 weeks ago. So I took up the opportunity to haggle them about the new 99 cent dollar vs. the $0.90 exchange rate I paid. Guess what? They BROKE. After a firm five minute conversation. 1-800 MY APPLE obliged with my reasoning and honoured the USA price on par with the Canadian Lonnie!


May I ask what you said to this person to convince him or her? I just called and the guy actually tried to tell me that pricing for the Apple Store is set by my local city council, that Apple has no say over it! I tried to explain how that ridiculous a response that was, but he held firm to this personal belief system.

Maybe it's a new plan to confuse people who are calling to complain. Then again, maybe I should take him up on it and ask my councillor to set the new price on MacBooks at $50.

Anyway, do I try again and hope for someone else, or is there a more reliable contact to reach by email or phone? Has anyone else had success since this was posted a week ago?


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## JeanLuc (Sep 26, 2007)

*prices wonky*

I just was comparing prices between the US and Canada stores. I want to buy a new 15" MacBook Pro soon.

The US price is $2499; the Canadian price is $2799: $300 more. Crazy.

I just bought my .Mac upgrade for $99 from eBay. No shipping involved, of course. Just saved $40 + tax!

Maybe they'll reset them after the next rev. 

I hope so.


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## jdurston (Jan 28, 2005)

Starkicker said:


> I was looking at buying a Subaru Legacy some months ago; one dealership I went to here in Canada quoted me an "on the road" price of $37,000 CDN. This is without any haggling or finangling on my part, I just walked in and asked for a price.
> 
> I called some dealerships in the States looking for prices and I worked out that I could buy the same car for $26,000 CDN "on the road". That sales guy said that he normally sells at least one to three cars a week to Canadians looking to take advantage of the rising loonie. Keep in mind, this was in Feb, so the dollar is considerably higher now. He'd even handle all the necessary paperwork for me to make it easier for me.
> 
> ...


I wonder how much of the that $11k would actually be input into the Canadian economy?


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