140 in Canada, 130 in US. WHY??? - Page 4

Zoshka · 06-08-2011, 12:47 AM

It's all about price competition--the Nook Touch and Kindle are $139, so Kobo has to go cheaper in the US to compete against their marketing power, especially since Kobo doesn't have all the Borders stores around to show off their device (that's where I discovered the Kobo wifi). Two years ago the Kindle was $359, and it took competition to bring the price down (only Sony never seems to understand price competition). Ten bucks can swing people in a tough economy (like those willing to read Amazon ads for the life of their device in exchange for saving $25 up front). It's the same principal with the ipad...if you want to compete against a dominant leader, you'd better charge less (Samsung and Motorola went the Sony route on that one).

lestatar · 06-08-2011, 01:30 AM

Try finding mp3 players/DAPs/PMPs/headphones in Canada - pricing is also higher than stateside. Its an exchange rate thing likely complicated by all the good reasons folks have already mentioned above.

My Canuck friends are always bemoaning this, much to my dismay as I used to get many pleas to purchase and ship stuff to them from NYC. Not that I don't enjoy helping dear friends but it was getting to the point where the FedEx guy and the lady at the post office knew me by sight.

Bottom line: It sucks - maybe you can leverage good friends in USA to assist?

remcdonald · 06-12-2011, 02:23 AM

Actually this has nothing to do with competition or exchange rates its a law of supply and demand. The population base of the US is huge compared to Canada therefore the company can afford to deflate the price a little because that will be made up for by more sales. It`s why american prices are cheaper on everything from milk to gas to computers to cars. People notice it with book readers because they notice it on books where the two prices are beside each other. They don`t march into their local gas station and demand to pay the american price or pay in american money and receive an american price or any of the other silliness I have seen in bookstores. So basic rule huge populations make things cheaper even when they are produced by a company based in your home country and 10 bucks really isn`t that big a deal.

nightfool · 06-12-2011, 02:32 PM

The $10 difference is not that big of deal since if you buy the kobo you get a $10 gift card. So really the Kobo costs $130.

coinín · 06-13-2011, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nightfool

The $10 difference is not that big of deal since if you buy the kobo you get a $10 gift card. So really the Kobo costs $130.

Where?

wes101 · 06-13-2011, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coinín

Where?

Apparently only at selected chapters stores. I didnt get one, mine is in St.cath ontario

Suzanna · 06-13-2011, 06:48 PM

The $10 gift card is a virtual one, sent to your email account after you register. It's an ecard for the Kobo store.

dmacmart · 06-13-2011, 06:48 PM

I got an email with a clickable link which put $10 in my Kobo account after registering the new Touch. Check your Spam folder maybe?

wes101 · 06-13-2011, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmacmart

I got an email with a clickable link which put $10 in my Kobo account after registering the new Touch. Check your Spam folder maybe?

I gave them my email for their rewards card but i already had a account and they didn't ask if i had one, oh well

robko · 06-13-2011, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wes101

I gave them my email for their rewards card but i already had a account and they didn't ask if i had one, oh well

Shouldn't matter. If you have an existing Kobo account after you do the setup of the new Touch you should get an e-mail with a credit for $10 at Kobobooks. That's how it worked for me anyway.

jackastor · 06-14-2011, 12:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fred_yu_job

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

you do know that you get a 10 dollar kobo ebook store credit when you set it up? bringing the cost down to 129.99....

Although i agree with you in principle... WTF but hey i blam it on the government eco fees for electronics.

jackastor · 06-17-2011, 07:45 AM

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

kobos are made in China. The company is Toronto based. But they dont Manufacture them here.

Lordvic · 06-17-2011, 10:21 AM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macroeconomics

there are so many reasons why Canadian prices on most goods and services are higher. Most would require being an economics major to understand.

Things from Supply / Demand issues.
Higher cost of wages of employees of companies that need to be covered
and many many more
taxes

at least we have some closeness right now cause of the dollar being on par. But 10 years ago when 1 Canadian only bought you .65 american, Things were extremely different.

