Amazon ships to various countries but also has country-specific websites, including Amazon.ca. But what is Amazon.ca? Amazon.ca is not a separate company but is a division of Amazon.com. Amazon.ca’s head offices are located in Ontario and give Canadian customers an online Amazon site that is specific to them. But what is Amazon.ca vs. Amazon.com?
Amazon.ca is Amazon’s Canadian site and functions the same way Amazon.com functions. Amazon.ca gets 161.3 million visits monthly and is ranked 22nd on the list of online marketplaces worldwide. The only difference between Amazon.ca and Amazon.com is the items it ships and the shipping fees.
Amazon Canada has thousands of products sold by local Canadian companies and by international sellers. So while Amazon.com remains a firm favorite for most U.S. customers, Amazon.ca may be a better option for Canadian shoppers.
Jump To…
Is Amazon.ca A Good Place To Shop?
Amazon.ca is an excellent place to shop, but only if you reside in Canada. If you live elsewhere, stick to the Amazon.com site for your online shopping.
Most sellers on the Amazon.ca site are in the U.S., and Canadians only make up 29% of the Amazon.ca marketplace. However, Canadians are not restricted to shopping on the Amazon.ca site and can also use the Amazon.com site for their online shopping.
Many Canadian customers occasionally shop on the Amazon.com site because it has a wider variety of products, and some items may be slightly cheaper than the Amazon.ca site.
There are restrictions when shopping on the Amazon.com site compared to the Amazon.ca site for Canadians. For example, they may pay more for customs duties and taxes, and some products may not be eligible to be shipped to Canada.
Overall the Amazon Canada site is a good option for Canadian online shoppers.
Is There A Difference Between Amazon Canada And Amazon USA
If you’ve only shopped Amazon Canada for online shopping, you may be surprised to find a difference between Amazon Canada and Amazon USA. So what is Amazon ca?
Amazon Canada is linked to the website Amazon.ca, and Amazon USA is linked to Amazon’s main website Amazon.com. In addition, Amazon has country-specific websites for shoppers to quickly locate products that can ship to their country. One of these sites is Amazon.ca.
Most U.S. shoppers, including some Canadian shoppers, will use the amazon.com site to do their shopping. However, it’s much easier for Canadian shoppers to use the Amazon.ca website. Amazon also has warehouses in Canada to help facilitate shipments.
Can I Buy From Amazon.ca If I Live In The USA?
Does Amazon.ca ship to the U.S., and can you order from Amazon Canada in the U.S.? Customers in the USA can order from Amazon Canada to the U.S. but the products listed and their prices will differ. There may also be a difference in shipping costs and possibly a few more restrictions on what can be shipped.
If you want to buy from Amazon.ca if you reside in the United States, you may also be wondering how to change Amazon U.S. to Canada. It’s easy to switch between the Amazon U.S. site and the Amazon Canada site. To do this, you’ll need to navigate from the Amazon.com site to the Amazon.ca site.
Most people living in the USA will use the Amazon.com site because there are a wider variety of products, and some products are more affordable on the Amazon.com site.
When Is Amazon.com A Better Choice
Amazon.com is a better choice for Canadian shoppers when:
- Purchasing items that aren’t available in Canada. Amazon.ca may not have a specific product that you want. In that case, it may be best to shop on Amazon.com, especially if you cannot purchase it in Canada.
- You are purchasing products that aren’t listed on the Amazon.ca website. The Amazon.ca website has many items but may not have a specific product you want. It’s better to use the Amazon.com site to find the products you want.
- When items on Amazon.com are cheaper than Amazon.ca, many customers have experienced a notable difference in pricing on the Amazon.ca website compared to the Amazon.com website. In many instances, Amazon.ca’s products can be more expensive.
- When purchasing big items. Big items will likely be cheaper on Amazon.com. So even though you’ll still need to pay import tax and customs duties, you’ll still save on big items.
- You are purchasing lots of products. If you’re buying lots of products, consider using Amazon.com. You may find cheaper options on Amazon.com when purchasing various products, but the import fees and tax will still need to be considered.
What Are Amazon.com’s Canadian Shipping Rates?
Amazon.com’s shipping rates for Canada are pretty affordable. Shipping rates are calculated during checkout and are based on factors like the number of items bought, the type of items, and how much the items weigh.
Amazon has standard shipment rates, expedited shipping rates, and priority shipping rates. Shoppers from Canada can expect to pay from $6.99 for standard shipping and from $13.99 for priority shipping. You can visit the Amazon website to see the complete shipping cost list.
How Much Are Amazon.com’s Foreign Currency Charges For Canadians?
Canadians shopping on the Amazon.com website must pay foreign exchange rate charges. This is because Canadians usually pay for Amazon products in Canadian dollars, which needs to be converted to U.S. dollars before the customer can make the purchase.
The foreign exchange rate is generally between 2% and 3%. However, you may sometimes pay more using a credit card or third-party platform like PayPal. When using these payment methods, you will need to pay an additional foreign currency transaction fee which can be 2.5% of the value of the purchase.
How Do I Return Amazon.com Purchases From Canada To The U.S.?
If you live in Canada and have purchased from Amazon.com, it is an international return. You can return your purchase using a label from your orders section on your Amazon account. Products purchased from Amazon can be returned as long as it’s within 30 days of the order being delivered.
It can take 25 days for an item to be returned, and once Amazon receives the return, the refund should reflect within seven days. Customers who live in Canada also have the option to return their items using a pre-paid UPS drop-off label. You can find your nearest UPS location here.
Other options for returns include DHL express drop-off, DHL express pick-up, and using your shipping method with a return label (Amazon may offer a refund of up to $25 if shipped with a return label)
You can view the complete guide on Amazon’s return policy on the Refunds and Returns page on the Amazon website.
Conclusion
Amazon.ca is a dedicated Amazon website for Canadian shoppers. Amazon.com is the main Amazon website which Canadian shoppers can also use to purchase items from Amazon. In most cases, it’s easier for Canadian shoppers to use Amazon.ca to shop for products, but Amazon.com may offer more affordable product options.