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Made in Canada conundrum

We all know that some of the very best audio equipment is made in Canada. Some of these legendary companies don't have service facilities in the USA, so if it breaks,like mine did, you send it back to Canada. I just experienced this: Promised about 2 weeks turn-around time, but we're going on 2 months and it's still at Customs in Canada, who are waiting to clear it, having charged me tax, duty, broker fees (FedEx) and a fourth charge for some technicality that I've forgotten. What do US purchasers feel about paying tax, duty and broker fees when they buy Canadian and then pay the same fees again to have the original repaired? Annoyed, like I am, or did you know that? And would you have bought Canadian if you knew this before-hand - like I didn't, because nobody told me. Should I have known this? Opinions, please. (I will keep the Manufacturer's name confidential while I wait for resolution)
springbok10
trelja
3,223 posts
 
Hope you're doing well, Denis.

I think the percentage of foreign companies without a US repair facility is well over 50%. Based on the experiences I've had in the past few years, I've more or less come to the conclusion that a company not based in North America that is unable/unwilling to pay someone in the USA to support their margue and all that's involved in doing so is a company not worth patronizing.

By the way, this is definitely not something between the people or governments of Canada and the USA. The problem is the shipping companies who have folks working for them enforcing draconian, onerous, and outrageously priced policies. NAFTA sure didn't benefit the high-end audio customer. Most will find this difficult to believe, but my shipments from China were far, far, far faster and less complicated than those I was involved with in Canada. To the point where we finally went to having the gear I imported directly into Canada from China, as opposed to coming to me first.
roccl007's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
roccl007
205 posts
 
RODMAN smoke very good suff ( from the north)............
jtgofish's avatar
jtgofish
515 posts
 
A friend who married a Canadian and migrated there [from Australia] has a theory that Britain deported its convicts to Australia and its beauracrats to Canada-which was far worse!
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drummermitchell
262 posts
 
Man,this thread just keeps reeling in a few gearboxes.
So much for audio RELATED.
magfan
1,583 posts
 
How many of the PARTS involved in any electronic device do either Canada or the US actually make? Probably not many. I work for a company that makes power devices...power supply or power output. We even make our own class 'd' amplifier module. But, we make (mainly) 1 part, the power transistors / FREDs (Fast Recovery Epitaxial Diode) and some other minor stuff. The boards have dozens of components, most Asian and some European.
For that matter, how much of ANYthing is made in only 1 country. I'll bet that even the glass needed for a vacuum tube's envelope is imported by most of the countries that still make tubes, let alone the specialty wire/ feedthru.

No single country actually makes or fabricates anything, but rather ASSEMBLES others parts.

I agree with Peterayer.........what ever happened to NAFTA??? Yet another bill of political goods?
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