CONSUMER RIGHTS AND SERVICES
Smart shoppers always check a store’s refund policy before buying an item.
Policies vary, some stores will refund money on unwanted items, others offer
store vouchers, and many will not exchange or refund sale merchandise.
Reputable stores will take back defective merchandise within 28 days as long as
it is accompanied by the original bill. As credit card fraud increases, it is
wise to be cautious about buying by telephone using cards.
COMPLETELY CANADIAN
Products made in Canada offer shoppers a wide variety of choice. Although most
specialty items are on sale across the country, many goods are less expensive in
their province of origin. Hand knitted sweaters and pottery are particularly
good value in Atlantic Canada, as is the much-praised Seagull pewter made in
Nova Scotia. The Prairie provinces and Alberta specialize in cowboy attire;
tooled belts, vests, cowboy hats, and boots. Farther west, British Columbian
artisans produce elaborate carvings, jewelry, from locally mined stone, is also
reasonable here.
Local specialties from Quebec and Ontario include maple syrup and sugar-related
products. Quebec artisans make beautiful wood carvings too. In Ontario, native
basketwork is good as a lasting souvenir.
For those who need an extra suitcase to carry their finds home, the renowned
Tilley travel cases and products are made and sold locally throughout Ontario.
Native carvings can be found across Canada, especially in the far north. Genuine
Inuit carvings are inspected and stamped by the federal government.
A sticker featuring an igloo marks a true piece; it will also be signed by the
artist. Since the 1950s, the Inuit have been producing prints of traditional
scenes, which are popular, as is native jewelry. Beautifully handmade parka
jackets, embroidered panels, and soft deer hide moccasins make excellent gifts.
Contemporary Canadian art features highly in gift shops and galleries
countrywide.
Photographs and prints are recommended for the budget conscious shopper.
Recordings of Canadian music are freely available: Europeans will be pleased to
find that tapes and CDs are at least 50 percent cheaper in Canada.
Modern sportswear and outerwear is both durable and beautifully designed.
Camping, hiking, and boating equipment are fine buys, as is fishing tackle. With
such a strong tradition of outdoor life, a wide range of products is usually
available at well below European prices.
DEPARTMENT STORES
The bay is the major middle range department store chain across the country.
Canadian department stores have suffered financially during the last years of
the 20th century. They are changing to meet the competition of US chains, such
as Wal-Mart and discount stores, and membership stores including Costco and
Price Club. Chains such as Sears and Zeller’s occupy the middle to lower end of
the market place.
Canadian Tire sells everything from auto parts to sporting goods and has become
a national institution.
MALLS AND SHOPPING CENTERS
Suburbia may not offer the most culture in Canada, but some of the malls are
fine destinations in themselves.
The renowned modernist Eaton Centre in Toronto is enclosed by a glass and steel
arched roof, with a wonderful sculpted flock of geese soaring over shoppers.
Over 42 million visitors annually enjoy this showcase of modern architecture,
though it has been derided as “brutalism” by conservative Torontonians. Canada
has the world’s largest mall, the West Edmonton Mall in
Edmonton, Alberta. Over 800 stores, more than 100 restaurants, 34 movie
theaters, a huge water park, an amusement park, a theme hotel, a mini-golf
course, an ice rink, and a zoo with dolphins are just some of the sights that
draw Canadians and visitors alike to this retail paradise.
Exclusive stores are largely found in the country’s retail capital, Toronto.
Bloor Street and Yorkville Avenue are lined with status brands known the world
over, such as Tiffany, Holt Renfrew, Ralph Lauren, and Gucci. Both Vancouver and
Montreal have their own selection of world-class luxury stores. Montreal is
notable as the fur capital of the country; good department stores will stock a
selection of winter and summer furs at very reasonable prices. For those unable
to travel to the north, Inuit art features highly in craft shops here.
Canada Cities