Community Chat

[terrier3]

On 1/16/2015 Lilysmom said:

Interesting comments. Having regularly shopped both sides of the border, the US and Canadian stores were a different experience. A few months after they had opened in Canada, the CEO was publicly apologizing for the dreadful launch of Target in Canada. They went out of their way to apologize in the hopes of turning things around. There was no stock in stores, empty shelves, for many weeks. Sadly, they never recovered from the misstep. Their stores are empty. Today the news reports that the loss to Target for entry in the Canadian market is $7 billion.

I don't know the number, but they opened many many stores at once. The ones they occupied locally they renovated for almost a year. There are no winners in this story unfortunately and other U.S. retailers are taking it much more slowly, one or two stores at a time. I believe the person behind the Canadian strategy has been fired.

The former CEO was let go.

Weren't these converted Zellers stores? So they had a big reputation to fill...

BTW - I love to save up and shop and dine in T.O.!!!

We are great friends - the USA and Canada!

[Lilysmom]

Just as a PS to the above post, many Canadian cross border shoppers buy US currency when the exchange is favorable and bank it. Then they use it without paying high exchange when the $ tanks so currency fluctuations to smart shoppers are not the deterrent some might think. That's it for my cross border trivia lol!

[terrier3]

On 1/16/2015 Lilysmom said:

Just as a PS to the above post, many Canadian cross border shoppers buy US currency when the exchange is favorable and bank it. Then they use it without paying high exchange when the $ tanks so currency fluctuations to smart shoppers are not the deterrent some might think. That's it for my cross border trivia lol!

I am wishing a Canadian Target shopper would bring me a bag of Ketchup potato chips - but it hasn't happened yet!

Is it true that vitamins are also less expensive in Canada? I pass out vitamin coupons and the Canadian shoppers they they buy their vitamins north of the border.

[Marienkaefer2]

In our area, our retail sector is supported by Canadians. On any given day, you will see as many if not more Canadian plates in a parking lot than WA ones. They unpack.their merchandise in the store parking lots and leave the boxes and packing materials there. I don't know what they pay when they cross the border, but they don't pay our sales taxes, and the Canadian dollar is a little stronger. It's not just Target. They have Costco, Wal-Mart,, etc., right over the border.from us, but they shop here.

[terrier3]

On 1/16/2015 Marienkaefer2 said: In our area, our retail sector is supported by Canadians. On any given day, you will see as many if not more Canadian plates in a parking lot than WA ones. They unpack.their merchandise in the store parking lots and leave the boxes and packing materials there. I don't know what they pay when they cross the border, but they don't pay our sales taxes, and the Canadian dollar is a little stronger. It's not just Target. They have Costco, Wal-Mart,, etc., right over the border.from us, but they shop here.

In Niagara Falls USA and Buffalo, Goodwill has placed collection trucks where they can drop off their old clothes.

[Lilysmom]

Terrier, what a hoot!!! Don't they make ketchup potato chips in the US? I would certainly bring a bag to Maine, New Hampshore or Florida if I could find you!

What I really miss when I'm in the US is Smarties and Tim Horton's. Tim Horton's is a cult here. There is one on every corner. I'm not so bad now that I am retired but I was a there a lot when I worked!

[ivanatrump]

On 1/16/2015 straykatz said:

On 1/16/2015 brii said:

So they're coming to the USA to shop? Interesting.

Cross border shopping has been going on for decades!...it's especially lucarative right now because the Canadian dollar is worth more than the American so more bang for their buck....for example...I recently wired my daughter 300 bucks and she received 335 Canadian.

Doesn't that mean the US dollar is worth more than the Canadian dollar?

[terrier3]

On 1/16/2015 ivanatrump said:

On 1/16/2015 straykatz said:

On 1/16/2015 brii said:

So they're coming to the USA to shop? Interesting.

Cross border shopping has been going on for decades!...it's especially lucarative right now because the Canadian dollar is worth more than the American so more bang for their buck....for example...I recently wired my daughter 300 bucks and she received 335 Canadian.

Doesn't that mean the US dollar is worth more than the Canadian dollar?

The Canadian dollar is actually very low now.

But like Lilysmom said, true Canadian shoppers converted their currency when the loonie was higher.

[terrier3]

On 1/16/2015 Lilysmom said:

Terrier, what a hoot!!! Don't they make ketchup potato chips in the US? I would certainly bring a bag to Maine, New Hampshore or Florida if I could find you!

What I really miss when I'm in the US is Smarties and Tim Horton's. Tim Horton's is a cult here. There is one on every corner. I'm not so bad now that I am retired but I was a there a lot when I worked!

Have you been to Western NY? Timmie Hos are EVERYWHERE here too! I sold them TV advertising for 20 years and collect the holiday mugs...both the USA and Canadian versions. My son is dual and works in T.O. several times a year...he always gets me ketchup chips and Tim's mugs.

No, they don't make ketchup chips here. I stock up when I go over the border.

[Marienkaefer2]

On 1/16/2015 terrier3 said:

On 1/16/2015 Marienkaefer2 said: In our area, our retail sector is supported by Canadians. On any given day, you will see as many if not more Canadian plates in a parking lot than WA ones. They unpack.their merchandise in the store parking lots and leave the boxes and packing materials there. I don't know what they pay when they cross the border, but they don't pay our sales taxes, and the Canadian dollar is a little stronger. It's not just Target. They have Costco, Wal-Mart,, etc., right over the border.from us, but they shop here.

In Niagara Falls USA and Buffalo, Goodwill has placed collection trucks where they can drop off their old clothes.

That's funny. Maybe they should do that here too. It's really funny to see people in the BBB parking lot unpacking blenders, toaster ovens, etc. And in Costco, they buy cartloads of milk. I guess milk is expensive up there.