Canadians getting ripped off by US retailers

A few years back, when the Canadian dollars started to slide, US retailer used to take Canadian dollars at par, to try and keep the Canadians coming to shop. Then it got to the point that they couldn't do this and I even remember having a Canadian nickel refused amongst the change I tendered for a purchase.

Now that the Canadian dollar is above the US dollar ($1.02 on Friday), it seems that at least some retailers (Price Chopper in Plattsburgh) are only allowing $0.96. What a ripoff, and I'd turn around and walk out! I also noticed on the Turnpike (NH?) last week they had a sign up saying Can$1 = US$0.90. Not the best way to make us feel welcome and to come and spend our shopping and tourism money SOTB!

Oh yeah - time for us to get our own back! The bars in Windsor would take the US$ at par when it was worth $1.20CDN!

We have a lot of catching up to do! :D

Our dollar may be at par or higher on the world market but try to exchange it at a bank on either side of the border and see what you get.
I am discounting us currency travellers cheques 5% now but giving par on cash as I keep it out of the bank and use it for travel.

I guess it is like the oil companies. When the price of crude jumps, the price of gas jumps that day but when the price of crude drops it seems to take a few weeks for the price to drop. I figure the NH toll commission is probably being a slow bureaucracy. They are trying to raise tolls right now and that is probably keeping them busy.

We travel a lot and have done a lot of research on exchange rates, the best is often through credit cards. You have to check, some cards are better than others, but I believe our Capital One is market rate + 1% (maybe its 2) with no additional per-transaction fee.

Skye

Limey Wrote:

Around here, people seem to hate people from other countries(I LOVE people from other parts of the world:). U.S. retailers like ripping people off, thats capitalism.

peace, Kyle

Derek, I've seen those "girls", if you wanted a table dance, they had to go get a picnic table.

Derek, the only difference now is that you're getting your turn with the short end of the stick! How's it feel? :-)

I blame GWB43 for everything wrong. :)

Paul

'Scuse me - around here it is referred to as the "Windsor Ballet" :)

Skye - cash, or debit cards too - often at the current rate plus a fixed fee. Mine only charges the fee ($2.00) once/day no matter how many transactions. A much better deal than using cash or travellers checks.

Most of the large retailers and manufactures up here are US owned anyway. The money game is worked on both sides of the border in the interests of maximizing each companies bottom line.

Tell me what is made here in the GWN that is truly a Canadian product!

It would be very interesting if every item we bought had to have a label showing where it was made and were the home country of the company that produced was.

The list of US owned businesses that are here in Canada far out weighs the Canadian owned ones. Starbucks, McDonalds, GM, Ford, Chrysler, Safeway and the list could go on for ever.

Here in BC we even send our trees south to be turned into wood based products. Most of our mills are US owned.

Limey Wrote:

Englishcarlover Wrote:

KLUTZ Wrote:

JackMG Wrote:

Jim1971 Wrote:

Jim1971 Wrote:

Not even close to even if the mills in Quebec are foreign owned.

I have been busy changing my loonies into greenbacks. The time is right to buy more MG parts from my favorite Moss distributor.

I hear Timmy’s is making inroads in the eastern US coffee shop biz. Soon Timmy’s will be like Star Bucks.
Next thing you know there will be a Canadian Tire in every mall!!!!!!

Jim1971 Wrote: