Where can I buy media in Canada?

[Savant]

OK, I just wanted to jump in and clarify the whole shipping/taxes/customs/brokerage thing for people here in Canada. I ship to and from the US regularly and I have a UPS account. Let me go though what you will and will not pay when shipping FROM the US to Canada.

Duty: There are NO duty charges on shipments from the US to Canada in 99% of cases. (the other cases would never apply to consumers.) So you never have to worry about paying duty on your imports.

Taxes: There ARE taxes payable when your shipment crosses the border. The taxes are the same as if you had purchased that item in Canada. So if you are in Ontario, you would pay the same 15% in taxes as you would had you bought the item in the store.

Brokerage fees (ground): There ARE brokerage fees on all GROUND forms of transport. By ground transport I mean just that, the item will pass the border on the GROUND and not in the air. All shipments sent via the post office (including "air mail") and all GROUND based courier shipments will charge you a brokerage fee to clear a ground based shipment through customs. So there is no escaping paying SOME fee for a ground based customs clearance. However, you CAN minimize your costs by using the post office for low value ground based shipments. With a very affordable $5 fee to clear items, they are a common choice. However, if you want to use a ground based courier, keep in mind that the more the shipment costs, the more the brokerage fees will be. Here is a list of fees for UPS brokerage into Canada. As you can see, the more it is worth the higher the price. These prices are almost identical with FedEX, Purolator, DHL and any other courier company. This isn't one company trying to make a cash grab, they all charge the same price. If you want to see a list of what FedEX charges, let me know and I can upload a copy of their fee schedule. (they don't post it online) So if you have to use courier to ship and you have a high value shipment, it may be cheaper to have them send the item via 'Express Saver' so it will clear in the air. (see below)

Brokerage fees (air): There are NO brokerage fees on AIR forms of shipments. That means that the item is crossing the border in the AIR, and does not pass a border crossing. As can be expected, AIR based shipments cost more money, but ALL shipments receive FREE brokerage services. So if the person sends the item to you by UPS Express, there are NO brokerage fees payable, just the taxes that would be paid normally. All courier companies will also charge a fee to collect any taxes owing on the shipment. The fee is usually around $5. The post office does NOT offer true 'air' based shipping since all shipments will return to the ground before crossing the border. Also be careful since a few courier companies (like Purolator) will cross packages on the ground on their economy 'air' services. When in doubt, give the company a call and ask.

No charge shipments: A person will not be charged any taxes or brokerage fees (either by courier or post ofice) for shipments valued under $20. (value of the shipment does NOT include the shipping fees - so if the item costs $19.95 and the shipping is $5, then it is under the limit) This is standard practice across all carriers and the post office, and matches the fact that $20 is the maximum that Revenue Canada will allow a person to import without needing to pay fees. If you are receiving a gift then the limit is $60, but the package MUST contain a birthday card or other indicator to show that it is a gift. Just marking 'gift' on a package will not mean you can avoid customs fees. (they're not dummies ) If the item is a legitimate gift then Canada Post (and courier shipments via AIR) will not charge any fees if it is under $60. Courier companies will charge fees for gifts only if it is sent by ground and the value is over $20. In that case the regular brokerage fees apply. Note, all above amounts are in Canadian funds.

So why are there all these fees? Point your finger not at the Courier companies, but at the Canadian government. They make the courier companies deal with excessive paperwork for small value shipments. Only Canada Post gets special consideration in this regard.

If you compare this to the United States, a person from the US who imports something FROM Canada does not have to pay ANYTHING on the first $200. It's the same service, just in the opposite direction, yet the US government has streamlined the process to make it business friendly.

Anyway, I hope this helps people understand what is and isn't charged for, so you can better know what you will have to pay when having something shipped via a particular method.

Regards,

Savant

[oldfart13]

The 5 pack Memorex "Made In Japan" DVD-Rs can be had for $13.00CAD (after taxes) per pack locally so I would suspect they could be had even lower in a big center like Toronto. These apparently work well in the Panasonic E50, 60, 80 and 100 standalones. Haven't tried them in the E80 yet, but will within 24 hours...

[DUKE107]

Hey all,

back to Canada and DVD-r or +r, I just bought 125 H20 2x DVD-r from ebay for $105 US plus $10 shipping that works out to be $ 1.40 Canadian per disk. I think thats a good deal. Sure beats the $3.17 ($3.65 with tax) I paid future shop per disk. Stick it up ur @S# Future Shop!

From ebay!
Our best quality, most compatible high speed blank DVDs for today's fastest burners -- professional grade, general purpose DVD-R discs -- now fully 1X to 2X write speed certified, 4.7gb single sided, with a H2O Branded blue top surface.

