CDN Dollar Closes in on the USD

stwb · Apr 6, 2010

99.9 on the dollar. It's time to load up on cheap film from B and H or whatever your favorite American online seller is!! Woohoo!

Bob-D659 · Apr 6, 2010

It will have to hit almost 1.04 before it's a break even deal after you pay the cc and exchange fees.

Colin Corneau · Apr 6, 2010

Close enough, though. And it may yet happen, too.

johnnywalker · Apr 6, 2010

I'm giving up on US purchases if I can possibly avoid it. Their shipping charges are way too high. The last straw was $80 to ship a lens for my Mamiya - USPS.

Sparky · Apr 6, 2010

Whhaaaa...??? that's totally ridiculous. Yes - as a US resident - I'm really shocked at skyrocketing shipping charges - especially with USPS. They apparently no longer offer international 'surface' shipping. Only 'priority'. I'm SURE they realize they can make a lot more money that way. Boycott USPS for anything but domestic surface shipping (i.e. 'first class') I say!

thisismyname09 · Apr 6, 2010

johnnywalker said:
I'm giving up on US purchases if I can possibly avoid it. Their shipping charges are way too high. The last straw was $80 to ship a lens for my Mamiya - USPS.

That's a rip off. I've shipped lenses and backs to China for far less than that.

Jedidiah Smith · Apr 6, 2010

I've been Ebaying for quite a few years now, and I noticed a steep incline in shipping prices over the last year or so. As the people in power make policy change after change that limits our access to "cheap" energy, we are only going to see less of a global market, and more local as time goes on. These things go in cycles...with the weakening dollar, local sales will probably be a lot more desireable.
It's rather unfortunate for some things like collecting obscure camera parts from all over the world!
Jed

Chris Nielsen · Apr 6, 2010

Oh great. Now my purchases from KEH are going to be a ripoff on shipping. Thanks USPS!!

eclarke · Apr 6, 2010

Follow the U.S. news about USPS, it seems they may be on the verge of bankruptcy...Evan Clarke

Randy_Va · Apr 6, 2010

Why does the Canadian dollar surge before every vacation I plan to Canada? At least the condo I am renting is denominated in USD this time around.

To make it topical, so much for scavenging for cheap lenses in Vancouver ;-)

Krzys · Apr 6, 2010

Try shipping from Australia to any other country. For most items a $50 minimum. Usually comes to $80ish. Its painful to let buyers know how much is going to be added to the price I advertise and such.

dbonamo · Apr 6, 2010

johnnywalker said:
I'm giving up on US purchases if I can possibly avoid it. Their shipping charges are way too high. The last straw was $80 to ship a lens for my Mamiya - USPS.

That is a ripoff.... If you check the USPS site, it is 27.00USD for Priority mail for 5lbs. Now is your 80.00 including any custom charges, taxes imposed your country?

stwb · Apr 6, 2010

The scary thing is that even with shipping and customs I'm still ahead (with a big enough order). My local store is selling 35mm HP5 for more than $7 CDN per roll. They're pricing themselves out of the film business. 35mm colour film and slide is even more ridiculous! $10 to $15 locally! No thanks Don's Photo! I'll spend my money elsewhere.

mjs · Apr 6, 2010

Go loony! I've got a Canadian $20 I got from a Canadian buyer of some stuff a few years ago. Maybe I can spend it when I go north to Roguestock in northern Michigan this summer. Costs too much to exchange it around here, maybe they're more reasonable in closer proximity?

Mike

johnnywalker · Apr 6, 2010

dbonamo said:
That is a ripoff.... If you check the USPS site, it is 27.00USD for Priority mail for 5lbs. Now is your 80.00 including any custom charges, taxes imposed your country?

No, any import duties and taxes are on top of that. I know it's not totally a USPS charge, as I checked and their charge is about $30, as you say. The companies are adding onto the USPS charge, for "handling" I suppose, but it actually makes USPS marginally more expensive than whatever courier company they use. The trouble with the couriers is that you often get hit with a fee to get the item through customs, which is unnecessary. It will get through by itself.

It's a shame, because the US prices are a lot better for new stuff than the Canadian prices, and used stuff is just harder to find here.

My Mamiya camera, lens, two backs got shipped a few months ago from Hong Kong for $50 and arrived within a week. After two weeks I'm still waiting for my lens, but I see from the tracking document it took 5 days for the company to give it to USPS, and then everything stops (here at least) over Easter.

dbonamo · Apr 6, 2010

johnnywalker said:
No, any import duties and taxes are on top of that. I know it's not totally a USPS charge, as I checked and their charge is about $30, as you say. The companies are adding onto the USPS charge, for "handling" I suppose, but it actually makes USPS marginally more expensive than whatever courier company they use. The trouble with the couriers is that you often get hit with a fee to get the item through customs, which is unnecessary. It will get through by itself.

