A rant about sun glasses, selection, prices, and shipping

[Sharkbait22]

Here is a rant.

 

So I went shopping for sunglass today. I need prescription and would like polarization. I have fitovers, they’re ok for driving. One store quoted me $780 for MJims! These must be the porche of glasses but I drive a Ford. I can go online to Smiths and order a prescription polarized, glass no less, for $279. I’ve had non prescription Smiths before and like them a lot. I called Smith costumer service to ask where I could try on a few models on for size and she informed me that prescription glasses are not available to Canadians! I think part of the problem is that many people get glasses covered through work thus companies can ask for high prices. With such extravagant benefit packages is it any wonder companies go under in NA. Thanks for the search function on the site b/c I reviewed a bunch of older posts on sun glasses.

 

Over the last few years I’ve noticed what little selection we have available in Canada compared to the states. If items are available to us they seem much more expensive. I was once quoted $325 CAN for Fischer backcountry ski boots which I found at Sierratradingpost for $109US. At that savings I shipped them to a friend in NY. I once tried to buy a nice pair of snow boots for my wife but the selection was little in Canada. Look online in the states and there’s 4-5 webpages of boots at great prices. This type of thing happens all the time. Really ticks me off – particularly do the fact we live right next door to the US. Were not Cuba!

 

I recently got dinged for a jacket from Patagonia coming from the states. Once I bought a depth reader for a friend as a thank you gift. I liked it so much I bought one the next week for myself. I was dinged $80 more on the second order. How inconsistent is that! Shipping charges is the new tax. Items costing 4 bucks in the states and the company wants $20 in shipping and ... handling.

 

Well, I’m still not sure what to do about the glasses. $780 isn’t happening even if I had the money, it’s the principle of it. Contacts bother my eyes after a few hours and they never seem to sit right. Btw do you think paying high place for glasses is worth it? I mean, my vision isn’t the best. I’m really the limiting factor no matter how good the glasses are. My windshield is pitted, scratched, and rarely clean – glasses aren’t helping me there either. Same goes for expensive stereo gear. If my hearing is poor or my living room is not that great for sound then what does an expensive stereo mean. Whooo ... ventin' done. Go Canada

[lookinforwalleye]

no big revelation that things are cheaper down south, I guess free trade aint so free!!!

[aplumma]

One of the things that makes shipping cost more is that it is shipped to a foreign country although we are neighbors. The difference between calling UPS for a package to be picked up and shipped in the same country versus going to the post office wait in line for 1/2 hour and fill out 2 forms then drive back to the office is a huge amount of manpower. If the UPS option is chosen then the price and the broker make it not profitable. When ever you break out of the standard method of doing business then it will cost more....After all when it all comes down to it... profit is needed to make a living. If it helps any when I purchase from Canada it cost me more to get it shipped than it cost you.

 

 

Art

[GBW]

If it helps any when I purchase from Canada it cost me more to get it shipped than it cost you.

Art

maybe some folks can work out a deal. I buy for you, you pick up at next G2G and so forth. Or, have it shipped to a Canuck and we mail it to you. Same goes for Sharkbait22. He orders to a US address and OFC friend mails it to him and Sharkbait22 pays said menber back... just an idea...

Art, you need anything I'm sure there are lots of OFC'ers willing to help out. Cheers.

Geoff

[Bill Shearer]

One other option you have is to get the product shipped to the UPS delivery centre in Niagara Falls, NY, which is very close to the Porter Rd/US 62 mall.

You can get the address through UPS, and pick up at a convenient time. Fish at the Niagara, till it opens,(1pm)or go for some wings/beer, afterwards.

Saves on the broker fees, as you can do a verbal declaration at the border, on your return.

NEVER take a chance, as failure to declare is just not worth it. Jeopardizes every crossing, if you are caught.

[Roy]

This is what you need to know about sunglasses.

Caution, coarse language advisory.

 

[DRIFTER_016]

Check these guys out, they make the best polarized glasses I have ever owned and they do prescription orders.

 

Ocean Waves

[solopaddler]

One other option you have is to get the product shipped to the UPS delivery centre in Niagara Falls, NY, which is very close to the Porter Rd/US 62 mall.

You can get the address through UPS, and pick up at a convenient time. Fish at the Niagara, till it opens,(1pm)or go for some wings/beer, afterwards.

Saves on the broker fees, as you can do a verbal declaration at the border, on your return.

NEVER take a chance, as failure to declare is just not worth it. Jeopardizes every crossing, if you are caught.

 

That's a great idea Bill, thanks.

[Billy Bob]

I have several times offered to have you guys have something shipped to me and you can then pick it up....I'm only 15 minutes at the MOST from the Peace Bridge and 2 miles from the Buffalo Airport....however, I can see how most would be afraid of paying for and then shipping to someone you have never met, so I understand.

 

Back in 2006 the wife and I purchased a brand new pop up trailer (a quite large one) for a trip out west. When we returned home we found out where we intended to store it was not going to be available much longer so we decided to sell it....I found a camping forum similar to this one and advertised it for $6,200.00 with some extra's we had for it.....a young couple out of PA was very interested in it and asked for some pictures...I sent them to his email address and he answered back that he was sending me the FULL amount and once the check cleared we could make arrangements to deliver it....I thought WOW he is really taking a risk here...he didn't know me from Adam...but we met in Cortland, NY a couple weeks later and spent about 3 hours in a hotel parking lot going over everything I could possibly think of....Nice people and I hope they are still enjoying the trailer with their young daughter.

 

Bob

[Sharkbait22]

That is a nice story Billy Bob. Unfortunately I live 3-4 hrs from any border. Here's a link to help determine costs http://www.thefinalcost.com. UPS is a nono. USPS ok. Having a friend in the states you see regularly - priceless. Went to another store today and they quoted me a much better price. I think Maui Jims are in my future. This company seems to have a good relationship with Canada which means fast service and selection, but we do pay $$ Cheers