Trade War and Importing - Blu-ray Forum

MrGarmonbozia · 01-31-2025, 06:08 PM

So, looks like we're heading for a trade war with the tariffs slated to hit tomorrow and Canada retaliating.

How, if at all, do ya'll think this might factor into those of us who purchase from US sites like WOW HD, Amazon.com, Criterion, etc.

Might we also see price increases from places like UV?

hansolo350 · 01-31-2025, 07:32 PM

If Canada imposes tariffs on goods from the United States, obviously the cost of most Northern American discs will increase. In that case I would personally go back to buying nearly all of my discs from the UK.

MrGarmonbozia · 02-03-2025, 07:52 PM

Adding here, WOWHD has pulled Canada from it's shipping destinations for now.

Gotho(redux) · 02-03-2025, 11:33 PM

I just read that the tariffs have been paused for 30 days and could possibly be avoided altogether.

martydmc12 · 02-04-2025, 01:51 AM

90% of my buys comes from the U.S., Amazon, Criterion, Kino, Shout! Factory, Vinegar Syndrome. Otherwise it's Zavvi or Arrow US with stuff coming from the UK. I don't purchase much in Canada anymore because 1. Very few places left buy discs. 2. I hate bilingual packaging. 3. Can't find boutique label titles at Walmart anyways.

We're screwed no matter if there's Tariff's or not. Importing is our only option for the most part.

MrGarmonbozia · 02-04-2025, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gotho(redux)

I just read that the tariffs have been paused for 30 days and could possibly be avoided altogether.

Yes, after Trump and Trudeau's 2nd conversation yesterday. Guess we'll see come March.

Looks like WOW was a bit premature on suspending shipments to Canada. Still not available but I imagine they'll return soon. It did take a week or so after postal strike for them to add Canada back to the site.

I don't think any other sites paused shipping like WOW did.

kanderson · 02-04-2025, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrGarmonbozia

Yes, after Trump and Trudeau's 2nd conversation yesterday. Guess we'll see come March.

Looks like WOW was a bit premature on suspending shipments to Canada. Still not available but I imagine they'll return soon. It did take a week or so after postal strike for them to add Canada back to the site.

I don't think any other sites paused shipping like WOW did.

I really don't know why WOW would stop shipping to Canada. The tariffs are paid by the receiver (despite what Trump might think) so this would have had no effect on WOW. I suspect it may have been due to the value of the dollar since WOW posts their prices in Canadian dollars.

MrGarmonbozia · 02-05-2025, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kanderson

I really don't know why WOW would stop shipping to Canada. The tariffs are paid by the receiver (despite what Trump might think) so this would have had no effect on WOW. I suspect it may have been due to the value of the dollar since WOW posts their prices in Canadian dollars.

Maybe though something of note, it ain't much better today and Canada has been added back to the dropdown.

keitaro · 03-03-2025, 09:17 PM

I Kickstarted a few anime titles (Paid and not yet shipped to Canada). Will that be affected as well?

MrGarmonbozia · 03-04-2025, 12:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by keitaro

I Kickstarted a few anime titles (Paid and not yet shipped to Canada). Will that be affected as well?

Probably. With tariffs kicking in at midnight wow will probably cancel all Canadian orders again

MrGarmonbozia · 03-04-2025, 10:12 AM

Oops, sorry Keitaro, thought you were talking about WOWHD.

* * *

I was really hoping the Criterion Flash sale would have happened BEFORE all this tarrif bullshit.

Hbx360 · 03-04-2025, 06:47 PM

Companies here should give us more opportunities to purchase overstock at low prices instead of selling all those Canadian Blu-ray releases to Hamilton Book!

MrSparkle63 · 03-07-2025, 11:04 PM

It would be interesting to see if Amazon.ca has seen a slow down on video purchases. Prices are still very high. For example:

Amadeus 4K is 27.19 USD from amazon.com and
Amadeus 4K is 48.98 CAD from amazon.ca

With exchange of 1.30 that would price the Canadian version at 34.29 USD. That is a difference of 7.21 USD. I don't think Bezos mailed them individually to Canada.

When the April 2nd hits, there will be a 25% tariff on the US movies shipped to Canada making Amadeus 4K 61.23 CAD. That is a lot of money for a 4K standard release of a catalogue movie. Amazon.ca won't be moving a lot of product.