It's a shame, because the US prices are a lot better for new stuff than the Canadian prices, and used stuff is just harder to find here.

My Mamiya camera, lens, two backs got shipped a few months ago from Hong Kong for $50 and arrived within a week. After two weeks I'm still waiting for my lens, but I see from the tracking document it took 5 days for the company to give it to USPS, and then everything stops (here at least) over Easter.

I am not sure why there is an issue going from US to Canada or vica versa. Last year I shipped a Nikon Flash to Canada, it to 3 weeks to get there. The buyer was getting upset, understandably. The package only weighed 4 or 5 lbs. I shipped a light meter to EU in got there in a week and a 40lb scanner to Mexico which arrive about a week and half.

Same thing receiving shipments. I purchased a M645 1000s from a Canadian seller, it took over 3 weeks. The tracking shows he promptly shipped it but it got stalled in transit somewhere. However I received stuff from UK and Germany within 10 days.

As for handling fee's, 50.00 is uncalled for, at most 10.00 is reasonable.

mgb74 · Apr 6, 2010

I recently shipped a lens to Canada (from US) via USPS Priority Mail. It weighed a bit under 2lbs and cost about $21. Insurance would be on top of that, but probably not more than $5-8.

So, if you're being charged $80 your beef should be with the vendor, not the shipping service. I've actually shipped a couple of items to various overseas locations via Letter package (a bit risky since no tracking or insurance available) but cheap and surprisingly quick given the distance (for example, a small package to New Zealand for $12).

I can understand, given the need to fill out customs forms, some upcharge. But not $50-60.

Uncle Bill · Apr 6, 2010

Regarding shipping stuff from the US to Canada, I had a conversation with a vendor via email recently on the issue. It turns out all transborder postal shipments go through Ottawa then get dispersed across Canada. Yes I am trying to figure out the logic of that too, only Canada Post knows and we all know how they operate. USPS is great getting the package to the border, after that things get interesting.

That being said I just completed an order with Freestyle for a bulk roll of Legacy Pro 400 and a half dozen rolls of Fomapan 400 in 120 to try out. The Dollar around par is a nice thing.

Uncle Bill · Apr 6, 2010

johnnywalker said:
I'm giving up on US purchases if I can possibly avoid it. Their shipping charges are way too high. The last straw was $80 to ship a lens for my Mamiya - USPS.

I find the $80 a little hard to stomach, I think the vendor was making money off the handling charges. I always look at the shipping if it does not make sense to me I delete that auction. I for one am not paying $35 to ship a Nikon AS-4 flashshoe for a F3, my reply, first class and I can afford to wait.

keithwms · Apr 6, 2010

These currency fluctuations are wreaking havoc on stock valuations and things like metals prices. If the Chinese would simply unpin their currency then the actual currency values would be a lot more realistic and we might all have a much clearer view of what the world economy is actually doing. Just thought I'd point that out

Indeed shipping prices etc. are way behind the actual currency values. They can't adjust quickly enough.

Anyway go on and enjoy your high Canadian dollar! Come visit the USA and buy, buy, buy!

PhotoJim · Apr 6, 2010

Bob-D659 said:
It will have to hit almost 1.04 before it's a break even deal after you pay the cc and exchange fees.

I have a US dollar bank account and credit card (through Bank of Montreal). I pay 1%.

If you do a lot of US purchases, you might want to consider doing the same.

PhotoJim · Apr 6, 2010

Uncle Bill said:
Regarding shipping stuff from the US to Canada, I had a conversation with a vendor via email recently on the issue. It turns out all transborder postal shipments go through Ottawa then get dispersed across Canada.

I mailed myself a box from San Diego in February. It went to Los Angeles and then to Burnaby, BC for Customs clearance, and then east to Regina.

Your vendor, alas, was mistaken. Maybe Ontario shipments go to Ottawa - but that would surprise me. I'm sure that there is Customs clearance in Toronto.

Shipments from origins east tend to go to Winnipeg before I get them.

mark · Apr 6, 2010

Guess Canada is going to have come up with another reason to draw people across the border.

PhotoJim · Apr 6, 2010

mark said:
Guess Canada is going to have come up with another reason to draw people across the border.

Scenery. Friendly people. An international experience close to home (for Americans). There are tons of reasons to visit Canada.

Pick yourself up a few Coffee Crisp bars

mgb74 · Apr 6, 2010

PhotoJim said:
Scenery. Friendly people. An international experience close to home (for Americans). There are tons of reasons to visit Canada.

Pick yourself up a few Coffee Crisp bars

That's all very true, but those tons of reasons were soooooo much better when 1 USD got you 1.25-1.50 CDN.

CDN Dollar Closes in on the USD

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