Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple Canadian Prices - changing anytime soon?

O

ontpaintballer

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 8, 2007
6
0
With the Canadian dollar trading just above $1.045 US does any one see Apple lowering its currently Canadian prices?

Here are a few Comparison

CND US
Shuffle $89 $79
mac mini $649 $599
Imac $1299 $1199

Now leopard was just released and its selling for par @ $129 in the US and in Canada so my question is does any one see Apple reconfiguring their current Canadian prices to at least par with the US prices? or are we going to have to wait for product updates before we get a price update.
 
In following products from Apple Canada since 1984, I have never seen prices lowered except when a product was updated. I have seen them increased, mind you.

So, bottom line for Apple Canada customors: if an update is expected soon, wait for it, because you will get much more for your money!
 
ontpaintballer said:
With the Canadian dollar trading just above $1.045 US does any one see Apple lowering its currently Canadian prices?
[...] are we going to have to wait for product updates before we get a price update.
Click to expand...

That's usually when prices change (product updates, such as Leopard).
 
ontpaintballer said:
With the Canadian dollar trading just above $1.045 US does any one see Apple lowering its currently Canadian prices?
Click to expand...

Eventually, assuming the Canadian government doesn't rush in to devalue the Canadian dollar (which is always the favored form of tax increase among politicians). Out of curiosity, what have book stores done about the higher Canadian prices printed on all the books?
 
MacinDoc said:
In following products from Apple Canada since 1984, I have never seen prices lowered except when a product was updated. I have seen them increased, mind you.

So, bottom line for Apple Canada customors: if an update is expected soon, wait for it, because you will get much more for your money!
Click to expand...

iPod occasionally have both an update and a drop in price, at least in the US. I would assume it's the same elsewhere and in Canada too. Otherwise you will end up with > $500 iPods, if the prices were never dropped.
 
Hmm well why don't you try to recall what prices were in 2002 when the CAD hit a low point of 61 US cents? If you see that over the years prices have steadily come down to more appropriate levels with each new update over the years since the CAD has been soaring then that would give you a clue as to what Apple might do in the future.

My guess is that if...well say Apple updates a big number of things in January...and the CAD stays between 1.05 and 1.10 at that time, you will see prices about 5% higher which should be negligible if say a year ago prices were 20% higher with a .80 CAD. I think you will only see lower Canadian prices relative to the US if the CAD moves beyond 1.10.

Of course the downside of floating currencies is that once the dollar begins to rise again (probably in very long time) then you will see your prices increase again...but I wouldn't worry about it in the short or medium term as the US Fed will likely further drop interest rates again which will plunge the dollar even more, and the US economy is headed toward a recession because of the housing bubble popping. The weak dollar is here to stay for at least a few more years and foreigners will benefit :)
 
ontpaintballer said:
With the Canadian dollar trading just above $1.045 US does any one see Apple lowering its currently Canadian prices?

Here are a few Comparison

CND US
Shuffle $89 $79
mac mini $649 $599
Imac $1299 $1199

Now leopard was just released and its selling for par @ $129 in the US and in Canada so my question is does any one see Apple reconfiguring their current Canadian prices to at least par with the US prices? or are we going to have to wait for product updates before we get a price update.
Click to expand...

As others have said, Apple tends to only adjust their prices (when its in the customer's favour) when products get updated or refreshed. I would always expect a 5-10% premium for Canadian prices simply from the extra costs of doing business here and the smaller market. If you want a product that has not been refreshed recently, get it in the US, otherwise the price should be fairly close. If you really see an outrageous price difference, look at .Mac: US99 in the States and US145 here. What is really strange is that you can buy it on eBay for US90 with 0 shipping since its just a serial number. Shop where its cheapest.
 
yea, i'm from canada too and been kinda pissed about the drastic price difference. however, i noticed that either best buy or future shop started selling ipods at the same price as american ipods. also.. i just bought a macbook pro last week and called up the apple online store and talked to the guy for awhile adn asked him about the price difference, and after a bit he said that he could give me a $120 discount. if you are thinking about buying a apple computer soon... its always worth a try!
 
emptyCup said:
Eventually, assuming the Canadian government doesn't rush in to devalue the Canadian dollar (which is always the favored form of tax increase among politicians). Out of curiosity, what have book stores done about the higher Canadian prices printed on all the books?
Click to expand...

