Canadians buying First lite, can't buy in USD or have items shipped to the USA

[KBC]

Kind of a rant but I have a $130 USD FL store credit I can't use. After buying a SEAK jacket a few years back and it leaked, they sent me a replacement which also ended up leaking so I got store credit in exchange for it. Bought a couple pairs of pants I had to exchange because of sizing issues which was cool. Also bought some other stuff.

The exchanged pants were a medium green and a grey pair of the corrugate guides, one fit perfect and the other fit like a small tall. Sent it back and was issued a store credit for the $130 mentioned above and they gave me a 30% discount code for my troubles.

Now they have changed their policy so I can't shop in USD and have my items shipped to a box just across the border in the USA for me to pick up. Because my CC is a Canadian card they can only ship to Canada. With all the duty they put into the price in CAD it's way more expensive. Something that I would get charged $330 after exchange if I bought in USD costs $400 if I buy it from them in CAD.

To make things better since I can only shop in Canadian funds, my store credit can't be used since it's USD. I'm sure they will trade it for a credit in CAD but then the prices are even more out to lunch than they already are.

What a pain.

 

[Marbles]

Sorry. That sucks. It also makes no sense to me why they would do it that way.

 

[Nosferatu]

Can you get a prepaid USD credit card where you're at?

 

[KBC]

Ya the amount of Canadians who have things shipped to a box just across the border is huge for so many things. Add all the additional revenue we pump into the local economies when we get gas and groceries while we are down there, I hope more companies don’t follow their policy. All the border towns have been hit hard enough the last few years.

 

[KBC]

Can you get a prepaid USD credit card where you're at?

I guess I could try that. I did try to buy a gift card in USD for the difference to use instead but it wouldn’t accept my credit card for that either.

I have to pick up some car parts next week in Sumas so I could buy a $50 card then to cover the difference in what I’m trying to order.

 

[Nosferatu]

Sorry. That sucks. It also makes no sense to me why they would do it that way.

Fraud protection. It's not likely a FL policy, but their credit card processors policy.

 

[BRTreedogs]

Have you actually called them?

 

[ozyclint]

Mehh. Welcome to life outside the center of the universe.

 

[KBC]

Have you actually called them?

I have been having a lengthy email conversation with one of the people there. He’s been super nice and I’m probably a pain in the ass to him but I’m not being a jerk. I tried calling but missed the office hours by 20 minutes. The voicemail says to leave a message but it just hangs up on you after.

 

[KBC]

Mehh. Welcome to life outside the center of the universe.

Toronto?

 

[tuffcity]

Get a US VISA card. I have one through RBC for traveling and buying stuff in the US. If you are a RBC customer you can link all your accounts for on line banking and moving money back and forth in US/CAD is painless.

(NB: I don't work for and am not affiliated with RBC )

 

[ozyclint]

Toronto?

Yeah that's outside the center of the universe because it's not the USA. Might as well be as far away as here in Australia.

 

[Quicksilver]

I guess I could try that. I did try to buy a gift card in USD for the difference to use instead but it wouldn’t accept my credit card for that either.

I have to pick up some car parts next week in Sumas so I could buy a $50 card then to cover the difference in what I’m trying to order.

I’m in Lynden, small world. Well if a home address will change anything on their end (probably won’t) you’re more than welcome to ship and pickup and my place.

 

[KBC]

Yeah that's outside the center of the universe because it's not the USA. Might as well be as far away as here in Australia.

Hehe here in the rest of Canada we refer to Toronto “lovingly” as the centre of the universe.

I spelled centre correctly.

 

[KBC]

I’m in Lynden, small world. Well if a home address will change anything on their end (probably won’t) you’re more than welcome to ship and pickup and my place.

Not likely to help but thanks for the offer nonetheless! I will keep it in mind.

 

[KBC]

Probably braking some rules but if there’s another WKR out there with an extra $44 USD gift card to first lite…

 

[KBC]

Posted a WTB ad for a gift card in the classifieds, hopefully I don’t get scammed for $44!

 

[rkcdvm]

Install a VPN on your computer and set the location to a US city will overcome the location you’re ordering from . That only works ordering online though

 

[KBC]

Won’t work because my credit card is Canadian.

I’m hopeful my WTB ad comes through, then I can burn up my store credit and not shop there anymore.

 

[KBC]

I was in the USA today picking up some car parts I ordered so I grabbed a $50 prepaid Mastercard and was able to use it on FL’s site and get things shipped to my box in Sumas. Saved a little over $20 filling up my truck and saved another $50 on shipping for the car parts so the $5 fee on the prepaid card was worth it. Not to mention the $50+ I save on my FL order.
Kind of a bummer but I guess if I really want to order from them in the future there’s a way around the current policy.