now that things have worked out, i can smile and rant at the same time..just wanted to comment on the "joke" that we call canadian pool stores...lousy websites, high high prices. while as a radio station manager, i prefer to support local businesses and am willing to pay say 10-20% more for items, there can be price differences that can't be ignored..case in point without naming names:

zeobrite- same price about as u.s. , but 100 dollars for shipping! (versus 6.99 from the online store in u.s. that is fast becoming a favorite of mine..i'm 3 orders deep with them and order 4 is on the way..they don't disappoint)

pool vac- 500 bucks- same one 145 (ok it was ebay..but still)

pool pump- 600 bucks- again, ebay for 145 (almost my best find this summer) but even so, 300 to 350 for the same pump from u.s. online supplier.

pool cover, reel and casters- 700- got for 400 from my favorite us online store.

pool heater- 2400 plus 200 freight for a jandy 2 lite from both local pool stores. 1100 including shipping from an online us store.

chlorinator system- 1200- 700 from u.s. online store.

i know that in my area of the country, there isn't a huge call for pools but there is for spas and that's where they make tons of money. they don't advertise anywhere cause they are the only game in town..another pet peeve of mine...so i was quite happy to tell them where to go when they quoted me the book price on the pool heater.

small profit is still better than no profit. i've spent almost 3000 u.s. in the past 2 months to change out almost everything in my system and they didn't get a sniff of it locally except for the replacement piping and connectors i needed. would have cost me 5600 to buy locally!

i don't know the profit margin on the above, but it has to be minimum 20% for the local guys. so..600 cash in pocket..to bad, so sad.