Now here is a classy company in the 'states....
Frankie,
The sad fact is that it is still less expensive to buy in the states from LL Bean than it is for me to buy locally....at a lesser quality....even with the duty and stuff...
The second sad fact is that folks that do not live in the states are paying for your "shipping free to the lower 48" deal so we are almost paying for shipping twice...
I have worked this out....for some US companies, it is cheaper to ship to me than it is some of the states...
From a business point of view...it would be profitable for some of the companies ...I think jc whitney does this. (not that I would buy from them)...is to have a shipping address in Canada...
We may only be a small country but we buy lots..
There's a great deal of difference for a business to ship to Canada, and to have a distribution there. Even if they did, it would only be a "break bulk" center. In other words, the company would still have the shipping costs to get to merchandise to the distribution center in Canada, and that product, would then be "inventory", instead of "sold product".
Presently the only merchandise that goes to Canada is "sold product".
These is also the questions of Owning or leasing a distribution building, transportation, maintenance on the building and property, employees, utilities, insurances, Canadian regulations, taxes, and on and on...
That doesn't seem like a winning situation for the company. I don't have an answer for your problem, but, the fact is, opening a DC in Canada would not be for the sake of your convenience, it would only happen if it would enhance the corporation's bottom line. For example, many companies look at doing that sort of thing, but, if P&L projections don't show them re-cooping the start up costs of such an operation in, say, 2 years, it won't happen.
btw, I don't shop at LL Bean, or Lands End. For what it's worth, they could move their entire operation to Canada, and give you the free shipping while charging the US a premium.
As for me, I can usually find the same quality merchandise, for less money at a local department store.