Escape - USD and CAD Pricing/Payments

[Rossue2]

Sad Response , Were all in a Changed world moving forward.

Do you work at ETI? Sure sounds like it. And if so, that's fine, yet to answer an Islander's question of why not take it directly to ETI; what is wrong with seeing feedback here?

 

[Brian B-P]

If I were to contact a U.S. based company and ask if I can pay their advertised price (in USD) for sales in the U.S., but take the product in Canada because I like the U.S. price better than the Canadian price, does anyone seriously think they would let me? Of course not. If anyone thinks they can make this work, please make that deal with Toyota for me, because I need some parts...

 

[gbaglo]

In fact, if you find an item at a very good price on Amazon's US site, it will redirect you to the Canadian site, where you can pay very much more for the same thing.

 

[Centex]

This seamed (sic) to be thread about opinions about a company ripping you off on the dollar ....

In at least one case (my post #12) there's no intent to question or comment on ETI's integrity / ethics, business policies, or history / reasons behind those policies.

My post simply seeks clear understanding of a policy as it stands today in the same public forum where ETI's representative elected to give "notice" of that policy.

Regardless of the answer that may be offered by ETI I've no intent to complain, just to accept that as the clearly understood policy for the scenario I posit, which is (IMO) ETI's prerogative as a business to establish.

I apologize if my question gives offense to anyone, that certainly isn't my intent.

 

[gbaglo]

No need to apologize. This forum is for its members and does not belong to ETI.

 

[rbryan4]

If I were to contact a U.S. based company and ask if I can pay their advertised price (in USD) for sales in the U.S., but take the product in Canada because I like the U.S. price better than the Canadian price, does anyone seriously think they would let me? Of course not. If anyone thinks they can make this work, please make that deal with Toyota for me, because I need some parts...

Not to labor the point, but apples and oranges. First, they don't have an international dealer network like Toyota does. Second, the method of currency acceptance was changed. Some of us, myself included, are simply pointing out that this change hurt US buyers.

 

[Centex]

No need to apologize. This forum is for its members and does not belong to ETI.

Thanks, but my concern and apology is aimed at some members who seem to be offended by the direction of the thread, not ETI

If I were to contact a U.S. based company and ask if I can pay their advertised price (in USD) for sales in the U.S., but take the product in Canada because I like the U.S. price better than the Canadian price, does anyone seriously think they would let me? Of course not. If anyone thinks they can make this work, please make that deal with Toyota for me, because I need some parts...

Different companies have different policies in this regard. That in itself shouldn't be surprising, it is, after all, each company's prerogative to establish their own policies, isn't it?

Some US companies, for example, do advertise and sell only on the basis of USD but also do ship their wares to Canadian customers (with appropriate provisions relating to shipping, customs / duties, taxes, etc). Some Canadian companies do the exact same thing (trade on the basis of CAD only with delivery to customers in the USA).

Toyota and Honda are examples of companies which, by virtue of 'protection agreements' with their regional entities (Honda and Toyota both having distinctly separate "US" and "CA" distribution entities), only allow sales for delivery to addresses within each of those regions by the appropriate regional entity (which then establishes the currency of its transactions).

Amazon has its own policies and mechanisms, and I'm sure there are many more variations on this theme adopted by other vendors. Again, their prerogative, isn't it?

It strikes me that the intent of this thread expressed in the OP by ETI was, to use the OP's word, give "notice" of ETI's current policy. One might have hoped that the policy "notice" were a bit more clear as to implementation, and to the extent it might be un-clear, it strikes me as beneficial and consistent to the OP's original intent to seek that clarification (YMMV).

I suppose it's OK (it certainly isn't 'my call') to use this thread to question the 'appropriateness' (in whatever sense or measure) of ETI's policy, or to speculate about its effect on the corporation, or to compare and contrast that with the policy of other unrelated businesses .... but one might wonder to what useful end or benefit for anyone?

 

[Bakes99]

Welcome to our world where items cost almost a 3rd more for just about everything, and not always due to exchange rate. I’ve bit the bullet and purchased items from the US and taken massive hits, guess if I didn’t like it, I could’ve just move on.

 

[cpaharley2008]

posted over here https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f33/how-to-hedge-exchange-rate-7492-14.html#post329577
One thing we all are overlooking. Prior to the take over Escape had only one stock interior. Reace just started the maple interior. If anything else was wanted, you had to custom order the upholstery, the flooring, the countertops, all at extra cost to the purchaser and extra cost for installation. Now you have a choice of interiors and colors and floors and everything else, all standard. That surely is worth something, is it not? One could have easily spent $2,000 for custom combinations, now it cost is -0-

 

[cpaharley2008]

and another one I compared my build sheet dated 4/19 and the base price was $33,150 CAD. The 2019 CAD price on the inventory one is $33,600. However the base price jumped to $36,200 for 2020 models or $2600 CAD for the new models. But the new 2020 models include extra insulation and thermal windows as standard, a $1500 option under the older system.
__________________

 

[cpaharley2008]

So you are getting some extras for that price differential.....perhaps 5% vs 10% is a closer true difference

 

[Brian B-P]

Different companies have different policies in this regard. That in itself shouldn't be surprising, it is, after all, each company's prerogative to establish their own policies, isn't it?