[Dubber]

Hey Duke,

Did you try burning the disks yet? Do they play OK after say 1 month? Do they pass Error Read Test even a week after burning?

The disks are not on media list as they must be somewhat new.

Keep us updated on the experience with the disks :P

[Kelso]

Where to buy media in Canada?

If you live in Toronto, go to a store called CANADA COMPUTERS.
(Go to the Kennedy and Steeles location.)
http://www.canadacomputers.com/media.html
They also have locations in Mississagua and Kingston.
And if you do not live in these locations, the store will mail you your order.
The store has the cheapest prices I have found in Canada.

Their website is a bit off on the current prices.
I picked up a spindle of 50 DVD-R discs for $64.00 + tax last month.

[BJ_M]

From ebay!
Our best quality, most compatible high speed blank DVDs for today's fastest burners -- professional grade, general purpose DVD-R discs -- now fully 1X to 2X write speed certified, 4.7gb single sided, with a H2O Branded blue top surface

.


friend of mine got some of those from ebay and they were cheap junk - about 1/2 were no good after 3-4 months... the tip off should have been " today's fastest burners" 1x and 2x

they are old stock (and certainly were not professional grade)...

[DUKE107]

Well thats bad news indeed!

I will let you know how they hold up!

If not well, 124 premium DVD-r's up for sale on ebay, want the ebay code?

Duke

[mouland69]

www.blankmedia.ca

[DUKE107]

Well got suckered on these babies. The H2O DVD -r just really suck. Burned one with Nero 5.5.10 to lordsmirfs standards for compatibility and skipped non stop. Burned second with copytodvd and skipped non stop. Trying a third burn with some setting changes in copytodvd. Both burned at 2x.

Maybe I will try to burn at 1x.

At this rate I'll only have 115 to 120 of these babies left for you all to bid on ebay.

Happy Bidding!!!!!!!!!

[DUKE107]

Hello again,

H2O Disks !

Well 4 burns later at 1x and 2x all skip.

Checked all 4 disks with DVDInfo Pro and all had read errors of 50 to 100.

Sending them back !

I should have known water ( H2O ) and electronics don't mix !

[ROBERT BLACK]

I've seen those H2O discs in Toronto's College/Spadina computer alley. One of the merchants was trying pretty hard to sell them to me. Now I know why. I already had bought some Optdiscs/Fotis 1x(Fotis 4x are Princo) Riteks and cheap Princos on sale, so I said no. I'll put H2O on my "media to avoid" list with LongTen. BTW, I've noticed some of the prices on LongTens have dropped. Regardless I strongly suggest all of you avoid them. BAD media, is an understatement with them.

[Jared Smith]

Just a heads up for you guys, Best Buy in Ottawa(I'm assuming this is country wide?) has a sale on a 10-Pack of Memorex DVD +R 4X for $20. That's $2 each with jewel case which is pretty good. Reg. price is $30.

I know you can get slightly cheaper prices at Blankmedia on certain brands but those come in a spindle and this is convenient, no shipping costs, wait etc. I just picked up 50 of them which is the same price I paid locally for a spindle of 50 Princos.

[DUKE107]

I see future Shop has 25 spindle of 2x Pine DVD -r on sale for $50.00 Are these anygood?

I just ordered some Riteks from blankmedia mind you.

[Morloc]

I've been buying BMI DVD-Rs from www.tigerdirect.ca. They are only 1x speed, but they are also selling now for only C$51.99 for a spindle of 50. I've never made a coaster due to bad media using them either. So a loonie per disc is pretty hard to beat, eh. Shipping is reasonable and there is also a tigerdirect.com for you yanks as well.

Morloc

[oldfart13]

Wal-Mart finally brought their prices more in line with reality. The Maxell branded 2X discs are down to $12.97CAD per 5 pack. That's less than the $16.99CAD Futureshop wants for the same package. Even that was a great price compared to Wal-Mart selling the Maxell packs at $26.99 just last week...

[ac1654]

Staples has decent prices (for Canada anyway) on Fuji discs.

They have spindles of 25 Fuji DVD-R's (and +R's too I think) for $80 Cdn. They are Taiyo Yuden made (the -R's at least).

[oldfart13]

Verbatim spool with 15 discs is $56CAD at the store here. Anything else is a special order that can take a week or more to come in. I just buy elsewhere...

[ice-berg]

browse ebay.ca you will find much lower prices. and ok you have to add shipping and in some instances a 7% or 15% taxes, but regardless you will end up at a lower price that the prices offered at these retail stores.