That CD that cost 9.99 in the states was 17.99 up here. That $25,000 car was 40,000 up here.

jazzLvr · 07-03-2011, 11:46 AM

KB Touch at Walmart Canada $109 Check it out!

jackastor · 07-03-2011, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jazzLvr

KB Touch at Walmart Canada $109 Check it out!

thats the wifi version dude. not the touch.

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06-08-2011, 12:47 AM	#46
Zoshka Connoisseur Posts: 97 Karma: 1000000 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: WA Device: Kindle 3 & 4, Nook Tablet	It's all about price competition--the Nook Touch and Kindle are $139, so Kobo has to go cheaper in the US to compete against their marketing power, especially since Kobo doesn't have all the Borders stores around to show off their device (that's where I discovered the Kobo wifi). Two years ago the Kindle was $359, and it took competition to bring the price down (only Sony never seems to understand price competition). Ten bucks can swing people in a tough economy (like those willing to read Amazon ads for the life of their device in exchange for saving $25 up front). It's the same principal with the ipad...if you want to compete against a dominant leader, you'd better charge less (Samsung and Motorola went the Sony route on that one).

06-08-2011, 01:30 AM	#47
lestatar LB's lolz Mutt Minion Posts: 2,902 Karma: 5700001 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Hong Kong now but NYC forever Device: Kindle3, GalaxyTab, BB Bold9700, BB 8300, Sony Clie, Palm Vx, Palm III	Try finding mp3 players/DAPs/PMPs/headphones in Canada - pricing is also higher than stateside. Its an exchange rate thing likely complicated by all the good reasons folks have already mentioned above. My Canuck friends are always bemoaning this, much to my dismay as I used to get many pleas to purchase and ship stuff to them from NYC. Not that I don't enjoy helping dear friends but it was getting to the point where the FedEx guy and the lady at the post office knew me by sight. Bottom line: It sucks - maybe you can leverage good friends in USA to assist?

06-12-2011, 02:23 AM	#48
remcdonald Connoisseur Posts: 60 Karma: 49376 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Kobo, Kobo Touch	Actually this has nothing to do with competition or exchange rates its a law of supply and demand. The population base of the US is huge compared to Canada therefore the company can afford to deflate the price a little because that will be made up for by more sales. It`s why american prices are cheaper on everything from milk to gas to computers to cars. People notice it with book readers because they notice it on books where the two prices are beside each other. They don`t march into their local gas station and demand to pay the american price or pay in american money and receive an american price or any of the other silliness I have seen in bookstores. So basic rule huge populations make things cheaper even when they are produced by a company based in your home country and 10 bucks really isn`t that big a deal.

06-12-2011, 02:32 PM	#49
nightfool Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: nook color, kobo touch	The $10 difference is not that big of deal since if you buy the kobo you get a $10 gift card. So really the Kobo costs $130.

06-13-2011, 06:48 PM	#52
Suzanna Living in the past Posts: 432 Karma: 6011289 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kobo Arc	The $10 gift card is a virtual one, sent to your email account after you register. It's an ecard for the Kobo store.

06-13-2011, 06:48 PM	#53
dmacmart Fanatic Posts: 534 Karma: 696908 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Ottawa Canada Device: Kobo Mini, Glo, Arc, H2O, iPhone, iPad 2, (husband)Touch	I got an email with a clickable link which put $10 in my Kobo account after registering the new Touch. Check your Spam folder maybe?

06-17-2011, 10:21 AM	#58
Lordvic Connoisseur Posts: 87 Karma: 19104 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Toronto / Ontario Device: Blackberry Playbook	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macroeconomics there are so many reasons why Canadian prices on most goods and services are higher. Most would require being an economics major to understand. Things from Supply / Demand issues. Higher cost of wages of employees of companies that need to be covered and many many more taxes at least we have some closeness right now cause of the dollar being on par. But 10 years ago when 1 Canadian only bought you .65 american, Things were extremely different. That CD that cost 9.99 in the states was 17.99 up here. That $25,000 car was 40,000 up here.

07-03-2011, 11:46 AM	#59
jazzLvr Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: none	KB Touch at Walmart Canada $109 Check it out!

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