ONLINE ALTERNATIVES TO CROSSING THE BORDER TO SHOP
These Canadian websites can take some of the bite out of buying American goods with lowly loonies
Shopping in the U.S. is common for Canadians, but the low loonie is making the experience extra-pricey. We asked readers what they no longer want to buy south of the border and scoured the Internet for options right here at home.
Major-league savings
Getting team gear from one of the four major-league sports can be tough if you have to order it from a U.S.-based website, thanks to the exchange, as well as shipping and duty fees. Good thing, then, that sports-apparel retailer Lids has a Canadian website, lids.ca, which carries all manner of team apparel and other branded goods in Canadian dollars (in addition to 200 stores across the country). Bonus: shipping is free on orders over $60.
Aaron Rodgers adult jersey, $150, lids.ca.
Plus-sized options
We heard from readers who were looking for online shopping alternatives to U.S. sites for plus-sized clothing. Your Big Sister’s Closet in Toronto caters to women who wear size 12 and up, but its website offers full e-commerce with free shipping on orders over $100. Owner Karen Ward says the U.S. has “so many more plus-size options than here at home,” but she’s serving more customers who have stopped cross-border shopping because of the exchange rate.
Get carded
Although we rarely print pictures anymore, photo books are still a “thing,” while postcards have become the way to do everything from baby announcements to shower invitations. For those who no longer want to use Shutterfly because of U.S. prices and shipping fees, there’s Vistaprint, which has several international versions of its website, including a Canadian site in Canadian funds. Shipping is a flat rate no matter how much you order, with the standard rate coming in at just $7.99.
Flat invitation in a base matte stock, 139 x 107 mm, $13 for 20 vistaprint.ca.
Oxford ties
One fun aspect of travelling is finding local wares to bring home, especially when you know you can get more online. But what happens when ordering from that cute boutique is no longer cost-effective? One reader who discovered shirts at Gitman Vintage in Pennsylvania wrote in to ask, “Where am I going to get my Oxfords now?” Well, Montreal men’s clothier Frank & Oak, founded by two childhood friends, has the answer with its slim-fitting, super-soft, cotton Oxford. Frank & Oak’s pricing is in Canadian funds and the retailer offers free shipping on orders over $100 (shipping is also always free when you opt to ship to a local store).
Jasper Oxford shirt in Deep Sea, $64 frankandoak.com
Hawaiian time
Coffee lovers swear by beans from the lush growing region of Kona, Hawaii, but if jumping on a 10-hour flight every time you need a fix isn’t cost-effective, neither is ordering straight from the farms, as one read- er used to do. Toronto’s Green Beanery imports beans from independent farmers in Central and South America, Africa, Asia and, yes, Hawaii, supporting not only small growers but also environmentally sustainable production. Stop by the Toronto store or shop online.
The luxury department
U.S. department stores have long been a go-to e-commerce destination, particularly for designer brands and, often, deep discounts. Until recently, the department store game in Canada was comprised of Holt Renfrew and The Bay, and Holt’s doesn’t offer online shopping. Most people don’t seem to know that The Bay does, perhaps because the company shuttered and then restarted its e-commerce operations a few years ago. Get clothes, shoes, makeup, homewares and more. Free shipping on orders over $99.
Home at last
Shopping for homewares online can be risky, but it’s downright unfair when Canadians have to pay a big markup on the same items when they click on the Canadian version of a U.S. retail site (hello, Wayair.ca). If you’re looking for a wide selection of goods at reasonable price points, try Jysk, the Danish alternative to Ikea that has 53 stores across Canada and a full e-commerce site.
Majestik knitted pouf, $59.99, jysk.ca
Men’s slippers
A well-curated lifestyle ecommerce site for men, like Kaufmann Mercantile, is a rare find, with a selection of clothing and accessories mixed in with grooming products, kitchenware and tools. Really, a onestop shop. But U.S. pricing and fees sent the price of a pair of slippers for one reader sky high. Here in Canada, Gotstyle focuses mainly on clothing, accessories and grooming, but it’s been the city’s go-to for men’s casual- and formal-wear, and everything in between.
Winter boots
L.L. Bean has been making clothing, shoes, bags and other lifestyle products for more than 100 years, many of which are popular on both sides of the border. The company’s original tumbled-leather, shearling-lined winter boot has been a topseller since 1912, but if the U.S. prices have you getting cold feet, Canada has its own iconic boot brand in Sorel. The classic Sorel Caribou is less-expensive, fully waterproof, has a removable ThermoPlus lining for those super-cold days and you can order directly from the company.