Canadian Dollar

[ve6wtf]

When you guys are selling your ham radio gear do you treat our canadian dollar at par or no? I was just curious as to weather or not it really mattered in the world of swap and shop on QRZ


Just was flipping through the classifieds and this question popped into my head. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[n0iu]

When I list something for sale, the price I want is the price I want in $USD and it is up the the buyer to figure out how to convert their currency into American presidential portraits.

I think the greater issue is that of paying the import duty and taxes. I think this is the reason you will see many ads by US amateurs stating that they will only sell within the US.

73 & Happy New Year!

Scott NØIU

[N4PRT]

Scott, what in the world are you talking about? Import fees and VAT (where applicable) are paid by the buyer. And buying from Canada has no "fees" for US buyers. Please clarify.

Usually those who state "lower 48 only" either don't want to fool with the nuisance of shipping elsewhere, or are the Imperialistic sort that want to confine equipment to good, honest Americans. Blech...

[k3wrv]

Like Scott said.

I don't know what the conversion rate is these days - you guys may be above parity. But remember, there are currency conversion costs, in addition to the factors Scott mentioned. I think in terms of $US in my pocket, just as if I bought something from you, you'd think in terms of Loonies ($Cn) and the Euros think in terms of, well Euros.

Guys in Canada are more tuned into exchange rates, etc. than those of us down here. But I'd want payment in "dead presidents". And if that's a porblem, well, it needs to get figured out from your end, just like if I was buying from you, it would be my problem. But if it's to your benefit to convert, I sure wouldn't hold it against you.

de Bob

[w3dub]

well.. if the canadian fellow has a paypal account.. you can do it through that. Paypal takes care of the money conversion there. Only thing that changes for me is the shipping cost, which if I'm saying something is $xxx shipped i'd expect those out of country to expect to pay some type of premium for the additional shipping costs which are usually like 3 times that of what it is to ship domestically.

[ve2nsm]

Quote[/b] (KB3JGU @ Dec. 30 2007,14:20)]Only thing that changes for me is the shipping cost, which if I'm saying something is $xxx shipped i'd expect those out of country to expect to pay some type of premium for the additional shipping costs which are usually like 3 times that of what it is to ship domestically.
I don't know about that, if you're in Seattle, I guess it's cheaper to ship to Vancouver than to ship to Miami... but then again I way be wrong.

[n4bfd]

I'll sell to anyone as long as they pay the asking price and are willing to pay for shipping.

It is no big deal to ship anywhere in the world if the other person is willing to pay for it. Taxes, fees, fines or whatever are handled on the other end anyway.

[k7mh]

Quote[/b] ]When you guys are selling your ham radio gear do you treat our Canadian dollar at par or no?

So you are planning to pay a US seller with Canadian money??
That isn't going to work well!
If that was the case one would have to consider the exchange rate plus a percentage as a penalty for the nuisance of it.

Even my 10 yr old grand daughter has a grasp of it. When I give her my change for her piggy bank, if there is a Canadian penny or dime in there she says "Poppa, that's a lady coin, it's not any good."

Quote[/b] ]It is no big deal to ship anywhere in the world if the other person is willing to pay for it.
Some things I will ship overseas, some not. It can be a real headache if there are insurance issues or the receiver of the item claims there is a problem with it or wants to return it etc. It can be very difficult to communicate when there is a language barrier. This is all not such a problem with Canadians though.
Quote[/b] ]I don't know about that, if you're in Seattle, I guess it's cheaper to ship to Vancouver than to ship to Miami... but then again I way be wrong.
And you are. A 4 pound box to CT from here (Seattle) is $13.45 for priority mail, (it cannot go first class). To Canada, anywhere in Canada, it can go first class for $15.86 or priority mail for $19.90.

[ve2nsm]

Quote[/b] (k7mh @ Dec. 30 2007,14:56)]Quote[/b] ]When you guys are selling your ham radio gear do you treat our Canadian dollar at par or no?

So you are planning to pay a US seller with Canadian money??
That isn't going to work well!
If that was the case one would have to consider the exchange rate plus a percentage as a penalty for the nuisance of it.

