6 Things I Don’t Like About Online Shopping in Canada

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Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission on purchases made through links on this page.

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As a shopping editor, my goal is to break down the obstacles of online shopping to simplify the journey for our readers. That means a lot of “doesn’t ship to Canada,” USD prices, endless return labels, and more.

One of our readers wrote in and asked for a “what annoys me” column — we didn’t have to ask twice.

Over the years I’ve ordered things like: sofas, tables, garden furniture and smaller things. Many retailers have mastered the science of online shopping, and for others, there’s a lot of fine print. Here are my six biggest annoyances about online shopping in Canada, from least to most annoying. I also offer solutions — it’s not just a complaint — it’s a conversation starter.

6. Offer prices in non-local currency

I’m not a mathematician or a stock market guru. I don’t want to start calculating the cost of goods in a different currency or wondering whether I should use a US or CAD bank account. If you’re inviting Canadians to shop on your site, show prices in CAD. (Many retailers are great at showing prices in local currencies, like Eternal belt, Reformation AND Apple.)

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5. It doesn’t ship to Canada, but you’re telling me that too late

I understand when a site doesn’t ship to Canada, but I don’t like it when some items ship and others don’t, and I only find out when I’m ready to checkout. Note to e-commerce sites: Please mark items appropriately.

4. Returning goods requires the use of a printer

The only reason I have a printer is for return labels – so I don’t have one. I’m very proud of myself when I make a return, but more often than not I end up with unwanted items. It’s great when there’s a retail location associated with an e-commerce store that allows in-person returns, but that’s not always the case. I suggest that shippers print the return label on the back of the shipping label so that buyers can easily return or accept Amazon’s New Returns Policy.

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3. Creating a shopping account

I don’t want to create an account to buy a pair of pants. Some sites have a “checkout as guest” option, which is great if it includes an electronic trace of the product purchase. I also don’t want to sign up for your newsletter (but you definitely should sign up for our.)

2. Unable to contact technical support

If I have a question about a product, I don’t want to email support and get an automated response—I want a phone number so I can call someone directly—and not have to wait an hour for someone to call me. Often, it’s a search for a “contact us” button, and then the journey of filling out a contact form or finding an email address begins.

1. Pop-ups

I don’t want to spin to win. I don’t want to talk to your AI chatbot. I still don’t want to sign up for your newsletter. I just want to click what I want and make a purchase in less than a minute. If I have to find a grayed out “close” button or an “x” in a popup, I’m already disappointed.

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Sites that do e-commerce well

I believe that the best online shopping experiences are offered by e-commerce brands – especially Canadian ones. For example, two Canadian furniture brands, Cozy AND Silk and Snowstarted out as pure e-commerce brands and only recently launched Commercial space.

I am completely biased towards Canadian brands because I want them to succeed, but I also love international brands that offer customers a local shopping experience. Eternal beltfashion brand, makes online shopping simple and hassle-free. Amazon makes shopping super easy, especially with mainand returns just got a lot easier.

Call me a hypocrite, but I suggest you sign up for our “Essential Shopping” Newsletter so you can suggest articles you would like to read or discussions you would like to start.

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