Nov 13 2007 at 2:03pm
Amazon.com just doesn’t get it (Canadian shopping)
Today I stopped by Amazon.com to do some pre-Chirstmas shopping and was greeted with this graphic:
Front and centre, just under the search box. Now, I don’t know if this is always there… for some reason I think it might be a standard, but the recent rise in the value of the Canadian dollar changes everything. As of this morning, the Canadian dollar is valued at almost $1.04 US ($1.0382 to be more precise). This means that online shopping is a lot more attractive than it used to be when our dollar was worth 80¢. We don’t want to go to Amazon.ca where our dollar is worth $1, we want to shop at Amazon.com where it’s worth $1.04 (or $1.06 as it was last week).
To add to that, book prices are stuck where they were months ago when the books were printed. This means that the price for most books is $2-$4 higher on the Canadian site, if not more (I think Amazon may have adjusted these prices for the dollar value already). Buy a few books and you’ve covered the $5 + tax Canada Customs charges at the border (don’t get me started on that!). Oh, and I think the limit to qualify for free shipping is lower on the US site.
Another problem, which always applies to Amazon, is that the US site has a much broader product range than the Canadian version does, plus all those affiliated sellers. I can get a lot of stuff on Amazon.com that isn’t available in Canada at all. That’s why I want to shop there now.
For anyone running a US eCommerce site, now is the time to optimize your site for Canadian shoppers. Do you ship to Canada? Are the rates reasonable? You could even put up a little Canadian flag to welcome your neighbours from the North 
Kevin Paxman November 19th, 2007 at 12:55 pm
I actually have a mailbox in the States, to take advantage of all the US sites, especially those that don’t ship to Canada. And picking the stuff up gives me an excuse to go shopping in the States for all the wacky products that never make it to Canada.
Megan November 22nd, 2007 at 9:07 pm
I sometimes ship stuff to my sister’s place but she lives in North Carolina so I have to wait for her to come home again before I can get whatever I ordered.
TJ November 23rd, 2007 at 9:20 pm
Yeah and the free shipping at amazon.com is $25 USD but the free shipping at amazon.ca is $ 39 CAD ..What gives ???
When our CAD dollar is stronger than USD why do we have to order $ 14 of more stuff to get free shipping ???
TJ November 23rd, 2007 at 9:24 pm
Amazon.com sent me a $ 15 gift certificate ( e-certificate ) but they don’t let me redeem it at amazon.ca , I have to redeem it at amazon.com and pay duties & international shipping rate because its being shipped to Canada !!
Megan November 24th, 2007 at 10:03 am
I think I have some money on a gift certificate at Amazon.com for that exact same reason… and it’s been sitting there for over a year!
Grant December 10th, 2007 at 5:38 pm
You can set up an Amazon.com account and purchase dooks, dvd’s and cd’s.
I mad a purchase on friday of the Beatles anthology (dvd) and two books of short stories. Free shipping on amazon.ca, while international shipping on .com is $18.95.
Total cost?? Amazon.com $87
Amazon.ca $127
Heather March 10th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
With regards to TJ’s comment, I think the reason for the CA site having a higher minimum purchase for free shipping is because postage and shipping in Canada is far more expensive than within the states. I mail quite a lot of things for work, and have been amazed at the difference.
But I agree with everyone in that it’s disappointing that there are so few categories for items in Canada VS the U.S.A.