Canada vs. U.S. pricing: Why we often pay more (CBC Marketplace)
718,878
Published 2014-09-08
"I'm afraid we're being gouged." Marketplace hits the road putting prices to the test in Canada and the U.S. checking in on products at some of the largest retailers. It’s no surprise that Canadians pay more than our friends south of the border for some items, including how we're being shut out of cheaper US car prices. You’ll never believe what we find on our cross border shop-a-thon.
More from CBC Marketplace, Canada's top consumer affairs show:
Watch episodes online at cbc.ca/marketplace
Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/cbcmarketplace
Talk to us on Twitter: twitter.com/cbcmarketplace
Follow our hosts @cbctom and @cbcerica
All Comments (21)
-
The world needs more of this high quality journalism. Thank you CBC.
-
Ha, remember when Canadian Dollars used to be close to the U.S. Dollars and when Target was in business in Canada?
-
There they forgot to mention that there is a huge tax difference between the US and canada as well as numerous more laws/regulations which increase the price of the products that are eventually sold in canada.
-
Lol I always wondered why the prices on magazines would say: U.S. $4.99 Canada: $12.99 😔
-
Had to pause when they said target was well known for their low prices...bish everything at target is overpriced. And their food selection is pitiful as hell
-
I took a overnight trip to Vancouver from Washington once and was pretty appalled by how much more expensive everything was. While being detained at the border for an hour I also learned about how many Canadians go to the US to buy groceries and stuff.
-
American Target Motto: Expect More, Pay Less! Canadian Target Motto: Expect Less, Pay More!
-
I can tell you that even after 8 years, there's still a huge price difference between the 2 countries
-
Answer: the VAT tax, the USA doesn't have a 20% tax on all production stages of the product, you only have a one time 10% tax at the point of sale.
-
You sent a guy to the US when you can just compare Walmart.com and .ca?
-
I was engaged to an American and when he came over here to Ontario Canada he was shocked and calls my city the California of Canada because of just how expensive it was in comparison to things in his area of Philadelphia PA.
-
This is kind of hard to compare. Bellingham is in the western part of the US under Vancouver while Toronto is on the East coast area. This research would have been better if they compared Bellingham to Vancouver and Toronto to New York because transportation and city taxes is added based on the city plays a big factor.
-
Don't ever buy a new car. Buy a certified used car. New cars are the biggest ripoff ever.
-
Thanks big government, taxes, heavy regulations, and state bureaucracy.
-
We are a family of 3 looking for air tickets to Halifax, Nova Scotia in August 2016 Vancouver to Halifax: $890 per person with taxes inclusive Seattle to Halifax: $596 per person with taxes included We had to fly out of our country to fly back in at a cheaper price! We also had to spend 2 nights in a hotel in Seattle and pay for park and fly and factor in our gas going and coming from home and it was still worth it
-
Why are you comparing Bellingham with Toronto? You need to compare Bellingham with Vancouver.
-
We see a variety of pricing across targets stores in low Angeles California. In the SF valley target brand sunblock was $6.99 when we went to a Santa Monica target for the same product it was $8.00
-
Prices vary in the states from location to location. I go to the next city over because everything is cheaper.
-
The taxes are more there during every stage of retail from importing to shipping to retail. You have to pay for the free healthcare somehow.
-
This is making me laugh so hard, I'm American and I thought things were expensive here, I guess to others that's cheap apparently.. 😂😂😂😂