Honestly I don't see the US dollar closing the gap any time soon. And just so you know I've heard report of most major Canadian retailer (books stores included) lowering prices to match the less expensive American counterparts, even car dealerships prices will be coming down soon.

I think Apple being in the fast moving and ever changing technology industry would make them among the first companies to be changing prices, and although I did have a gut feeling that nothing would be done until product updates I thought maybe just maybe we might see a price drop before then.

To my surprised we didn't see todays quiet products update to the Macbooks close the gap on the price differences.
 
I notice in today's updated MacBook line, the price differential between US and Cdn is only $50 more for Cdn. That's not too bad. The old Mac Pro is still $300 more in Canada.
 
emptyCup said:
Eventually, assuming the Canadian government doesn't rush in to devalue the Canadian dollar (which is always the favored form of tax increase among politicians). Out of curiosity, what have book stores done about the higher Canadian prices printed on all the books?
Click to expand...

Most stores are "swallowing" the difference (i.e. just pocketing the extra money and hoping nobody notices). With the growing revolt some have been sticking discount stickers on the books.

Honestly the Canadian government doesn't want the dollar where it is (a 30% or more increase against your largest trading partner in 18 months is *not* good for your exporters), but the difference between the two economies is now great enough, and the drop of the US dollar so precipitous that they can't do anything about it -- they're worried enough about inflation that they're having to increase or hold interest rates while watching our neighbours to the south slash them.

So we're stuck for a while.

On topic, I was hoping todays refresh would sort things out a bit on MacBooks, but I see there's still a $200 difference between the Canadian and US prices :(

The Leopard pricing structure gives me hope. though -- Apple knows it will have to do something. Too much of the Canadian population lives close enough to the border that we can just pop across and pick it up at US prices.
 
I know the Canadian government is taking action to ensure retailers put a price drop to reflect the surge of the rising dollar, and large retailers such as Walmart, BestBuy, Indigo, etc. have already reflected US prices just few days ago. Others will follow as well.

I think the Canadian Apple store prices will change very soon to match the US prices. I predict it will happen around November 22nd to early December in time for the Christmas holidays. I've been planning to buy a mac since the new iMac came out and I am waiting around that time. If Apple haven't changed the prices this year, then I don't mind driving south to the nearest Apple store.
 
Just checked again

I just checked both the US and Canadian educational stores again.
Fimo, you are absolutely right. Either Apple updated them again this morning or I'm losing my marbles.
Macbook white 2.2:
$1199 US @ US educational
$1349 Cdn @ Cdn educational or $1422 US @ Cdn educational
That's a difference of $223 US.
 
As someone else mentioned, some retailers in Canada are selling books and magazines now for the US quoted price, so that's something.

I believe that Apple sells their products for what the market will bear. Canadians have historically shown that we'll pay the sticker price for Apple equipment and until that changes, I don't believe prices will change.

We get hosed for gas but we still buy it, we pay more for Apple products, and yet we still buy them.

Unless we stop buying them, the prices won't go down in my opinion. And I for one am not planning on stopping buying either gas or Apple gear.

I did talk to an Apple representative at a Mac user group meeting a few weeks ago and he said that Apple was aware of the difference and of how Canadians felt they were getting a raw deal. He said they're looking into the price difference and may make some adjustments. But of course, being from Apple, no commitments and no promises were made. He just said they were aware of it.

Cheers.
 
Just a little tidbit... If you're in the market for a new Ipod.. DONT buy it from Apple.ca... This is gonna hurt saying this but, BUY IT FROM FUTURE SHOP or BEST BUY! It looks like they are updating their prices.

I just checked their website, and both list the 8gb Nano for 200$ (same as US vs 220$ on apple.ca) without any indication of a sale going on. The 4gb nano is at 160$ (Apple.com: 150$, Apple.ca: 170$)

There is only a 10$ difference on the 80gb classic as well. The rest are still closer to the apple.ca prices...

...but its a start!
 
carlop said:
Just a little tidbit... If you're in the market for a new Ipod.. DONT buy it from Apple.ca... This is gonna hurt saying this but, BUY IT FROM FUTURE SHOP or BEST BUY! It looks like they are updating their prices.
Click to expand...

