How Much Does This Cost?!!

I buy a lot of books on Amazon, both new and used. My reason for using Amazon is that I often look for specific books I've heard about or seen - in the library, for example - and I want my own copy. My local bookstores don't usually carry them. In any event, it would be a hassle to drive around to see if any of them do.

Which is why I recently purchased this used book, The Opinionated Knitter, a compilation of knitting patterns originally published in newsletter form between 1958 and 1968 - by famed knitter, Elizabeth Zimmermann.

I love the book and am glad I was able to purchase it.

I originally borrowed a copy from our public library a few years ago, but when I recently wanted to check it out again, it was no longer listed in the library catalogue.

So I began to look for it online.

I was able to find a used bookstore that would ship to Canada from the USA. The price I paid was Canadian $44.08. The book price was CAD $33.38. The rest was postage.

But when I received the book, inside I found a receipt for US $13.22 plus $3.99 postage, addressed to a New Jersey address.

Canadian currency is currently worth about 30% less than its American counterpart, but even taking that into consideration and doubling the postage cost, the total cost of the book should be CAD$26.

Terry read that Amazon has sliding prices geared to what people will pay. I'm not sure what that means, but I to do find it astounding that American and Canadian prices for the same item can be so different.

The only explanation that I can think of is that not all American booksellers are willing to sell books outside the country, for whatever reason, so an intermediary works with some - and, of course, takes a cut.