posted on March 27, 2003 03:55:14 AM new
Caught this out of the Toronto Star,
Eves letter slams PM's Iraq stand.
"OTTAWA—Premier Ernie Eves has written to U.S. Ambassador Paul Cellucci saying he and his cabinet are America's friends, even if Prime Minister Jean Chrétien is not."
posted on March 27, 2003 02:34:48 PM new
To me this is sad and uncalled for
http://www.wired.com/news/ebiz/0,1272,58190,00.html
VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- On eBay, the highest bid wins -- unless the item on sale is a laser printer from CompAtlanta and the bidder happens to be Canadian.
That's what a tax consultant discovered last week when he tried to buy a printer on eBay, but was refused by the vendor when it was discovered he lived in Vancouver.
David Ingram received notification that his winning bid of $24.50 had been canceled, along with this message: "At the present time, we do not ship to, or accept bids from, Canada, Mexico, France, Germany or any other country that does not support the United States in our efforts to rid the world of Saddam Hussein. If you are not with us, you are against us."
Ingram's .ca address sparked the notice from CompAtlanta, based in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Canada is one of a number of countries that said it would not support an American invasion of Iraq without United Nations' approval.
"I've made a winning bid,'' Ingram said. "To discriminate against me because I'm a Canadian is ridiculous."
Sid Mitchell, CompAtlanta's president, could not be reached for comment. However, an e-mail exchange between Ingram and Mitchell clearly laid out the company's policy: "What part of this listing do you not understand?" Mitchell wrote Ingram. "This item will not be shipped outside the USA, and we do not accept bids from Canadians. Both are plainly stated."
That didn't stop Ingram from trying again over the weekend. He bid for the laser printer a second time, offering $107.50 to avoid being outbid and specifying delivery to an American address. In a separate message, he informed Mitchell that he wanted the printer shipped stateside.
Judging by Mitchell's reply, however, Ingram isn't likely to get his printer from CompAtlanta: "You are obviously trying to get around the fact that you are Canadian," Mitchell wrote to Ingram, "and we will not honor your bid or ship to any location for you."
Ingram said Mitchell lacks a good business reason for not shipping to a Canadian who uses an American address. "If they're going to do that,'' Ingram said, "then they shouldn't sell to the 50 percent of Democrats and the 20 percent of Republicans that aren't supporting the war, either."
CompAtlanta is one of a small number of companies boycotting countries opposed to the war. The German newspaper Deutsche Welle reported late last week that a German shoe-supply manufacturer lost a contract with an American firm over Germany's stance on the war. There have also been reports of American consumers boycotting French wine and cheese.
But the boycotts aren't widespread yet. JoAnn Dupont, a customer service representative with eBay vendor IkeSound.com of Florida, said her company's policy of shipping to Canada and other countries has not changed as a result of the war.
And some eBay vendors selling such items as Saddam Hussein "terrorist hunting licenses" and dart boards will ship them anywhere in the world.
Andre Lemay, a spokesman for the Canadian department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in Ottawa, said he wasn't aware of any reverse boycott. Nor did he believe such a boycott would be an issue, since Canada and the United States remain each others' two largest trading partners. "We still believe our relationship with the U.S. is good -- in fact, enviable,'' he said.
EBay spokesman Kevin Pursglove said CompAtlanta was the only eBay merchant he knew of that is boycotting buyers for reasons related to the war. He said sellers can decide with whom they want to do business, but eBay frowns on posting overtly political messages. Pursglove said eBay ordered CompAtlanta to remove the auction item and to modify its message to bidders from Canada, Mexico, France and Germany.
But CompAtlanta's message is still more or less intact, which incenses Ingram. He says he plans to pursue the matter with eBay.
He may also take it up in person with CompAtlanta. If he doesn't receive his printer before a scheduled trip south of the border later in the fall, Ingram says he'll pay the computer vendor a visit.
"If they don't send it,'' he said, "sometime in September or October I will park outside their store with a sign saying they discriminate against Canadians."
posted on March 27, 2003 03:27:14 PM new
colin, Quebec is almost totally separate from the rest of Canada... that's all I'll say.
That's interesting Lucky. Although the Seller's terms are based on ignorance,
if he stated in his terms-of-sale that he didn't ship to Canada, then the Buyer is out of luck imo.
and if you DO click the 'link' on this it will go to what it says
I don't ship international, and haven't in more than 3 years. Its stated in my auctions. Not out of prejudice, but because we use endicia, and my husband drops them on his way to work, no time to stand in line for the customs forms etc. 3 accounts, so there is no time, plain and simple
Art Bell Retired! George Noory is on late night coasttocoastam.com
posted on March 27, 2003 04:04:25 PM new
LOL, you know Canucks are good people, even though that seller chooses not to sell to them, it is just a business decision linked politically
AIN'T LIFE GRAND...
posted on March 27, 2003 08:22:22 PM new
I quit shipping to Canada a long time ago. I got real tired of broken items and long ship times, not to mention buyers always wanting me to help them fudge on customs duties. Nothing political about it, just practicality. They make the occasional tasty beer, I'll give them that...
posted on March 27, 2003 08:57:40 PM new
Me I will not ship to Canada and that is before the war to much hassle involved and they do not want to pay for USPS which is the easiest way for me and I have had a few auctions that a person from Canada won and told them MY terms if they want the item.
Reread the article again it I felt CompAlantia went a bit overboard unless it was posted on the auction in big bold letters and he bidded on it anyway he was even going to give them a US address the second time around. Yes it is a Sellers right not to sell. Britsh Columbia loves the US in fact it is always joked that it is an extension on the State of Washington BC it is not those a-holes in Québec.