I had wondered how that pricing would come into play with the government direction to adjust prices --or else--

I'll bet Best Buy has been itching for an excuse to undercut the Apple prices for a while -- and if Apple complains they're breaking the pricing structure they can shrug their shoulders, point in the direction of Ottawa, and say "we were under orders, sorry".

Good. Let's hope its the start of a trend.
 
stcanard said:
I had wondered how that pricing would come into play with the government direction to adjust prices --or else--

I'll bet Best Buy has been itching for an excuse to undercut the Apple prices for a while -- and if Apple complains they're breaking the pricing structure they can shrug their shoulders, point in the direction of Ottawa, and say "we were under orders, sorry".

Good. Let's hope its the start of a trend.
Click to expand...

Undercut or not, I don't give a crap.. I'm heading out the door to buy myself my first ipod... for 20$ less! :D
 
I doubt it, there seems to be very little pressure form our Federal Gov't on this issue and even less from consumer advocacy groups. If you live near the border, you can always just purchase one from the states. (I might do this on my next laptop purchase)
 
vanmacguy said:
I believe that Apple sells their products for what the market will bear. Canadians have historically shown that we'll pay the sticker price for Apple equipment and until that changes, I don't believe prices will change.
Click to expand...

True perhaps, but I just compared the Mighty Mouse and Keyboard prices and they are the same as US, it does not add up?? Why some and not all?? Of course Leopard is priced the same as well!
 
No logic to Canadian-US pricing

I was just pricing a 17" MacBook Pro. The U.S. Apple store priced it at US$3049 (including some extras), which is now equal to about $2866 Canadian. The Canadian Apple store priced it at $3399. Difference of $533, or 18.5%. I called the Apple line to bitch, got told that "Canadian pricing hasn't changed, and it has always been different, just like Italy or England have their own pricing."
I replied that I didn't consider that a satisfactory answer. I also pointed out that Apple Canada doesn't even maintain their own inventory, so you can't blame it on that.
"Yes, they do," he replied.
"Where?" I asked.
"I can't tell you," he answered.
"Well, anything I've ever ordered was shipped from the Texas warehouse," I said. "Besides, I've been the publisher of a magazine that has the largest readership of Mac-based creative professionals in Canada, and I know lots of people at Apple Canada headquarters in Markham, and they've told me that no inventory is kept here except demo units."
"They're wrong," he said.
I decided to drop that line of discussion.
"In any event," I continued, "you're saying that Canadian prices are higher because that's the way it is. But if I order from the U.S. Apple store, I can save over $500."
"But they aren't allowed to ship orders to Canada," he replied.
"Oh, I see," I replied. "So I guess what I'll have to do is buy it in the U.S. next time I'm down there."
"Yes," he said.
At which point, I gave up.
However, he did say at one point in the conversation that if I told him it was a business purchase, he could give me a 5% discount.
So I guess the best we Canadians can do is buy our Macs as "business" customers. But don't expect Apple to honour the exchange rate.
 
stcanard said:
The Leopard pricing structure gives me hope. though -- Apple knows it will have to do something. Too much of the Canadian population lives close enough to the border that we can just pop across and pick it up at US prices.
Click to expand...

This is exactly what I had the opportunity to do this past weekend when I was in Charlotte, NC for a conference. I came down with 7 other delegates, all 7 were women. We had some free time - they wanted to go shopping. I got dragged into a relatively upscale mall, and was suffering until I discovered the Apple store :D Bought Leopard on the spot.

It's running well (if a bit slow) on my 12" Powerbook G4 with 512 MB.
 
Apple's viewpoint

As a Canadian, I too wish the prices would reflect the exchange rate.

But Apple is an American company that states its revenues and profits in American dollars. The American dollar is falling against any number of currencies - including Canada's. That endangers Apple's revenues in foreign countries.

Apple has 2 choices - it can lower prices in other countries to reflect the devalued US Dollar or it can maintain existing prices. This is strictly an economic decision. If it lowers the price, it may increase unit sales but its margins will drop. If it maintains the existing prices, it will likely continue to sell the same number while maintaining current margins. That is unless consumers object so strongly to Apple not reducing the price that they stop buying out of principle. (But we were prepared to pay these prices before, so why not now?)

Apple likely does bottom line scenarios and decides which strategy is best for its profits and its shareholders. Apple is a company, not a church.

It will lower its prices in Canada when that is in its best interest. Not before.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back