I have recently been considering buying a handheld GPS receiver. The cheapest price I can find in the UK is £379.00+postage. However the same unit bought in Canada costs around CD$529 (around £235). I am not sure if this price includes GST and PST but it's still at least £100 cheaper in Canada. Why do we have to pay so much for everything in the UK.

Is this a typical price difference or does it depend on what the goods are?

I think I will keep hold of my pennies I get one from Canada when we move out there. Medicals done in Feb so just waiting now

Mark

If you search for Prices in the forum search you'll find several comments and some long threads if I remember correctly.

But jist is yes price are varied and some are up and some are down. BUT most Canadian Prices don't included taxes. Depending on province its between 7% and 15%. (if somewhere is higher\lower please correct)

Mind you with all electronics don't buy until you really really need it.

You wouldn't believe how prices may differ between North America and Europe... To the point of insanity where a German BMW manufactured in Dingolfing, GERMANY and then shipped to USA on a boat costs LESS in the USA than at home in Germany right outside the factory!!! When I compared prices and came to that conclusion, I was greatly astonished. And this was when I visited my family in Germany (after a few years in the USA) and we went to the BMW dealer there. We even joked that I should by that 3-series Bimmer in the USA and ship it back to Germany and they still would have ended up saving a few Euros :-) !!!!!

Is that messed up or WHAT???

Oh, and forget the price of gasoline (or petrol as you guys call it):

Less than One Canadian dollar compared to exactly One Euro back in Germany.

Nope this is not unusual.

I bought a new pair of binoculars when I landed here. About 150 quid cheaper than the UK.

Did you go to checkout as if you were going to buy the system to check what taxes were added?

Last month, i was shocked to found out in Vancouver the price of second hand stuff in a flea market (on Terminal Ave.) is higher than the same ones (NEW) in the stores :scared:

Check out Canadian tire. I bought a GPS @ $99.00 + Tax, the same unit is £99.00 in the UK

Same applies to eBay. I've been getting rid of baby equipment, R1 DVDs, books...etc and many times, people have paid more than the goods cost when they were new! It's laziness (and good marketing by eBay!) I suppose - people assume stuff is cheaper on eBay so don't bother to do their research.

Assuming it's the same car, versions for different markets can be structurally different to comply with safety regs. I know this from when my father was working at Jaguar. Also don't forget you have to include VAT, and import duty on any vehicle brought back imported.

Quite a few things are a real deal when you converted the £ to Canadian $! The problem is coming from CDN $ to the £.... OUCH!!

When we went back to Scotland last October, the exchange was a wee bit better for me than a couple years before, but still costly in exchange. I was really surprised when checking out a new card for my digital camera. Even with the exchange, I saved myself at least $45. CDN on the purchase. Perhaps because electronics, etc., are at a more advanced level than on this side of the pond.

Cheers!

Oggy