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Thanks for the awesome feedback, everyone. I compared the $CAN price and it does appear to be cheaper to buy at the store, but the items I was looking at are either limited availability or won't be in stock until after I leave. So online with free shipping it is!
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You can also order online and pick-up in store.
The real joy of a Lee Valley store is go at quiet hours (usually after dinner) to touch, hold or fiddle with floor models before you buy. This does require an employee with a key to open the cases.
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Location: Vancouver Island, B.C. -eh!
(04-15-2017, 06:52 AM)fletcherj Wrote: You can also order online and pick-up in store.
I think you'd still be required to pay Cdn taxes but it would ensure they reserve the stock for you.
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Sure, you pay the tax at checkout in store but then you can fill in the form (GST176E) and mail to the CRA to receive a rebate for the HST on your purchase of goods. It must be more that $200 and exported in 60 days of purchase.
But even with the 13% HST in Toronto, the exchange rate right now probably means you'll do better than the online US price.
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Unfortunately, I think you will find that the rebate only applies to goods exported out of Canada for resale, not for end consumer use. Used to be that non-residents could file to get the GST/HST if taking the product out of the country. Alas, that is no more. If you google GST/HST rebates you can read all the details.
Also, be aware that prices are higher in Canada commensurate with exchange rate difference. I live on the border and I am in Canada multiple times a month and my experience you save money buying on the US side of the border on almost anything. Ken
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04-16-2017, 08:57 AM
(This post was last modified: 04-16-2017, 08:57 AM by bandsaw.)
From a woodworker's point of view Lee Valley stores aren't that exciting. In the one near me the Veritas tool display is probably less than 2% of the store and take knee pads as you have to kneel on the floor to see many Veritas tools in the display cases. Gardeners, however, will enjoy the store.
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We live in the Detroit area and recently drove to the Lee Valley store in Windsor. We bought about $200 worth of stuff. If you take into account the 13% sales tax, the Canadian dollar at 75% of the American dollar, and the fact we didn't have to pay shipping, we still came out behind in the purchase if we had simply ordered it online and paid for shipping.