Yes, I agree that it is.

Some US companies, for example, do advertise and sell only on the basis of USD but also do ship their wares to Canadian customers (with appropriate provisions relating to shipping, customs / duties, taxes, etc). Some Canadian companies do the exact same thing (trade on the basis of CAD only with delivery to customers in the USA).

Yes, and until recently that's what ETI did: price and trade only in CAD, and deliver to customers in the U.S.

It strikes me that the intent of this thread expressed in the OP by ETI was, to use the OP's word, give "notice" of ETI's current policy. One might have hoped that the policy "notice" were a bit more clear as to implementation, and to the extent it might be un-clear, it strikes me as beneficial and consistent to the OP's original intent to seek that clarification (YMMV).

I understand the concern... except that Karl's statement in the original post of this thread seems exceptionally clear, at least for new U.S. customers. Perhaps the only sources of confusion are in the intent of previous policy statements, and in implementation for customers who are partway through the purchase process.

Certainly the pay-like-in-Canada but deliver-in-US scheme proposed in post #12 was not even suggested by Karl's post. Any confusion regarding that scheme was not created by ETI.

 

[Upfisk]

For fun I just entered the build it portion of ETIs website. We have a 2018 Escape 19, input all the specials on our 19 and the price since 2018 has stayed basically the same. We did pay for custom formica which is included in what was our final price. Yes, the new ETI has many new Formica colors and flooring options. This is a good exchange rate and pricing is right.

 

[ucancallmejay]

hmm. Exchange rate calculated on 5.0ta website base pricing is .80. Current rate is .71. $3700 difference. Even with Transferwise fee it would have been a savings of >$2000
USD. oh well

 

[Brian B-P]

Exchange rate calculated on 5.0ta website base pricing is .80. Current rate is .71. $3700 difference. Even with Transferwise fee it would have been a savings of >$2000

You are assuming that the CAD price would have stayed the same, which is not a safe assumption. If ETI's response to a changing exchange rate were to keep the USD price the same and adjust the CAD price to follow the exchange rate, there would be no opportunity for this sort of "savings".

 

[Upfisk]

We tried to time currency fluctuations when paying in 2018. It would have been better to just send a lump sum at the time of the deposit. We are terrible currency traders.

 

[ucancallmejay]

Ouch. Not good for our neighbors to the north if that's the case. Sorry.

 

[XBeatzX]

Very unfortunate policy change. The exchange rate, and strength of the US dollar was one of the single best reasons I would recommend an Escape over nearly every other trailer on the market. Have had many conversations on this subject sitting by the fire at campgrounds the last few years talking about/comparing Escapes, Scamps, Casita’s, etc.. Now basically the stronger the dollar becomes, the more value you lose on that buying power. They took one of their best ace in the hole selling points for US buyers and tossed it out the window. Terrible Decision and timing. Yikes.....

 

[cpaharley2008]

Sorry to disagree with you Chris, but over the past 10 years I have seen the rate fluctuate .70 to ,95 meanwhile Escape has grown over the same period. Perhaps once you purchase or over time you may change your thoughts.

 

[Centex]

What's the competitive alternative that I'm missing?

Bottom line, as a US consumer shopping for a new 19' - 21' RV, who is already 'sold' on the benefits of a fiberglass (vs stick-built) trailer by virtue of 15 years of Casita 17 ownership ... I'm loath to find anything else of competitive value on today's market. ETI's 'new policy' / 'USD pricing scheme' notwithstanding.

Sure, I could stop looking at Escape Trailers out of spite for the 'missed windfall' (or whatever you want to call it) of buying CAD at the currently very attractive exchange rate, but I feel that'd be 'cutting off my nose to spite my face'.

If anyone can point me to a competitive alternative that I've missed in my research, please do, I'm all ears!

PS: A couple of days after making post #12 in this thread I contacted ETI sales directly, submitting my first-draft build-sheet for an E21 Classic and requesting CAD pricing based on a 100% CAD transaction. That was politely declined, I was directed to the USD pricing schedule, and we are proceeding to refine a build-sheet to meet my customization requests based on the current USD price sheet posted on ETI's website. Indeed, any 'confusion' expressed in my post #12 was solely mine, my question posed in that post has been "asked-and-answered" - it's strictly USD pricing and payment for US consumers. So it goes, and so we move forward.