[andie41]

I just bought TDK/Ricoh DVD+R 4x at Costco @ 15/37.00 Cdn + tax. So far seem to be fine media.

andie

[Dubber]

spindles of 25 Fuji DVD-R's (and +R's too I think) for $80 Cdn.

FYI: for those who live in Western Canada - London Drugs sells Fuji, either -R or +R, 25 pack, for CAD$64.99, that I find reasonable for a regular price.

Also, DVD media is expected to get $2.27 levy just as CDRs have $0.21....

[SquirrelDip]

Does anyone know the current status of the new levy? It was supposed to hit $2.27 almost a year ago. Also, CDR's were supposed to be increased from $0.21 to $0.58 (and VHS tapes, hard drives etc... also increased).

From what I understand you can purchase blank media from the U.S. without the levy as it is the stores in Canada that must collect the levy. This levy is really unfair to the Canadian stores (and probably why the new levies haven't yet been implemented).

[Dubber]

The levy is unfair to Canadian consumer, as if anything were to be pirated and burned to the blanks, most of the content is originating from the US anyway.

And they DO ASS-ume that ALL the blank media is being used to make illigal copies - hence - Copyright Levy, but many use the blanks for either data or their own original work. And again, Canadian Copyright Act allows to make private copies of the material one has had access to, whether the original is yours or not, being a CD or mp3 file off of I-net ... ( for audio only ).

[patent10021]

This is all a bit confusing... or too many choices.

I am waiting for my DP G5 to arrive today. Should I be using DVD-R or +R? The drive is 4X so would you recommend saving $ and just buying 2X DVDR's. What kind of DVDRW's should I buy?

Someone mentioned London Drugs in Vancouver. Aren't they expensive?

Peace

[SquirrelDip]

With London Drugs you have to watch their sale fliers. They also only tend to carry brand-name media.

[shurton]

You guys are paying way too much for media.
www.atic.ca

4x media for $1.60 Canadian

I've used over 200 and no coasters.

[patent10021]

Omg, I TOTALLY forgot about Atica. They are minutes away from me.
I called them and yes they have $1.60 DVD-R 4X DVD's. Singles too !
No bundle required !

They are "no name" but as you know, there is no such thing as no name since so many are made from the same manufacturer. I still would like to use that PC utility to determine who makes them though. Just to spy :P

The fact that you've burned 200 and none turned out to be coasters doesn't really carry any merrit though because a true rating of CDR's or DVDR's is obtained from the use of the media on EVERY single computer platform while burning with EVERY drive brand name and playing it back on every type of drive brand name. Many people think that a non-failure rate on their computer means that the discs are good. I've had 200 CDR's burn fine on my PC but not read on another friend's PC or player.

Nevertheless, for $1.60 I will buy some at Atica and try them out.

Peace + thanks

[HillJack]

I just bought TDK/Ricoh DVD+R 4x at Costco @ 15/37.00 Cdn + tax. So far seem to be fine media.

For what it's worth, I picked up a 15 pack of TDK 2x DVD-R from Costco last Saturday $37.99 + tax... Today I cracked them open and went to burn... Turns out their MediaID (or whatever) is RITEKG04 --> They burn perfectly @ 4X in my Pioneer A05. They're 2X on the package and made in Taiwan -- I'm going back for a half-dozen more spindles tomorrow

[AndrewMax]

You guys pay too much. I'bought RitekG04 from blankmedia.ca, came within 3 days, paid $60.99 for 25 pcs, all taxes and shipping included... They work as charm..
Frostys.qc.ca has good price for Princo but my Sony burns them at 2x instead of 4x, they used to have Verbatim 4x for $3.45 but raised the price to $4.80, still cheaper than others, however blankmedia is the best.

Levies are necessary in Canada otherwise our "artists" should die,

[patent10021]

sorry but Atic.ca, located on Broadway in Vancouver is the cheapest and most reliable.

$1.60 CAD each 4X DVD-R. (no-name/no coasters)

You don't have to buy bulk either. All singles.

www.atic.ca

or you can order from www.wimmedia.com (Western Imperial Magnetic in Richmond, Vancouver) $1.82 CAD for 4X DVD-R's. Spool of 100 though.
(Atec or Adtec DVD's??)

[patent10021]

You guys pay too much. I'bought RitekG04 from blankmedia.ca, came within 3 days, paid $60.99 for 25 pcs, all taxes and shipping included... They work as charm..
Frostys.qc.ca has good price for Princo but my Sony burns them at 2x instead of 4x, they used to have Verbatim 4x for $3.45 but raised the price to $4.80, still cheaper than others, however blankmedia is the best.

Levies are necessary in Canada otherwise our "artists" should die,

How is that cheap? Thats the price Fujis are at London Drugs.