Will Apple fix Canadian prices!?

[LeKiD]

Now that the Canadian looney is worth more than the american dollar, what will Apple wait for to drop it's canadian prices? It used to be ok to charge us more when the value of the canadian money was worth less but now, are we going to see a price change soon?

 

[suneohair]

And what if it falls back down? Price increase? It is just better not to play that game. Don't expect a price drop.

 

[jonnylink]

Now that the Canadian looney is worth more than the American dollar, what will Apple wait for to drop it's canadian prices? It used to be ok to charge us more when the value of the Canadian money was worth less but now, are we going to see a price change soon?

That depends. If the people who know about these things at Apple feel like this is a long term situation the price may drop a bit. Don't expect prices lower than USD though. First of all CAD is *barely* worth more ($1 USD = $0.99970009 CAD) so I don't see why you'd emphasize that and also there is an added expense to doing business in another country.

If you look at the rest of world prices, an Apple computer is almost always cheaper in the US. In fact it is only cheaper in other countries when the value of a currency takes a huge hit. Part of the pricing tries to account for the fluctuation of a currency's worth.

At anyrate, it has been said in other threads before that Apple appears to only adjust prices when the US prices is adjusted or after an update to a product. So, that would be my guess for when it happens if it happens.

 

[scienide09]

Your best option, if you're planning to buy, is to call Apple and talk to them about the price discrepancy. If Apple is willing to match dollar for dollar, then customer care should be able to help.

 

[koobcamuk]

Now that the Canadian looney is worth more than the american dollar, what will Apple wait for to drop it's canadian prices? It used to be ok to charge us more when the value of the canadian money was worth less but now, are we going to see a price change soon?

Come over to England and try and buy one. Apple seem to forget about an exchange rate and just swap $ for £.

 

[amoda]

We just had this discussion in my business in global context course yesterday. According to the prof what's stopping them (all businesses, not just Apple) is that they have no reason to change the prices. People are still buying goods at the same rate, why bother decreasing prices? So unless the consumers stop buying the products or buy them online from the US the local businesses have no reason to drop prices.

People will say things like "oh it just takes time" but the matter of fact is that the Canadian dollar has been increased steadily for ~18-months. Yet not a single good has been re-priced, not even a one cent drop, in this time.

 

[skwij]

I'm seriously considering a border run....

 

[Kamera RAWr]

Why should Apple lower their prices for what may be only a temporary fluctuation in the currency? It may make sense to show loyalty to Apple users and users to be in Canada... but that is unlikely to me, in the near future anyway.

 

[Duff-Man]

Duff-Man says...they do check and adjust prices, usually when the product is refreshed by sometimes it just happens too - for instance the new iLife and iWork are the same price here as in the USA....oh yeah!

 

[fallow]

Why should Apple lower their prices for what may be only a temporary fluctuation in the currency?

As noted, this 'temporary fluctuation' has been in the works for a couple years. The price discrepancies made sense when 1USD=0.63CAD, but thats isn't the case anymore.

I work in film accounting, and this is causing all sorts of issues. Our production is being financed out of the UK and the US--and suddenly we're losing millions of dollars to conversion between now and when the budget was written a few weeks ago.

Its a reality. The dollar is on par. Fix the prices.

 

[djlu]

For itunes, I don't think it will happen because Apple probably is still contracturally obligated to pay the music companies a fixed canadian amount and if Apple lowered the prices it might be below what they have to pay the music companies.

As for computers and other hardware I think they should lower the prices.

djl

 

[bigbird]

I phoned Apple Education Sales today in hopes of getting a refurbed MP 3.0 Ghz at the US price of $2799 instead of the Cdn price of $3049. I had read here that someone in Canada had complained about the price discrepancy and after 5 minutes the sales rep relented and gave him the US price. Well, the rep said that they had a meeting just this morning about this very issue and they were told that the posted Cdn price is non-negotiable and is the "market" price for Canada. If he had given me the US price I would have bought it on the spot. Back to waiting for the next Mac Pro.

 

[emac kinda guy]

Will Apple fix Canadian prices!?

Did you offer to pay in US$? I think the best way to avoid paying too much is do the currency conversion yourself.

 

[bigbird]

Did you offer to pay in US$? I think the best way to avoid paying too much is do the currency conversion yourself.

I offered $2799 in whatever currency he wanted. He said that wasn't the market price in Canada. He was pretty short and to the point with me. I didn't feel I was going anywhere with arguing when he told me the official Apple policy.

 

[vanmacguy]

Why should Apple lower their prices for what may be only a temporary fluctuation in the currency? It may make sense to show loyalty to Apple users and users to be in Canada... but that is unlikely to me, in the near future anyway.

The fluctuation may only be temporary, but the divide has been getting smaller and smaller for months.

