Understanding US vs Canadian pricing

.22LRGUY

.22LRGUY

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Hey guys-been around the shooting game a while, and with a handful of exceptions...most scopes I've bought have been used. New/used, I've spent anywhere from $50-$1,300 depending on the application, but mostly target shooting and varmint stuff out to 300. Recently, I'm looking to upgrade a scope on a varmint gun and is often the case, I like a little more magnification than less, and, have been looking at a couple of Burris options..specifically, the Fullfield E1 MV 6.5-20x50mm.

I know the world is a wonky place at the best of times and scopes coming OUT of the US will always be priced higher here. Exchange rates, taxes...and likely a handful of other factors I know nothing about. lol Even with that, I'm trying to make sense of the US price I see on the Burris site ($303) and the sell price I've seen on at least one Canadian retailer's site=$720

I certainly don't begrudge a surviving bricks-and-mortar place for charging what they need to and NO, I'm not suggesting they're gouging. However, as is often the case when questioning pros/cons of a certain purchase, I ask myself;

1.if I consider a price to be a little overinflated, what WOULD I consider a fair price to be=then compare. For me/this scope-anything over 2X the US price makes me wonder.
2.a US price of $303-is the scope I'm kind of pining for (and as an upgrade?) actually a "budget scope" to most shooters?
3.if $720 + Ontario tax=$813.60, is there a scope in THAT price range (new OR used) that would be as good/better?

Naturally, I'm coming at this too late in the game...as I've more or less decided in that scope and am not sure I want to try anything else at this point, but what am I not seeing with the pricing? With an $814 budget-anything with SF, great glass, min 18X on the high end, fine reticle=Is there anything you guys would suggest that would be a better scope? I've never looked through this exact model, but do like the Ballistic Plex reticle I've seen in a Burris 3-9X, and I'm not sure I think the 4.5-14 version would feel like enough magnification.

Just a little soul-searching on a Sunday afternoon, but I look forward to any/all input. Thanks!
 
In that price range and that's really not much to work with for a long range scope there are 2 I would suggest.
Sightron S Tac 4 which is SFP with MOA reticle. Nothing fancy and just a good sturdy scope. 4-20X50. $679ish depending on where you find one.
Bushnell Match Pro which is FFP with MIL reticle. Decent glass but not top of the line. 6-24X50. $800.00 so a bit more than you are indicating.
 
I just got a Cabelas Covenant-4 FFP-SF 6-24X50 - it has MOA tree reticle with numbers on hash marks. Under $350 w/tax. They also have a 5-25x56 FFP with Mil-dot for just a bit more. Both are on Sale with over $100 OFF. Tempted to buy the x56 too.
 
Burris, single source distributor for Canada so no competition on pricing. smaller market, so put the prices higher, if they want it they will spend the money method. Look at something from Vortex for your price range. certainly a better value than anything called Bushnell.
 
Canadian low volume distributors pay more than high volume US distributors.
Canadian retailers are often faced with wholesale prices higher than the lowest US retail price.
If you want warranty, you need to buy a legitimate import.
Grey market goods are a bargain, until you run into problems.
Goods directly imported in to Canada, not through the US, may offer better value for dollar.
The cold, hard truth is that Canada is a very small market in the shooting sports world.
 
It's generally illegal to send optics across the border - US Customs are picky about it. Most dealers won't risk it. Easier to buy direct from China - :)
 
I think someone is selling an Arken Sh4 gen2 on CGN, bit overprice, if you can wait probably better to order from their website directly. Most likely it's the best scope for under $1000
 
saskbooknut said:
Canadian low volume distributors pay more than high volume US distributors.
Canadian retailers are often faced with wholesale prices higher than the lowest US retail price.
If you want warranty, you need to buy a legitimate import.
Grey market goods are a bargain, until you run into problems.
Goods directly imported in to Canada, not through the US, may offer better value for dollar.
The cold, hard truth is that Canada is a very small market in the shooting sports world.
Click to expand...
^^^^This pretty much sums it up..
 
Having worked in this industry here in Canada, it was interesting to learn a few things about firearms and optics and their pricing here in Canada:
1) As mentioned above volume of buying has a big impact on the product, and since our population is 10% of that in the US, our distributors that supply to the dealers (your local gun store LGS) will never get the volume discounts that they receive in the US;
2) As mentioned above, the current exchange rate at the time the orders actually come across the border has an impact on the customer. What many do not realize is that the banks typically charge an 5-7% on top of the actual exchange rate listed for their fees on each transaction, adding to the overall variance in CDN vs USD;
3) The US has the Pitman-Robertson tax of approx. 11% on all sporting goods manufactured and/or sold in the US (built into price of the product from the manufacturer or distributor) and if the distributor or dealer ordering direct from the US does not ask for this to be removed from the cost of the product coming to Canada, this adds to the products overall cost;
4) GST - Canada's biggest rip off to the Canadian consumer - originally this tax was only to be charged for the initial purchase of the product. In reality, it is charged on all imports coming into the country to the distributor, charged again when purchased by the dealer from the distributor, and then charged again to the customer when buying from the dealer. This means every product coming into the country is taxed multiple times by the time it gets to you the consumer. This adds to the end price. Most government people will tell you that the GST is claimed and recovered from the gov't, but in reality, you do get to claim it, but the return is a small portion and not the whole amount.
5) Canada also adds another tax on imported goods coming in from other countries around the world (e.g. China - do not recall %at this moment), but this again adds to the price of the product.
6) Buying programs - distributors put on annual buying shows where they offer dealers buying programs as incentives in placing their annual orders. These discounts are based on volume and timing and the dealer's ability to pay for their orders through various payment programs. When customers are looking for products that must be ordered at other times during the year and not through an annual buying program, these special orders add to the cost of the product as it wasn't purchased at a discounted price.
7) Shipping/freight - these costs get incorporated into the final retail price of every product sold by the retailer.

These factors all come into play in the final price you pay for a product here in Canada.
Good planning for your purchases can help save on costs for your product purchases or custom rifle builds. If you talk to the owner of your LGS, you maybe able to determine the best time of year for planning your purchases and or projects, as they can plan on adding to their annual orders and pass these savings on to you. Or if you hadn't planned for this, watching the exchange rates can help you save on costs at other times of the year. Our $ is doing pretty good at this moment!
 
Black Ram, you must have been out of the loop for a while.
You are not right on the GST part. But You are right about the US price has very little to do with out the door price in a Canadian store.

Just a short story, nothing to do with this, Grand daughter's 1992 Carola needs inside door handle, cheap hunk of plastic, no new in Ca. Too old . Buy new car at 40K.
As you can't buy a new one , all the used ones at the wrecker's are gone. So Something I never do, Ebay, one in China 5.oo, 2 for 9.oo, shipping anywhere 9.95 US. I got then in 3 weeks about 20.oo
Another fellow , many years ago wants a new Rem 1100, I think I quoted 700.oo , He is guiding some US goose hunters that he knows, so for 500.oo U.S. they can bring him one up.
This was yrs ago, so no big deal, some duty, exc rate is hi, But he has it ordered , His price in the door 1050.oo Ca.
I really rub that in when I see him at Christmas.
 
Yeah...been 9 years now, and things definitely change all the time...was interesting as I learned those details when working in it back then...the behind the scenes details that the customer usually isn't privy too...and I didn't even touch on margins! LOL
 
sonichanxiao said:
I think someone is selling an Arken Sh4 gen2 on CGN, bit overprice, if you can wait probably better to order from their website directly. Most likely it's the best scope for under $1000
Click to expand...

Nope, not any more. Those are gold, you see one, you want it, grab it.
 
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