Ecommerice in Canada

[mahsauction]

Looks like we are in the forefront of a new economy in Canada. Maybe that explains the increased Canadian bidding.

http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/12/11/Consumers/onlineshop031211

[mahsauction]

Oops can't spell commerce

[muminlaw]

There was an article on that in the paper this morning too - can't remember if it was our local rag or the National Post. The columnist was talking about all the options for online shopping for Christmas - well .... all of the options except eBay!

I'm sure that I've read that Canadians have more computers per capita and do more online, including shopping and banking, than any other nation including the US. We also, apparently, have more users signed up using cable and/or DSL. Not bad for igloo-dwelling blubber munchers!

Glenda

[deltone]

We also use debit cards more than the Americans. Although they do have a neat thing that we don't have. Many (if not all) of their debit cards double as credit/debit cards so that may be why.

I have noticed a LOT more Canadian buyers lately.

[ospreylinks]

I think I had some of that E-comme-rice for dinner... goes well with chicken. (or was that Canada Goose).

(just a little humour)

Jeff

[acurael]

deltone - most if not all US "debit" cards are visa/mc that draw directly from their bank accounts.

they don't have interac or similar where you punch in a pin number on a keypad - as a buddy of mine found out on a recent trip - he almost had the gas station guy convinced his debit card was a credit card...

[brownboxit]

Quite a few massive lawsuits from major retailers brewing against Visa & Mastercard for that reason you mention acurael. Visa/MC are speciffically trying to hold back an interac type network to maintain a screwhold monopoly on debit payments, and charge fees to both consumers & the retailer without competition.

just a side comment - as advanced as home users are in Canada which is great, banks are not on the forefront of ecommerce for businesses as they are stateside. Merchant accounts require usually seperate agreements (or accounts) for each major card, usually entailing seperate banks as well, and internet only transactions are very difficult to get requiring usually substantial deposits. I've done a lot of work setting up ecommerce systems internationally, canada is one of the more difficult places because of the banking monopolies, and the fact they normally select a single credit card company to do business with.

[amberwoodottawa]

One more point on the credit card issue.

Over 75% of all credit card transactions are done with VISA so if you wanted to cut some deals, there is a bit of rrom with Mastercard / Amex as long as you remember that the majority of your customers will want to use VISA.
Malcolm