XPost: rec.travel.usa-canada, ab.general, can.general   
   XPost: van.general, edm.general   
   From: NedKelly@usenetexchange.com   
      
   On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 15:05:11 -0600, John Fleming  wrote:   
   >On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 12:18:38 GMT, while chained to a desk in   
   >the scriptorium "Canuck57"    
   >wrote:   
   >> $"John Fleming"  wrote in message   
   >> $news:dqh7i3tpasn3o6gfqk766le9oa4pios9c5@4ax.com...   
   >   
   >> $> Let's face it.  If the gas is costing you $100 for the round   
   >> $> trip, it doesn't make sense to travel to the US to save $50   
   >> $> on a $200 DVD player.   
   >> $   
   >> $Fill up while in the US.  Their gasoline isn't taxed as much.   
   >   
   >Sure.  That cuts your "shipping costs" a bit.   
   >   
   >> $> Now if you are buying an entire surround sound home   
   >> $> entertainment system, that's another matter.  Anyway, with a   
   >> $> lot of electronics being produced in Japan, don't expect low   
   >> $> prices in the US to stay low if they are importing the stuff   
   >> $> with forex involving a more expensive Yen.   
   >> $   
   >> $Quite true.  If not North American made, or at least assembled their may   
   >> $also be duty.  But say duty was 6%, you will likely still save.  Might want   
   >> $to take advantage of the short term dip that has expanded this margin.    
   Plus   
   >> $I can never remember electronics costing more in the US, even with current   
   >> $currency variations at play.   
   >> $   
   >> $I also don't know, but do states like Michigan, NY, Ohio etc. refund or   
   >> $exempt foreign shoppers from local sales taxes.  In Montana I don't worry   
   >> $about it.   
   >   
   >Sales tax exemptions/redemptions might make things a bit   
   >more attractive to someone living close to the border.  But   
   >for a one day trip you only get something like, IIRC a duty   
   >exemption on the first $50 in purchases when you make a one   
   >day shopping trip to the US.   
      
   >So if you are going to slip across the border on a shopping   
   >trip, you have to factor all these additional costs into the   
   >price paid for goods.   
      
      
   Careful shoppers will arrange for at least 2 days in the USa, which gives $200   
   per person duty free.   
      
   For a week, one gets $750 per person duty free, with food items duty free as   
   well.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)