140 in Canada, 130 in US. WHY???

fred_yu_job · 05-24-2011, 11:14 PM

Can anyone explain why $140 in Canada, $130 in US ?

fred_yu_job · 05-24-2011, 11:23 PM

plus, I'm in Ontario, means the final price will be $158CND for me.
it's a no go for me, for now.

AnemicOak · 05-24-2011, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fred_yu_job

Can anyone explain why $140 in Canada, $130 in US ?

Could there be some kind of taxes/fees Kobo has to pay to bring then into the country that perhaps don't have to be paid on the devices shipped to Borders in the US? I rally don't know, just a thought.

viviena · 05-24-2011, 11:58 PM

I... honestly don't think a $10 difference is that bad at all. Does Canada have on average a higher standard of living, higher minimum wage, etc.? Plus there's the possibility of taxes and fees, as Oak's mentioned.

Despite the AUD being higher than the USD, I'm pretty resigned to this new Kobo Touch being $180AUD when it makes it to stores down here. Must be cause we're all upside down here.

pokerface · 05-25-2011, 12:18 AM

Everything is more expensive in Canada

Thrasher · 05-25-2011, 02:30 AM

I believe it has to do with the higher competitiveness in the US market. Even at $139 these will sell extremely well in Canada. Most Canadian are more likely to buy a Kobo that they can try out in Chapters instead of ordering a Kindle from US, while in the states the lower price is necessary to make Kobo a successful competitor to the Kindle.
Just my opinion.

wes101 · 05-25-2011, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Could there be some kind of taxes/fees Kobo has to pay to bring then into the country that perhaps don't have to be paid on the devices shipped to Borders in the US? I rally don't know, just a thought.

Kobo is a Canadian company and kobo's are made/repaired in Toronto Ontario Canada so there would be to taxes/fess since they come from Canada

AnemicOak · 05-25-2011, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wes101

Kobo is a Canadian company and kobo's are made/repaired in Toronto Ontario Canada so there would be to taxes/fess since they come from Canada

I highly doubt Kobo's are made in Toronto. If I had to guess they're made in China.

Suzanna · 05-25-2011, 06:18 PM

Yeah, I'd be very surprised if the Kobo was made here as well. And the eReader market in the U.S. is much more competitive than it is here in Canada. Amazon's Kindle and Barnes & Noble's Nook devices are the top two devices there. They have to price the Kobo competitively to try to compete. The new Nook, available only in the U.S. and announced the day after the Kobo Touch, has essentially the same features but is $10 more expensive - $139. At $129 they're probably hoping the Kobo can gain some ground in the U.S.

PeterT · 05-25-2011, 07:43 PM

The address for repairs is Celestica on Don Mills / Eglinton. Celestica DOES do custom manufacturing for firms, so it's possible they might also do manufacturing.

Now remember that Gerald Schwartz (Heather Reisman's husband) is on the board of Chapters/Indigo, and is also on the board at Celestica, as well as being the CEO of Onex who own Celestica, I think that might add to the option of Celestica being involved.

GA Russell · 05-25-2011, 07:48 PM

I assume it is still the case that Canada's govt levies taxes at the wholesale level. The US govt does not.

DavidF · 05-25-2011, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by viviena

I... honestly don't think a $10 difference is that bad at all. Does Canada have on average a higher standard of living, higher minimum wage, etc.? Plus there's the possibility of taxes and fees, as Oak's mentioned.

Despite the AUD being higher than the USD, I'm pretty resigned to this new Kobo Touch being $180AUD when it makes it to stores down here. Must be cause we're all upside down here.

$180 ?? Given that the current wifi model is nearly 50% more expensive (US $99, Aus $179), I am anticipating that the Touch model will be $200 plus when it eventually ships to Australia.

How do you spell Rip-off ??

P.S. I would love a touch model, but since I have passed my Original down to my wife so I could get a wifi recently, I dont think I will be allowed

moffattm · 05-25-2011, 09:02 PM

At the current exchange rate the price of the Kobo Touch converts from US$130 to NZ$163, but I fully expect it to sell for about NZ$250 or even NZ$299 down here in New Zealand. NZ is even worse than Australia!

Shopaholic · 05-25-2011, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wes101

Kobo is a Canadian company and kobo's are made/repaired in Toronto Ontario Canada so there would be to taxes/fess since they come from Canada

They are NOT made in Canada. Go visit any Chapters, Indigo or Walmart and flip it over. Made in China.

