Originally Posted by
Favorite Fabrics
Last night I went on Northcott's site to see what new fabrics they are coming out with, and they have a wonderful Stonehenge group with Canadian motifs (maple leaf, moose)... and they are NOT selling it to stores in the US.
Though they did say that if I drive across into Ontario they will sell it to me. And I *was* looking for another reason to spend a couple of days in Toronto (lovely city that it is).
But... the wholesale cost is about 25% more than if I were buying one of their similar fabrics in the US. So I'm not sure I really want to go on this buying trip.
Northcott tells me that the price difference is due to taxes and duty, plus additional transportation costs.
Any Canadians on the forum that know more about this? I'm always curious as to how international commerce works, and what things cost in various places in the world.
I should also mention that the reason they are not selling this to stores in the US is that this is after all a Canadian collection, and if they were selling to the US (at regular US prices) then the US stores would have an unfair advantage over the Canadian stores. And this is completely understandable. Disappointed though I am, if Northcott did not take this policy all the Canadian shops would be terribly upset with them!
I have long bemoaned the fact that fabrics are ALWAYS more expensive here in Canada. Those of us on modest incomes have to wait for a sale or order most of our fabrics from the states as I do. We have high import duties here and fabric is no different. I can't think of anything that is cheaper here in Canada. I think is partially due to the fact that across the board we have more public services that need to be paid for. We cetainly don't have a large garment/fabric industry that needs to be protected.
HOWEVER, I think its rather demeaning that the only symbols of Canada that are ever portrayed are the moose, the mountie and the maple leaf. We have so much more. When I travel to the states a great number of native groups are also represented. I had a visitor who was looking for Canadian symbols and was disappointed. She wanted Inuit, Haida and the other native groups so rich in animal totems and mythologies as are the Navaho and other southern groups. (My personal beef ladies.)
Canadians who shop in the states just shiver with anticipation whenever the dollar drops to par.
MaryKatherine