Even my 10 yr old grand daughter has a grasp of it. When I give her my change for her piggy bank, if there is a Canadian penny or dime in there she says "Poppa, that's a lady coin, it's not any good."
Typical.
I once had a US customer in Canada that wanted to pay me with US money, since I did not know the exchange and I didn't feel like bothering too much I asked him if he could change it at the bank so he pays me in CDN,
He could only repeat "but it's good money, it's american it''s american, I'm american"... huh, yeah, but you're in Canada soooo.
He finally got pissed and left. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

I'm glad all my banking is made in CDN, especially since last summer http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[k3wrv]

NSM-

I think you're missing a critical point-

In CN, the banks are much more familiar with exchanging currency than there are hr in the US (at least in MD) and give a better exchange rate and much better service. A friend hr once wanted to get a Pound denominated money order to send to a guy in England for $USD 10 and the bank wanted to charge him an additional $15 to make the Brittish money order. Just a fact of life here in the States, unfortunately.

When I go to Cn, I always change my money at CN banks rather than doing it on this side of trhe border. In amny ways, you guys are way ahead of us when it comes to I18n stuff. [EDIT] and I've never had a CN business refuse UDS - tho they may give a really bad exchange reate to cover their costs (Mostly for tolls or hamburgers - no major purchases). Just trying to explain why we're a bit different - You guys have better, more knowledgeable banks than we do!

[ve2nsm]

Quote[/b] (k3wrv @ Dec. 30 2007,15:29)]NSM-

I think you're missing a critical point-

In CN, the banks are much more familiar with exchanging currency than there are hr in the US (at least in MD) and give a better exchange rate and much better service. A friend hr once wanted to get a Pound denominated money order to send to a guy in England for $USD 10 and the bank wanted to charge him an additional $15 to make the Brittish money order. Just a fact of life here in the States, unfortunately.

When I go to Cn, I always change my money at CN banks rather than doing it on this side of trhe border. In amny ways, you guys are way ahead of us when it comes to I18n stuff. [EDIT] and I've never had a CN business refuse UDS - tho they may give a really bad exchange reate to cover their costs (Mostly for tolls or hamburgers - no major purchases). Just trying to explain why we're a bit different - You guys have better, more knowledgeable banks than we do!
What you say makes sense of course, since the US$ was once the only universal currency, or at least the only currency that you can change easily anywhere around the globe (now the Euro is also universally accepted.)

All the businesses in Canada will of course accept US dollar, and most will give you crappy exchange, of course http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
In my case it was not a refusal, but since I had no idea of the exchange, it was a weekend al long time ago, etc...

[n0iu]

Quote[/b] (N4PRT @ Dec. 30 2007,06:14)]Scott, what in the world are you talking about? #Import fees and VAT (where applicable) are paid by the buyer. #And buying from Canada has no "fees" for US buyers. #Please clarify.

Usually those who state "lower 48 only" either don't want to fool with the nuisance of shipping elsewhere, or are the Imperialistic sort that want to confine equipment to good, honest Americans. #Blech...
Well of course the buyer is expected to pay the import duty, taxes and fees. My point was that a Canadian would probably be better off buying from another Canadian so as to avoid paying these additional costs.

Also, I never said anything about shipping within the 48 United States. I only said that there are some who prefer to sell within the United States. And if I want to sell something only within the United States, as the owner of the item, it is my prerogative to sell it to whomever I chose for whatever reason I chose. As far as wanting to confine equipment to good, honest Americans, have you actually met anyone who refused to sell something to someone who wasn't American because they didn't want their stuff in their hands? Most don't want to sell across the borders because it can be, as you say, a nuisance.

I have sold things, not just amateur radio gear, all over the world so I do know a little bit about how these things work.

Scott NØIU

[N2RJ]

I usually sell to USA only, because it is just easier.

However, if someone outside the USA wants to buy something from me, they are responsible for the currency conversion.

Services such as PayPal will use the current exchange rate. Mind you, sites such as xe.com give you the mid market rates, which aren't the "buy" or "sell" rates which are usually different.