Do you shop over the border and is it beneficial to you in the long run after paying taxes and custom fees.

I know that buying equipment you have to be very careful on how this will effect the warranty.

Which problems have you run into?    (Buyer Beware) 

mail order....just insure it ..... works fine for me... and if you get it sent us postal ..no duty or taxes...it's great....with the dollar going back up, its worth to look at US goods again...

Hope I haven't offended anyone

For shoppers who purchase equipment over the border should realize that U.S. manufactured equipment is generally not approved by the CSA (Canadian Standards Association). This is a protection agency designed to protect you the buyer and especially your customer. If for instance your carpet cleaning equipment should ever start a fire in your customers home and burn down or even kill someone you will become liable. If the family gets a lawyer who digs up the facts that your equipment is in this country illegally with no seals of approval.

Well by now you should have gotten the message. If not have a plane ticket ready for the islands. Canadian rules are generally more stringent than that of the U.S. Especially when it comes to electricity and water.

How about a baby that mistakingly puts its hand into and unauthorized air mover. Hope you enjoy that island paradise. By the way, is your insurance paid up?

This is a message to scare you into buying Canadian goods that are CSA Approved.

Ted you jump way ahead of yourself.

I bet most people don't realize most American products are wired ready for 20AMP service.

Well if Lee has posted on this one already, why say something thats going to be wrong.  My post says it all....I DON'T AGREE..... My prochem unit isn't CSA approved...at least I don't see a sticker anywhere....my hoses???my wand???my blower??? and I'm quite sure if something happened my liability insurance will pick up the tab.  CSA approved when most stuff comes from the states anyways...try and get a major part...where does it come from...????

let me guess...THE STATES...  CSA approved is only a minor detail, which an isurance company may or may not look at during a claim. 

Say if the sticker fell off??? are they able to check the make and model to see weather it was CSA approved....I think not..

I do my homework.... it has NOT been worth it to buy from the states in the last few years because of the exchange...but if the dollar hits .80 cents... I'll be singing...

OH SAY CAN YOU SEEEEEEEE....WHAT I GOT FROM THE STATES.... I PURCHASED ONLINE AND IT WAS HERE RIGHT ON TIMEEEEEEE

FROM THE LAND OF THE CHEAP....AND THE HOME OF THE MANUFACTURER

PLAY BALL

My ninja isn't either....nor is my blower or rotor

Steamer

The Government I don't worry about regarding CSA. They are not swift enough to catch you. And believe me many carpet cleaners are cleaning with non-approved equipment. Now a swift lawyer looking for a large commission that's a different story.

He will skin you alive and take the bread from your children. Every lawyer should have a pimp for a brother. Someone he could look up to. Maybe this could be a sales pitch when your potential customer says the other guy will clean it cheaper. Your answer could be "MAYBE THE OTHER GUY HAS NO INSURANCE OR HIS EQUIPMENT HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED FOR CANADIAN USE".

Keep ahead of the curve, its about getting the job.

This is all true Ted....but unless the customer is dealing with a big company they don't bother,  half the time they can't find the guy who did the damage...or he has no money even if they do get a settlement...

The guy files bankrupt...and it's over... next week he has a new name and new number....calling all his old customer to advise them of the change, except the ones he screwed...lol

CSA very minor I wouldn't worry about, If you need a piece of electrical equipment from the states and it's cheaper..get it

do you think any of the big bottling plants like Pepsi, molson, minute maid etc. I can tell you 99% of their equipment comes from the states and not one piece is CSA

scare tactics if you ask me

Good Information just to be aware when purchasing.

I thought I would get more horror stories regarding the duties and taxes custom charges. I understand the postal service is no problem but what about bringing equipment over the border when your just a one man company 

Yes Steamer its true the little guy buys cheap and sells his service cheap. He's not good for the industry. As he is passing through to make a quick buck he gives the dedicated cleaner a black eye.

The big guys can't afford not to buy CSA. As everyone wants to sue City Hall where the money is.

This is true Ted....I'm doing a call for one of my dare customers in Thornhill... The Maid service spilled a bottle of hand soap on her foyer carpet... she wants me to condem the carpet so she can get a new one or some money towards a new one....

Why because her Maid service is a BIG NAME SERVICE.... The funny thing is when I called the service to set-up the appointment and fax off my invoice.  They gave me a few jobs and I'm cleaning the owners house next monday....all this to sweeten me up so I get the soap out..lol

See this is why I've been there done that...I have to know what I'm doing, because I sub for those big names....my head is always on the chopping block, there is no escape for me,  If I don't fix the problem they don't pay my invoice

Well said Steamer. When greed gets in the way professionalism tends to fade for an hour or so. It's unforutunately so...but as the big boys say:

FOLLOW THE MONEY

Enough Said

Steamer

If your Ninja is not CSA approved or equivalently approved then you bought it through the U.S.A. Hope you got a good deal. But, taking it to a Canadian distributor for warranty could be costly. I am not a friend of CSA myself but they are in place possibly to protect your eye sight the next time you look under the hood.

And that's a good thing.

I think Ted realizes that I hate everything..lololol