If you live in Canada and are thinking about buying a Phantom, pay attention. I recently bought two Phantoms and here is what I learned (the hard way) . . .
Lesson #1 - You can save $300 or more if you buy directly from DJI.
If you have a relationship with an authorized Canadian dealer in the city where you live, you can decide for yourself if you want to pay hundreds of dollars extra for that convenience. But if you are buying on the internet anyway, you can save a lot of money -- enough for a free backpack and extra battery -- by dealing directly with DJI.
The reason for the difference is taxes and exchange rates. I will use the Phantom 3 Pro as an example . . .
ThePhantom 3 Pro at DJI cost $1259 USD, with all taxes and duty included. At today's exchange rate, that's $1,554 Canadian. The same model retails in Canada for $1,637, PLUS TAXES. So if you live in Alberta, where taxes are only 5%, the total price would be $1,719 and you would save $165 if you buy direct from DJI. But if you live in Nova Scotia, where taxes are 15%, the total price would be $1,883 and you would save $329 if you buy direct from DJI. I live in BC and saved about $300 on my DJI order. That was almost enough for a free backpack and a spare battery.
Lesson #2 - If you use PayPal, converting currency through PayPal instead of your credit card can save you $75 or more.
If you order with PayPal, you have a choice of converting currency with PayPal or converting with the credit card company. There are advantages to converting with PayPal, because if you cancel the order the full amount is refunded to your linked credit card. However, if you choose to let the credit card company convert, and then need to cancel or return, you will get dinged twice for the conversion. Basically, they charge 3% commission each way. So, with the credit card conversion spread, a $100 transaction will cost you $103, but if you ask for a refund or cancellation, you only get $97 back. That 6% on USD $1259 adds up to USD $75.00! You can avoid this double transaction cost by using PayPal and choosing to pay in Canadian dollars. I learned this the hard way when I cancelled my UV Filter . . . see this thread for why: http://forum.dji.com/thread-18021-1-1.html
UPDATE . . . September 1, 2015 . . .
Since this post the Canadian dollar has nose-dived and DJI has introduced new products. Depending on the product and province of residence, Canadians can now save up to $439 by purchasing directly from DJI. Here are some examples . . .
P3 Standard DJI: $799USD = $1052CDN Price in Canada w taxes = $1177 DJI savings = $125 P3 Advanced DJI: $999USD = $1314CDN Price in Canada w taxes = $1511 DJI savings = $197 P3 Professional DJI: $1259USD = $1657CDN Price in Canada w taxes = $1905 DJI savings = $248 P3 Standard Combo DJI: $1059USD = $1393CDN Price in Canada w taxes = $1623 DJI savings = $230 P3 Advanced Combo DJI: $1678USD = $2208CDN Price in Canada w taxes = $2519 DJI savings = $311
These calculations assume a 12% tax rate in BC. In Alberta and the Territories your tax rate is lower, but in many other provinces the tax rate is higher than BC and your savings will be more substantial (e.g. save up to $439 in Nova Scotia and Quebec).
As stated in my original post, it is not my intention to discourage anyone from purchasing from a local dealer, if you are lucky enough to have access to one. But if you are buying online anyway, the savings from DJI can be substantial, because the taxes and duties are included in the price. This is confirmed by DJI at https://store.dji.com/help/shipping/faq (see the answer to question #5).
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