Cross border shoping
- Thread starter spam
- Start date
If you're willing to make it a couple of day event, you're better to go a bit farther to Grove City. They have a terrific Outlet Mall.
http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/outlet.asp?id=85
Buffalo is ok, but they know they get a ton of Canadians so they set their prices just low enough to be attractive to us. If you go one hour further south, they set their prices for the general American public, so more aggressive than Buffalo. Yet they still recognize their proximity to Canada, so they're very Canadian friendly. They often have specials for Canadians.
http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/outlet.asp?id=85
Buffalo is ok, but they know they get a ton of Canadians so they set their prices just low enough to be attractive to us. If you go one hour further south, they set their prices for the general American public, so more aggressive than Buffalo. Yet they still recognize their proximity to Canada, so they're very Canadian friendly. They often have specials for Canadians.
Definitely worth it. Everything there is ~50% cheaper than anything in toronto before tax. You want to check out walden galleria in buffalo, biggest mall in buffalo, or the fashion outlet (1900 military road) in niagara falls.
Grove city???? WHAT!!!!
you nuts??
Thats 280 km from Buffalo
5 hrs from GTA..plus border crossing time.
Give you head a shake!
you nuts??
Thats 280 km from Buffalo
5 hrs from GTA..plus border crossing time.
Give you head a shake!
Grove city is PA which would mean no tax in clothing if I'm not mistaken? I'm going next month but there's nothing around the outlet so I'm continuing on to Pittsburgh for city wares while there as well.
Not sure what you're driving or where you get your distances from, but Buffalo is roughly 110 kms from where I live and Grove City is another 166 kms from there for a total of 276 kms.
That's an easy four hour drive.
The OP was looking at spending a weekend there. The extra couple of hours is definitely worth it for a shopping trip.
And I am shaking my head. LOL
On a somewhat related issue, how does one recover the HST (or duty) when one returns a cross-border online purchase?
+1. Good advice. Niagara/Buffalo isn't what it used to be. Grove City or Birch Run are way better. We go at least 2-3 times a year.
10 km on the I 190 thru Buffalo
151k on the west I 90 to Erie.
104k on the south I 79 to Pittsburgh
another 8 k mucking your way to Grove City.
Im gettin closer to 300 k than anything.
And that's after an hour at the border. No thanks man!
151k on the west I 90 to Erie.
104k on the south I 79 to Pittsburgh
another 8 k mucking your way to Grove City.
Im gettin closer to 300 k than anything.
And that's after an hour at the border. No thanks man!
That's about right. It wouldn't be a day trip. We stretch it out over a 3 or 4 day weekend. Throw in some golf. You could easily save a few thousand if doing Christmas shopping buying a new wardrobe.
LOL Sorry fm, my bad. My Streets and Trips options were in miles.
However, despite the distance, which I've done before, I still stand by my suggestion of Grove City as a good shopping destination.
Pittsburg is a nice city anymore to spend a day or two. The day and age of the infamous mill "fogs" departed decades ago.
It is a nice city. Back fifty years, however, it was infamous for its air pollution and slightly less water pollution - that is no longer the case.
Remember to report back to let us know if it was worth the drive or not.
This is a review board after all.
TeasePlease - In order to save a few thousand, you'd have to be spending many thousands which may be difficult getting all that stuff through Customs without having to pay duty and taxes on it.
If you're going to the US to simply save money on purchases you have to factor in a few other things.
- Gas
- Road Tolls
- Hotel
- Meals
- Misc. Expenses
You should also know how much you're eligible to bring back.
Less than 24 hours: Personal exemptions do not apply to same-day cross-border shoppers.
24 hours or more: Up to CAN$200 Alcohol and tobacco cannot be claimed.
48 hours or more: Up to CAN$800 This includes alcohol and tobacco.
Goods must be in your possession at time of entry to Canada. All travellers absent from Canada from between 24 and 48 hours, that if the value of the goods you have purchased abroad exceeds $200 after a 24 hour absence, duty and taxes are applicable on the entire amount of the imported goods. Travellers who are absent for periods of 48 hours or more will have the applicable exemption level credited against the total value of goods.
So after you factor everything in, the savings aren't as big as you'd expect.
