Q: Okay I was just comparing dell computers(XPS 630), and I noticed that the same dell make was $400 dollars cheaper in the USA, then in Canada. Why is this you surly can not say that it is due to the Canadian dollar because the two have being below and above one another for the past year or more. So what is the big deal, are their any computer company's that have the same prices across borders?
A: One of the most likely reasons is the cost associated with shipping, customs, taxes and tariffs since, though close in proximity, Canada is a separate country and much of the markup is likely to recoup costs associated in getting the product across the border. You see this happen in many countries such as Europe where the cost of the same laptop is going to be even higher than what you would pay in Canada. If you are able to you can do what many Europeans have been doing and coming to the USA to purchase items cheaper and then taking them home where all they need is to get the correct cable for their outlets (realize that most countries have a limit on how much you can spend in a foreign country over a certain amount of time before customs will charge you for exceeding this limit).