Consider .Mac as an example. You can buy .Mac online, no hard goods, no CD's, no manuals. In the US you pay $99 in Canada you pay $139.

That's 40% more for absolutely no difference.

It used to be easier to justify when our dollar was worth .85 USD but come on now!

 

[flopticalcube]

Just be glad you are not buying a new car. What next? No Apple stores near the border are going to be allowed to sell to Canadians?

To be fair to Apple, when they do adjust prices at product refreshes, they tend to level out. I expect Leopard to be sold for CAD$129 (assuming the exchange rate holds for the next month). Some of their other prices are not too out of line and could be expected for a US company doing business in a foreign country. iMacs are 6-8% more expensive, for example.

 

[IJ Reilly]

No, because they aren't broken.

Prices are set in the market where goods are sold, not where they are manufactured. Apple will only lower prices for their products in Canada if and when they become relatively more expensive than the competition's products.

 

[flopticalcube]

No, because they aren't broken.

Prices are set in the market where goods are sold, not where they are manufactured. Apple will only lower prices for their products in Canada if and when they become relatively more expensive than the competition's products.

Unfortunately, Apple's competitors don't follow your logic. Dell prices are much closer to par than Apple's.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Unfortunately, Apple's competitors don't follow your logic. Dell prices are much closer to par than Apple's.

Dell re-prices constantly in the US and presumably elsewhere, but the fact of the matter remains: prices are set in the market where the goods are sold. If Apple become uncompetitive, then they will lower prices. Not before. This is just how it works.

For example if you check the price of Windows Vista in the US and Canada you'll find it still costs 15% more in Canadian dollars.

 

[flopticalcube]

Dell re-prices constantly in the US and presumably elsewhere, but the fact of the matter remains: prices are set in the market where the goods are sold. If Apple become uncompetitive, then they will lower prices. Not before. This is just how it works.

But if Dell reprices constantly and manages to keep prices fairly close to the exchange rate, why can't Apple? Or is it that Apple considers its products are not in competition with Dell's and can therefore charge "market" rate. The same logic is used by the car dealers in Canada. They charge what the market will support but thousands of people are going across the border to buy their cars and the dealers and manufacturers try restrictive measures to stem the tide. Surely the market would simply dictate lower car prices. I guess some businesses would rather go out of business (or lose business) than lose profit margin.

 

[Dybbuk]

I do think the prices need to be adjusted. However, they should not be even. Everyone needs to understand the extra expenses involved in operating in Canada.

(FYI, I'm Canadian and I just bought a MacBook IN Canada and it sucks but just deal with it or have someone you know in the US send it to you. Of course, then customs will get your ass and I just paid $25 import fee on a $36 set of speakers. I hate Canada sometimes.)

 

[flopticalcube]

I do think the prices need to be adjusted. However, they should not be even. Everyone needs to understand the extra expenses involved in operating in Canada.

(FYI, I'm Canadian and I just bought a MacBook IN Canada and it sucks but just deal with it or have someone you know in the US send it to you. Of course, then customs will get your ass and I just paid $25 import fee on a $36 set of speakers. I hate Canada sometimes.)

That's nothing. I paid $50 brokerage fee to have a camera that I sent off to be repaired returned to me. To top it off, the manufacturer charged me $50 shipping and handling because I was 40 miles north of the border. If I lived in Anchorage or Honolulu I would have paid $0.

 

[Dybbuk]

That's nothing. I paid $50 brokerage fee to have a camera that I sent off to be repaired returned to me. To top it off, the manufacturer charged me $50 shipping and handling because I was 40 miles north of the border. If I lived in Anchorage or Honolulu I would have paid $0.

The postal system might be the one thing I truly hate about this country.

 

[jonnylink]

But if Dell reprices constantly and manages to keep prices fairly close to the exchange rate, why can't Apple?

I have no clue what Dell does, but it is not practical to change the price of a product based on fluctuations in currency. I mean, people had a hissyfit when Apple lowered the price of the iPhone, what would happen when people find out that the exact same computer they bought yesterday just got cheaper? Would Apple be expected to constantly send out credits?

From a business stand point you want to adjust prices as little as possible. That is what Apple is doing.

 

[flopticalcube]

I have no clue what Dell does, but it is not practical to change the price of a product based on fluctuations in currency. I mean, people had a hissyfit when Apple lowered the price of the iPhone, what would happen when people find out that the exact same computer they bought yesterday just got cheaper? Would Apple be expected to constantly send out credits?

From a business stand point you want to adjust prices as little as possible. That is what Apple is doing.

I have no problem with Apple's policy, I was replying to IJ Reilly who says Apple just charges the "market" rate. I think Apple Canada's policy of upgrading their prices at product updates is reasonable although some of there prices really need to be adjusted. Many manufacturers have been caught out by the speed of the fall in the US dollar.