Support Canadian Stores, I say drop your prices!

What is it with the Canadian stores telling us to stay in Canada and buy in Canadian stores instead of going to the states and giving the Americans our dollars? The Canadian dollar is above the US Dollar now. Why are we still paying the higher Canadian price on a magazine and books than the US one? Why are cars (some made in Canada) are higher in price than the same ones sold in the US? Why are appliances more expensive in Canada than the States?

I just bought a Fridge, Stove, Washer and dryer for my new place. I was shocked to find out that the same appliances that are sold in Canada was $300-400 each, more expensive than the same ones sold in the States! That is a savings of $1200-1600 saving only on the MSRP! Now here is the catch! The appliance must be made in Canada or the US so that the 8% duty is not applied. Then the regular GST and PST is added( if you buy energy star product the PST is waived, In Ontario. Does not apply for appliances brought into Canada). Guess what? most of the appliances are made in Mexico or Germany. Then you have to add the State tax to the purchase which I understand you can file to have it refunded.

So armed with this, off to the states I go to save my $1200-1600 and stick it to the Canadian stores that are charging much more! Once I get to the stores it is even looking better since a lot of the stores are charging less than the MSRP for the same appliances and here is where the bubble bursts! Now let me back up here a bit before I go on. I checked out a store in Prescott that has a good reputation for giving out great deals on furniture and appliances that give big box stores a run for their money. They were very near the US prices, but still above them! Back to the bubble bursting! I check the appliances that I wanted in the states, and they were all made in Mexico, Damn 8% duty. So I copy down all the prices and crunch the numbers. Add 5% state tax, then 8% duty , 14% GST , PST $200 truck rental, $100 gas and your time, you get the same price as the store in Prescott! So I bought the appliances at the Canadian store, but just to let you know that most of the stores that I've been to (Sears Home, Corbe, Home depot, The Brick and Leons) were all around the Canadian MSRP for the appliances! In the end I still saved around $1000 and I supported a small Canadian store in a small Canadian town!

You want me to buy in a Canadian store , wake up and stop screwing us consumers!

P.S. the name of the store in Prescott is W.L. Peters