What's with the Canadians?

roseskunk

Well-Known Member
hi guys- honestly, i don't mean to slam our brothers up north, i really like Canada. but i'm wondering what's the concern about buying from the Canadians? I've read about Vlad the impaler, and know to stay away, but is there more that i should watch for? thanks for your help! :scratch2:
 
Hi there, I have heard of this fellow Vlad out of Ontario. He is a seller who gets some interesting stuff, only the good Lord knows how though. Maybe he hypnotizes his victims into selling him stuff. I have never dealt with the guy before and don't plan on it. Vlad represents 1 / 32millionths of the Canadian population. Being a Canadian audio parts and equipment seller I don't identify with others of disrepute in this country, the USA or any place elsewhere. I mean, what have they got to do with me?
 
One problem is that shipping from Canada can be very slow (i.e., weeks); apparently things get hung up in Customs. This may be true for items heading North, too.
 
The slowness goes both ways but i've never really had a problem. To speed things up at the border ensure that you have yours and the other parties phone # on the shipping label and the customs declaration that you fill out when shipping. It helps IMMENSELY.
 
Between vintage audio gear and albums, I've won four or five items from Canadians and have not had any problems. Items have always been as described and packaged decently. Even had one undercharge on shipping by $20. I wish I could say the same for all items won from Americans.

Shipping can be a bit slow and expensive but nothing outrageous. I have to give thumbs up to our northern neighbors. I also loved the movie "Strange Brew" you hoser:)
 
Seriously.. how does Vlad get all of that nice equiptment... its a wonder of the internet.
 
I have no problems dealing with the Canooks either way. I have bought a couple of items from Canada and have sold tons to Canada. Shipping only seems to be a couple of dollars more than shipping from within the states.
Heck, I just bought a Tuner from a guy in California about 3 hours from me. It has been a week and I havn't seen it yet. A co-worker bought a Dat player from Canada around the same time as me and he received his today.
 
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I have bought many items from Canada and have always had very positive experiences. In fact, for me, I have found them to be often more friendly and helpful than many US sellers. Shipping is also sometimes faster than it is within the US. I am rather fond of our neighbors to the north. :thmbsp:

Clyde
 
<VLAD THE IMPALER> says it all !!!!!!!! I myself being the lucky ba$#*&^ that i am can claim alligience???(SP) to the queen and the pres so i consider myself a lucky man I can claim to be a newfie, canuck even a eskimo???? or a flatlander here in the USA as for audio gear the canadian post system is slow but then the usps can be just as slow at times
 
First, Vlad would be a Romanian name, not Rooskie. I know because my Grammy Pearl came from Transylvania in Romania. Last, I can tell you from experience that, once thawed out, Canadians can be the nicest and warmest people around. (I know, I married one) Granted, they may have some weird habits (eating donuts and pizza with a knife and fork) and strange religions (The High Church of The Blessed Tim and Our Lady of Hockey), but they do make good beer and bacon, eh?
 
I met a local when I bought a piece who knows several of the Toronto area resellers and actually does resell to Vlad on occaision. Seems these guys are networked similar to bricks and mortar dealers who will trade back and forth if they get something that is not in their area of what they like or condition. He knows that Vlad is knocked about basically because he has a questionable history related to packing turntables and also, has a bedside manner of a purcupine (his words). However, he did say the Vlad like everyone in the network he deals with do test the units and to his knowledge do not try to hide faults.

I've never met Vlad but he does have some interesting units. There are several ads running in the local papers from buyers. The local I did business with told me he spends in excess of $6,000 per year in print ads. The results seem to pay off for him as he had some rather nice stuff when I picked up the unit.

Canadians are not as intimidated by international shipping as most Americans seem to be and the Canada Post is no better or worse than USPS as for delivery time. In all the years living in the US, I think I sent 1 package internationally. Now here in Canada about 80% is international. I can walk into the mini post offices Canada has and buy US stamps and international stamps as easily as Canadian delivery stamps.

As for scammers, etc. having lived on both sides of the border I don't know if Canadians are better, worse or about the same as Americans but based on my professional experience before retirement I'd suggest that the US may have as many per capita and have the ability to be more sophistocated.

I've not picked up Canadian citizenhip but with the new equiv of the Green Card that needs to renewed every 3 years that is a pain, I'm thinking about it after living here for more than 10 years. Also, will make travel between the US and Canada easier with the new US rules.
 
Brian said:
As for scammers, etc. having lived on both sides of the border I don't know if Canadians are better, worse or about the same as Americans but based on my professional experience before retirement I'd suggest that the US may have as many per capita and have the ability to be more sophistocated.
I think most people would come to that conclusion, this thread is a bit silly and has been treated appropriately I think. Problem with Vlad is he used to be known for what appeared to be scamming about 1 out of every 30-40 buyers; claim nonpayment and keep the item (Romanian roulette?). Maybe that's all fantasy, I don't know, but it wasn't just his attitude which made him so infamous.
 
This is strange :scratch2: I just heard about this Vlad guy being a crook about a week ago in another spot on AK. I thought the name sounded familiar so I checked my epay, and sure enough had the guy in my favorite sellers. Man did I feel like a dumbass. There's webpages, threads, etc. about what a crook this guy is, and Ol' Jay has him as a favorite seller. I swear. Anyhow it appears I bought a V15 and some spikkers from him about a year ago. I guess I got lucky (no trouble).

On the Canadian thing, if I was going to stereo-type a country of people (which I shamefully seem to do at times), I would rate them A#1. I have had many epay transactions with Canadians and not a single bad one. The worst thing that ever happened was having an amplifier held at the border because declared value was over 300 bux. I had to pay FedEX to be my "broker" while the package was opened and inspected. Cost me about 30 bux but everything was repacked well and after a week or so delay, it arrived in good shape.
On a more personal note, I have met several Canadians while attending classes on Industrial refrigeration in Lacrosse WI and Syracuse NY. I found them to be very nice folks, and on average a bit more layed back. Just my experience, Jay
 
I have have quite a few former business associates who are Canadian (mostly from Toronto). Couple that with the many Canadian friends I have "met" through AK, and I have found my Canuck pals to be TOP-NOTCH, and some of the friendliest, warmest people I have ever had the privilege to know!

To actually answer the question at hand, in the same vein as Murphy, may I submit "Fotno's Law".

"There are only two kinds of people, goodun's and A$$holes. Regardless of nationality, race, religion or any other seemingly applicable factor, at the root of it all people are either one or the other."
 
I've lived in both Canada and the U.S. The hangup comes with Customs, like Porlock and Brian say. I've never ever had a problem with either countries' post offices.
Tom
 
I've never had a problem buying from our brothers in the great white north, also known as the only place on earth colder than Minnesota.
I used to take trips up to the land of Bob and Doug back in the 80's and found several really nice record shop's. Fotno's law works for me.
 
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