Currently, Canadians can shop J.Crew’s clothing using a similar method as Americans, with the exception that prices include duties charged. While the prices are in US dollars, we enjoy the same (or similar) coupon codes at the same time. However, all this is about to change. This morning (July 29, 2015), I received an email from J.Crew notifying that they will be switching Canada to Borderfree, a third party managed payment system also used by Ann Taylor, Saks, Nordstrom and others.
Partial screenshot of today’s email
Borderfree does have one advantage. Prices are listed in Canadian dollars. However, we will not know the duties charged until checkout. And chances are, the total price might be higher than in store. And because it’s third party, I think we’re going to see fewer online discounts. Instead, I will get emails from J.Crew notifying me about in store only sales, like I do with Ann Taylor and LOFT. As a petite woman, petite sizes are preferred and if an item is available in petite sizes, I’ll order it via the web. Petite sizes are shorter and often narrower than regular. And for some reason, J.Crew, unlike Banana Republic, Ann Taylor and its competition, DOES NOT offer petite sizing in stores. They did at one point, but that was long before they came to Canada. So yep, fewer sales unless Borderfree offers them.
I understand that this probably has to do with the Canadian dollar being lower. And every other country J.Crew ships to is on Borderfree. However, I kind of like things the way they are now (though ideally, they’d have an actual Canadian online store like Banana Republic and the other Gap Inc. owned stores do). At least the sales (generally) match stores (save for ones that are online-only). Oh well, at least the duties are calculated when you pay. Anthropologie and 7 for All Mankind do not do that. How stupid.
