Don't blame me, blame the companies

[Hon'ya-chan]

Working in a bookstore, I get alot of Canadian Tourists bitching and griping about how many books have both the US Price and the much higher Canadian Price.

I'm sorry that Canadian Currency is on par with US Currency, but don't gripe to me that the book your buying is more expensive in Canada than it is in the USA. Complain to the companies if your so adamant on getting the prices on par.

[cravenmorhead]

It is standard practise. The retailers will purchase the book, maybe months in advance, or a certain cost. This cost they will mark up and that will be the consumer price. If they bought the book when the CDN dollar was .75$ US, then the price of the book will be more then the price now.

Do I think that will change? Probably not. There is duty, and transportation costs to get it across the border. Though I am waiting to see a higher US price for books printed in Canada.

Always,
Craven Morhead

[WanderingSaint]

A lot of bookstores around where I am now are actaully selling at the American dollar price tag, as early as December. I thought it was some sale gimmick when I went to *Big Book Store Name* for my Christmas shopping and got everything at the US price, but I purchased some more gain two weeks ago and was pleasently suprised to find they still are.

I guess being so close to the border they got to many complaints to high up about it. There's lots of price slashing here because of all of this. Which is good for me, since I don't have a car to get down to the US, and my passport is still in limbo. (reminds me, it's been over two months, I need ot bug them)

[ArcticChicken]

My first thought when I heard the Canadian dollar was on par with the US dollar was "Damn, it must suck to be buying books in Canada right now."

[rerant]

As a Canadian I must say, I do, and will always, bitch about this very thing.
Not to employees, but in general.
However I buy most my books second hand anyway, since book prices are, in my opinion, outrageous to begin with.
I would much rather get what I want for $4 rather than $34. Yeah, I know the best used book stores.

[PepperElf]

... if the canadian dollar is almost as strong as the USD there's another option....

they COULD convert their money to USD first and then buy the book
or hit an ATM and get USD... ATMs usually give you some of the best rates (same as banks if i'm not mistaken)

Here in Japan... I do that a lot. Cabs cost 710 Yen, starting. If you use USD you get a $1/100 Yen ratio, even though it's more like 1/106 or so. So... I rarely use dollars cos it's cheaper to use Yen in the long run.

[Jadedcarguy]

However I buy most my books second hand anyway, since book prices are, in my opinion, outrageous to begin with.

The used ones still read the same.

[powerboy]

It is very stupid how much books cost.

[Geek King]

It is very stupid how much books cost.

Not when you look at how much the price of paper has shot up in the last 10-15 years. Used to work in a printing plant, and you should have heard the screams from the front office every time the paper invoices came in.

[digilight]

you should have heard the screams from the front office every time the paper invoices came in.

Amen to that. My paper cost is one of my biggest expenses. I think I can actually spend less on blank CD and DVD media and the supplies to complete the jobs then I can on copy jobs at times.

[Broomjockey]

... if the canadian dollar is almost as strong as the USD there's another option....

they COULD convert their money to USD first and then buy the book
or hit an ATM and get USD... ATMs usually give you some of the best rates (same as banks if i'm not mistaken)

Here in Japan... I do that a lot. Cabs cost 710 Yen, starting. If you use USD you get a $1/100 Yen ratio, even though it's more like 1/106 or so. So... I rarely use dollars cos it's cheaper to use Yen in the long run.

That...doesn't work. First off, Canadian ATMs don't give out American money. Second, a shop still charges the Canadian price if you pay with American funds, they just give you a bad exchange rate. So you're paying the same amount, or more due to fees/bad exchange rate in shops.

[Seshat]

It is very stupid how much books cost.

I can assure you, the author doesn't get a heck of a lot of the purchase price.

[Broomjockey]

I can assure you, the author doesn't get a heck of a lot of the purchase price.

From what I'm learning, 10% of the selling price of each copy is a good deal, royalty-wise, for each book sold normally, and then cut drastically for books clearanced/remaindered, yes? And quite often, the advance chews up a large portion of the royalties for quite a while. Sound fairly accurate? I'm learning more and more in my classes that most authors in Canada at least can't make a living at just writing. *sigh*

[Geek King]

I'm learning more and more in my classes that most authors in Canada at least can't make a living at just writing. *sigh*

Its not just Canada. There are very few people in the US that make their sole living from writing novels. Many others work in other industries also. Many Fantasy/sci-fi writiers, for instance, also do work for the gaming companies.