With the price of gas so high, Target coming here and the typical long summer lineups I honestly don't expect much of a surge in cross border shopping. When you calculate out all the costs of hotels and gas and time etc I'm not sure there's much of an advantage unless you spend a LOT of money.
Part of the attraction to cross-border shopping is often filling up with gas. And it's not always a long distance. For example, in much of the Vancouver lower mainland the border is 20 minutes or less away. And many own vacation trailers in Washington state where they go almost every weekend in the summer and often even in the winter to ski at Mount Baker.Originally Posted by the-royal-mail
Even if one doesn't own accommodation, I would wager filling up a larger vehicle with cheaper American gas and buying $800 worth of goods, including a couple of bottles of booze and perhaps cigarettes could well compensate the cost of 2 nights at a hotel/motel. And then if one throws the "get-away" aspect into the mix, it could be a slam-dunk for many Canadians.
My suspicion is that this may be a way for Harper and Flaherty to instill some controls on provincial Premiers who may be inclined to increase sales tax revenues. Which may or may not be a noble cause depending on one's perspective. Personally, I'm still sitting on the fence on this one.
Last edited by Spidey; 2012-05-19 at 10:04 AM.
We ALWAYS combine our shopping trips with getaways. So two nights in a Rocky Mountain park, 1 day shopping to appease the wife. As Spidey points out, gas is much cheaper, accomodations are merely a tent or a respectively priced 3-star hotel for $50. Often we make up that difference just in the booze
The question is whether you buy frivolously or buy items than you need and would have bought in Canada regardless.
When we stocked up on baby gear, we saved easily $400-$500 on about $1200 spent in total. And the outlets, not big busy ones, but buying $75 shoes for $10, what can I say, I'm addicted.
I live pretty far from the border but half to say that I try to do the majority of my shopping in the US. They have a much better selection and their regular prices for the items I buy are at least 20% less, usually much more. I used to say my trips for when I could get the week off so I could get a larger exemption and we generally made it our family trip. With the new limits, I will be able to go for a much shorter time and possibly more frequently. I do think this will hurt can retailers and tourism.
I am now thinking of instead of just going to my cabin for little get always, to figure out how I hcan incorporate a trip to the states. If people are planning vacations anyways, I do think this limit increase will influence the decision. The arrival of Target may not have much of an impact. Walmart in Canada is still higher in costs and has less things than the US. The cost of gas and hotel will be easily offset by a well planned trip. For back to school and the things I buy for my girl guides unit, I saved over $300 in just the supplies, it was on average cheaper by 75% there. Then add in the shoes and school clothes which I get on sale and cheaper, I save another $500. I also would buy my xmas and birthday Gia for the year, so another $500 in savings. Two nights hotel and gas was about $400, but I did have to add more hotel nights before, so we made it a family vacation for a week, which we do normally anyways. also, my spouse used to contract in the states a lot, and those 4 day business trips now look a lot more exciting shopping wise. I actually accepted a two day assignment there because I knew of this limit increase.
My point is that it is so much cheaper in the US and if the can retailers don't do something, they will be in trouble. Though I am personally happy with the limit increases, i think this was a bad thing for our economy in e sense we will lose the taxes collected, and the speninding in Canada.
Some do all their grocery shopping in Bellingham, cost of gas one third less than the lowermainland per tank. It is far cheaper to ski in BC than the US though.
Now for the down side 3-4 hour line ups at the boarder sure not my thing.
And that is you are not one of the cars they mark to pull over for a more thorough check. Then you will be there a lot longer than 3-4 hrs.
I used to do trips to Watertown or Massena NY..stay in a trailer park for a few bucks, put up with the skunks and raccoons at night coming around to investigate what you have in your coolers or garbage pails. Had a skunk let go when it brushed against the trailer safety chain at 2am in the morning.
It was a sleepless night afterwards with the skunk smell and you didn't want to go out of the trailer in case mama skunk and her brood were still around the site.
I remember those 3-4 hour waits in line at the border crossings. Burn up quite a bit of that gas, you just bought cheaper from the car idling..idling..idling..
and you and the kids are stuck in the hot car..they start fighting and get out and walk next to the lineup...but you can't
join them because you can't shut it off..because the guy behind you will lean on his horn if you don't move at least a few inches every 10 to 15 minutes or so..idle idle idle..car is overheating...yep lots of fun.
Last edited by carverman; 2012-05-19 at 07:21 PM.
Regular border-crossers can get a Pace card and avoid much of the lineups.
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