Don’t be a patsy: boycott rip-off books, publishers
Cats: Canada, culture|This typist is calling for a boycott of bookstores and publishers that are ripping off the Canadian book-buying public by failing to adjust prices to reflect current exchange rates.
On the weekend, I slammed down a computer book and walked out of a Chapters bookstore to protest the differential. With the Canadian dollar worth $1.02 US dollars, Chapters was charging $31.99 CDN. The US price was $24.99.
When asked why the book was not “stickered” with a lower price, the dyspeptic and disinterested youth working the section replied “you have to pay the old prices on old books.”
Oh no you don’t. That is a scam cooked up by the industry. You can’t back-charge to make up for currency fluctuations. That’s why currency speculators win sometimes and lose other times.
Canadian book-buyers should be paying less than the US price, not more.
The local independent bookstore I frequent has been stickering books for weeks with prices that accurately reflect the exchange. If they can do it, why can’t the big guys?
It’s time to take action. Don’t be a patsy. Boycott bookstores and books with prices that do not reflect the true exchange.
October 22nd, 2007 at 5:18 am
Exactly, shouldn’t they be promoting buying Canadian? Who says we don’t want to be Americans, at least some of the time?
October 22nd, 2007 at 7:09 am
I just checked amazon.com vs. amazon.ca and got $10.40USD vs. $10.95CDN, so I’m not sure what’s going on there…maybe just a bit slower?
Go easy on the oik cashiers GT.
October 22nd, 2007 at 11:34 am
Dick, it’s spotty for sure. In other parts of the store, books were stickered as though the CDN$ was worth .90 US. And other stores have adjusted the prices for par. I wasn’t rude but feel its my duty to make the point that it is unacceptable to charge as though the CDN $ is worth .75. The oiks, as you call them, will report the complain up the food chain of oiks and the message will be received.
Dale, it’s not the Americans who are to blame, it’s canadian booksellers… and Cdn car sellers and Cdn retailers…
October 23rd, 2007 at 11:54 am
I understood the post my Gifted Typist. I just meant, we want American prices. Sometimes I don’t talk good.
October 23rd, 2007 at 12:49 pm
You.Talk.Pretty.Some.Day.Dale.
And yes, we want US prices. I didn’t want our US friends to think we were dumping all the blame on them.
October 24th, 2007 at 3:38 am
If the Nova Scotia Liquor Commission can do it why can’t Chapters, etc. do it???
YAY!! Cheaper beer for the WS game tonight!!
Go SOX!!
October 25th, 2007 at 5:59 pm
The LC is dropping booze prices? How did I miss that. What am I doing on the computer. I should be drinking…
PS isn’t it the RS game?
October 26th, 2007 at 3:17 am
Correct, Red Sox playing in the World Series
go SOX!!
October 26th, 2007 at 3:19 am
YAM, Sorry I mistook your WS abbreviation. You meant world series. I thought you mean White Sox game….