How do the studios feel about the US tariffs and what it will do to their Canadian business? Does Bezos even care about his Canadian customers? But it seems counter intuitive to cut 40 million potential customers out of your business model.

I would think that this is only going to increase pirating of IP.

What are your views?

Hbx360 · 03-08-2025, 07:40 PM

Yet some of the Gruv discount titles are cheaper in Canada than in the US. Some of the titles in their 3 4Ks for $40 USD sale are cheaper here, whether on Gruv through Ebay.ca or on Amazon or Walmart. Example would be Enter the Dragon 4K. It is the equivalent of over $19 over there, versus $15 here.

barsalou · 03-09-2025, 11:54 AM

Amazon.ca prices have always been outrageous for the most part.

I just bought from wowhd.ca again, business as usual.

Dr. Humbert · 03-16-2025, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrSparkle63

It would be interesting to see if Amazon.ca has seen a slow down on video purchases. Prices are still very high. For example:

Amadeus 4K is 27.19 USD from amazon.com and
Amadeus 4K is 48.98 CAD from amazon.ca

With exchange of 1.30 that would price the Canadian version at 34.29 USD. That is a difference of 7.21 USD. I don't think Bezos mailed them individually to Canada.

When the April 2nd hits, there will be a 25% tariff on the US movies shipped to Canada making Amadeus 4K 61.23 CAD. That is a lot of money for a 4K standard release of a catalogue movie. Amazon.ca won't be moving a lot of product.

How do the studios feel about the US tariffs and what it will do to their Canadian business? Does Bezos even care about his Canadian customers? But it seems counter intuitive to cut 40 million potential customers out of your business model.

I would think that this is only going to increase pirating of IP.

What are your views?

My view is Amazon can go to hell and I buy my stuff at better prices elsewhere.

barsalou · 03-18-2025, 07:46 PM

wowhd.ca currently have a 10% and a 15% sale!!

hansolo350 · 03-25-2025, 08:23 PM

Can anyone confirm if Canada has imposed tariffs on DVDs/Blu-rays coming from the United States?

KobeKittyMeow · 03-26-2025, 12:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hansolo350

Can anyone confirm if Canada has imposed tariffs on DVDs/Blu-rays coming from the United States?

DVDs/Blu-rays are not on the initial Canada tariffs list as far as I know (at least I couldn’t find it), but might be added to the 2nd wave of Canada tariffs potentially coming on April 2nd - have to wait and see.

French Manu · 03-26-2025, 09:37 AM

I live in France and I am looking for canadian releases : the brutalist in 4K, Strange darling and Hotel mumbai in blurays, there are french friendly unfortunately Amazon Canada doesn't ship to France anymore and I haven't found canadian websites that ship to France.

I don't know how I can't buy them?

01-31-2025, 06:08 PM	#1
MrGarmonbozia Power Member Member since:Jan 2022 4K collection:142 Blu-ray collection:1400 DVD collection:791	Trade War and Importing So, looks like we're heading for a trade war with the tariffs slated to hit tomorrow and Canada retaliating. How, if at all, do ya'll think this might factor into those of us who purchase from US sites like WOW HD, Amazon.com, Criterion, etc. Might we also see price increases from places like UV?

01-31-2025, 07:32 PM	#2
hansolo350 Active Member Member since:Oct 2011 Blu-ray collection:1235 Trading Score:19	If Canada imposes tariffs on goods from the United States, obviously the cost of most Northern American discs will increase. In that case I would personally go back to buying nearly all of my discs from the UK.

02-03-2025, 07:52 PM	#3
MrGarmonbozia Power Member Member since:Jan 2022 4K collection:142 Blu-ray collection:1400 DVD collection:791	Adding here, WOWHD has pulled Canada from it's shipping destinations for now.

02-03-2025, 11:33 PM	#4
Gotho(redux) Blu-ray Guru Member since:Aug 2016 Location:Rat infested catacombs 4K collection:121 Blu-ray collection:1259 Trading Score:1	I just read that the tariffs have been paused for 30 days and could possibly be avoided altogether.

