Taylor test kit in Canada, again

[Canucklehead]

You folks south of the 49th must get tired of reading about how we Canucks have trouble obtaining the Taylor Test Kit.

Months ago, one of you recommended a seller in Ontario. I decided to wait until closer to the upcoming pool season, so that the reagents will have a little longer shelf life. And now that I've started typing this query to say that I can't find the contact info, you all have just jogged my memory!!

<Lowry and Associates - Pool, Spa and Industrial Testing Products> I did contact them last year and was advised that the price would be CAD175 including shipping to BC, for a subset of the full Taylor 2006-C kit, the K-2006.

I have yet to place my order, but I'm posting the URL here in case it's of interest to other Canadians. Please let us know how it goes, if you do try Lowry.

 

[needsajet]

Thanks for that. Yes, indeed, Lowry is an impediment to TFPC in Canada. Pity they don't realize they could sell more kits at a reasonable price, and Canada could have more TFPers!

 

[sadohert]

Did anyone try Lowry? Seems like there's no information about how to actually place an order... do I just email them?

 

[Thorvald]

Lowry is not too far from where I live. I’ve dropped by their office before to pickup a salt kit. No idea if they are open during the virus though. Yes email or call them is best, it’s not really setup for retail, they are a distributor.

You can still buy from TFP but you have to go to the USA to pick it up from a border mail box place. Now that isn’t possible but many of those places offer very reasonable flat rate cross border shipping (SGS/Canam in Niagara falls NY is around $10 or so to ship your package across (can’t remember the exact cost). I do this every year (though i pick it up, just got mine before the border lock down).

I try to support a local business when I can but Lowry is so much more expensive than anywhere else (I assume due to our dollar and shipping, customs. Duties, staffing, rent, Etc).

 

[ottawaguy]

I placed my order with Walmart.ca of all places! Just got a Taylor K-2006C kit. C is the bigger size. It was on sale and the best price I could find in Canada. It’s listed at 140$ CAD which imho is a pretty good deal, with (expensive fedex shipping) and taxes it was around 200$ CAD. None of the chemicals are exported, they are all good into 2021.
This kit is about 100$ USD if you buy it down south which is about 140$ CAD, so I didn’t feel too ripped off (shipping felt expensive). They actually shipped it from the USA.

 

[kalW]

I placed my order with Walmart.ca of all places! Just got a Taylor K-2006C kit. They actually shipped it from the USA.

Well that's odd! I wonder how Walmart's getting around the Lowry exclusive Canadian distribution rights?

Kal

 

[ottawaguy]

Well that's odd! I wonder how Walmart's getting around the Lowry exclusive Canadian distribution rights?

Kal

Same way all of the amazon.ca vendors are I guess, they just ship you the product from the USA. Walmart.ca isn't the only site, you can buy it from USA stores on a few Canadian sites.

 

[Canucklehead]

I've never been able to get those US-based sites to ship to Canada. I wonder what's changed. What Canadian sites???
While in Anaheim last fall, I found a pool shop and asked about Taylor K-2006C. The attendant looked confused. I guess I should have walked out. I managed to purchase a package of Taylor reagents plus the titration chamber and a 7ml/14ml plastic bottle.
This will be my first year trying the TFP system. I hope it becomes less confusing than it was last year, posting and reading replies without being able to put the advice into action!

 

[ottawaguy]

They aren't pool sites, but there are Canadian websites that sell stuff from USA vendors who ship to canada. i.e. Walmart.ca, amazon.ca, newegg.ca, eBay.ca, etc. I've seen others too, less recognizable names. If you buy from any of these it's hard to know how fresh the chemical will be.

You are right, most US based sites don't ship to canada (Taylor rules? Or Canadian import rules, I don't know). I will eventually try one of those services that you ship to a USA address and then bring it across the border and ship it to you in within Canada.

 

[needsajet]

Lowry has an exclusive, but maybe it's become "had". Hopefully Taylor was disappointed by the out-dated ordering system Lowry was offering, plus the usury prices reducing Taylor's potential business.