Yes, most things are always more expensive in Canada than the US but $10 plus the tax difference isn't a huge difference. At least, I don't think so and this is coming from someone who drives over the border once a week. I rarely buy product in Canada anymore.

Example: Sally's Beauty Supply. The identical product in Canada is $13.19 but in the US it's $8.29. ??? Makes no sense to me. The product is made in the US so there should be no import tax on it for Canadian sellers.

If you're in the US often buy it there but you won't be able to drop in to any Chapters, Indigo and exchange it if you have an issue with it. That'd be worth the $10+ difference to me. My little Sony on the other hand, eesh. $199 in Canada or $129.99 at certain stores in the US.

Suzanna · 05-25-2011, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shopaholic

They are NOT made in Canada. Go visit any Chapters, Indigo or Walmart and flip it over. Made in China.

You're right. It should have occurred to me to look at the device. I'm looking at my Kobo WiFi now and on the bottom it says "Made in Taiwan".

05-24-2011, 11:14 PM	#1
fred_yu_job Connoisseur Posts: 99 Karma: 94636 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: kobo	140 in Canada, 130 in US. WHY??? Can anyone explain why $140 in Canada, $130 in US ?

05-25-2011, 06:18 PM	#9
Suzanna Living in the past Posts: 432 Karma: 6011289 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kobo Arc	Yeah, I'd be very surprised if the Kobo was made here as well. And the eReader market in the U.S. is much more competitive than it is here in Canada. Amazon's Kindle and Barnes & Noble's Nook devices are the top two devices there. They have to price the Kobo competitively to try to compete. The new Nook, available only in the U.S. and announced the day after the Kobo Touch, has essentially the same features but is $10 more expensive - $139. At $129 they're probably hoping the Kobo can gain some ground in the U.S. Last edited by Suzanna; 05-25-2011 at 06:21 PM.

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05-24-2011, 11:23 PM	#2
fred_yu_job Connoisseur Posts: 99 Karma: 94636 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: kobo	plus, I'm in Ontario, means the final price will be $158CND for me. it's a no go for me, for now.

05-24-2011, 11:58 PM	#4
viviena Evangelist Posts: 412 Karma: 520610 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Canberra, Australia Device: Currently Kobo Clara HD and Aura One, iPad	I... honestly don't think a $10 difference is that bad at all. Does Canada have on average a higher standard of living, higher minimum wage, etc.? Plus there's the possibility of taxes and fees, as Oak's mentioned. Despite the AUD being higher than the USD, I'm pretty resigned to this new Kobo Touch being $180AUD when it makes it to stores down here. Must be cause we're all upside down here.

05-25-2011, 12:18 AM	#5
pokerface Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2011 Device: Too many to list!	Everything is more expensive in Canada

05-25-2011, 02:30 AM	#6
Thrasher Groupie Posts: 156 Karma: 1003934 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Canada Device: Nook Wifi	I believe it has to do with the higher competitiveness in the US market. Even at $139 these will sell extremely well in Canada. Most Canadian are more likely to buy a Kobo that they can try out in Chapters instead of ordering a Kindle from US, while in the states the lower price is necessary to make Kobo a successful competitor to the Kindle. Just my opinion.

05-25-2011, 07:43 PM	#10
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,698 Karma: 79983758 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Libra H2O, Libra Colour	The address for repairs is Celestica on Don Mills / Eglinton. Celestica DOES do custom manufacturing for firms, so it's possible they might also do manufacturing. Now remember that Gerald Schwartz (Heather Reisman's husband) is on the board of Chapters/Indigo, and is also on the board at Celestica, as well as being the CEO of Onex who own Celestica, I think that might add to the option of Celestica being involved.

05-25-2011, 07:48 PM	#11
GA Russell Ticats/Als, Riders/Lions Posts: 7,717 Karma: 31487351 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Device: Paperwhite, Kindles 10 & 4 and jetBook Lite	I assume it is still the case that Canada's govt levies taxes at the wholesale level. The US govt does not.

05-25-2011, 09:02 PM	#13
moffattm Addict Posts: 333 Karma: 1440670 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Device: Kobo Original, Kobo Glo	At the current exchange rate the price of the Kobo Touch converts from US$130 to NZ$163, but I fully expect it to sell for about NZ$250 or even NZ$299 down here in New Zealand. NZ is even worse than Australia!