April 30, 2012

If you live near the U.S./Canada border, you’ve probably been at least a little curious about how cross-border shopping works. That’s natural! Sometimes you just can’t find your object of desire in local stores, not to mention the Canadian dollar is currently stronger than the American dollar.
For those who want more information about crossing the border to shop in good old USA, we’ve compiled a helpful list of pros and cons:
Pros
- Bigger variety of items & unique products
- Access to U.S.-only stores or stores that have yet to open in Canada (i.e., Target)
- Certain retailers give Canadians a special discount (varies, always ask if unsure)
- Lower sales tax in bordering U.S. states
- Three words: duty free shopping
Cons
- As of June 1, duty free limits will be increasing. You can read the full list of changes here
- Tolls & gas, especially if you live farther from the border, can really add up
- Local Canadian retailers take a significant loss, especially around holidays
- A 2.5% fee for out-of-country purchases is applied to credit cards from most banks
- Border wait times can be excruciatingly long
Experiences in cross-border shipping can vary from positive to negative to anything in-between. It’s best to ask friends, relatives, co-workers and anyone else who has done it firsthand.
Have you ever crossed the U.S. border to shop? Tell us about your experiences!