02-04-2025, 01:51 AM	#5
martydmc12 Expert Member Top contributor Member since:Jul 2009 4K collection:122 Blu-ray collection:435 DVD collection:268	90% of my buys comes from the U.S., Amazon, Criterion, Kino, Shout! Factory, Vinegar Syndrome. Otherwise it's Zavvi or Arrow US with stuff coming from the UK. I don't purchase much in Canada anymore because 1. Very few places left buy discs. 2. I hate bilingual packaging. 3. Can't find boutique label titles at Walmart anyways. We're screwed no matter if there's Tariff's or not. Importing is our only option for the most part.

03-03-2025, 09:17 PM	#9
keitaro Senior Member Member since:Feb 2014 Location:Canada 4K collection:11 Blu-ray collection:334 DVD collection:515 Trading Score:2	I Kickstarted a few anime titles (Paid and not yet shipped to Canada). Will that be affected as well?

03-04-2025, 10:12 AM	#11
MrGarmonbozia Power Member Member since:Jan 2022 4K collection:142 Blu-ray collection:1400 DVD collection:791	Oops, sorry Keitaro, thought you were talking about WOWHD. * * * I was really hoping the Criterion Flash sale would have happened BEFORE all this tarrif bullshit.

03-04-2025, 06:47 PM	#12
Hbx360 Senior Member Member since:Jan 2023 4K collection:259 Blu-ray collection:536 DVD collection:31 Trading Score:34	Companies here should give us more opportunities to purchase overstock at low prices instead of selling all those Canadian Blu-ray releases to Hamilton Book!

03-07-2025, 11:04 PM	#13
MrSparkle63 Member Top contributor Member since:Jun 2021 4K collection:442 Blu-ray collection:1057 DVD collection:588 Blu-ray reviews: 33	It would be interesting to see if Amazon.ca has seen a slow down on video purchases. Prices are still very high. For example: Amadeus 4K is 27.19 USD from amazon.com and Amadeus 4K is 48.98 CAD from amazon.ca With exchange of 1.30 that would price the Canadian version at 34.29 USD. That is a difference of 7.21 USD. I don't think Bezos mailed them individually to Canada. When the April 2nd hits, there will be a 25% tariff on the US movies shipped to Canada making Amadeus 4K 61.23 CAD. That is a lot of money for a 4K standard release of a catalogue movie. Amazon.ca won't be moving a lot of product. How do the studios feel about the US tariffs and what it will do to their Canadian business? Does Bezos even care about his Canadian customers? But it seems counter intuitive to cut 40 million potential customers out of your business model. I would think that this is only going to increase pirating of IP. What are your views?

03-08-2025, 07:40 PM	#14
Hbx360 Senior Member Member since:Jan 2023 4K collection:259 Blu-ray collection:536 DVD collection:31 Trading Score:34	Yet some of the Gruv discount titles are cheaper in Canada than in the US. Some of the titles in their 3 4Ks for $40 USD sale are cheaper here, whether on Gruv through Ebay.ca or on Amazon or Walmart. Example would be Enter the Dragon 4K. It is the equivalent of over $19 over there, versus $15 here.

03-09-2025, 11:54 AM	#15
barsalou Blu-ray Guru Member since:Dec 2017 Location:Mausoleum Trading Score:1	Amazon.ca prices have always been outrageous for the most part. I just bought from wowhd.ca again, business as usual.

03-18-2025, 07:46 PM	#17
barsalou Blu-ray Guru Member since:Dec 2017 Location:Mausoleum Trading Score:1	wowhd.ca currently have a 10% and a 15% sale!!

03-25-2025, 08:23 PM	#18
hansolo350 Active Member Member since:Oct 2011 Blu-ray collection:1235 Trading Score:19	Can anyone confirm if Canada has imposed tariffs on DVDs/Blu-rays coming from the United States?

03-26-2025, 09:37 AM	#20
French Manu Active Member Top contributor Member since:May 2018 Location:France 4K collection:163 Blu-ray collection:510	I live in France and I am looking for canadian releases : the brutalist in 4K, Strange darling and Hotel mumbai in blurays, there are french friendly unfortunately Amazon Canada doesn't ship to France anymore and I haven't found canadian websites that ship to France. I don't know how I can't buy them?

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