Wow – tough time finding this thing to recommend to family…until I had the SKU to Google with.
www.microsoft.ca has a ‘buy now’ link, that throws you over to their U.S. online store, except they don’t ship to Canada. So why is there a ‘buy now’ link?
Googling/Binging brought no more joy.
Called Microsoft Canada – disconnected after hearing one of their Indian call centre folks answer and hang up without realizing I was on the other end.
Called Microsoft Canada Parts – who told me there is no Canadian online store, and couldn’t tell me anything more.
Called the main MS Canada line back and got to speak with Tom – great guy, and helped me find it, and gave me the Cdn SKU (GFC-00235).
So Bestbuy.ca has it – for $40 more than the MSRP (huh?). Sorry Best Buy – I’m not linking to you!
Searched for GFC-00235 and found NCIX.com also has it (no stock yet), but actually for the $199 price.
It’s a great deal, Canada – 3 Home Premium licenses for the price of 1.
Go get it – you won’t be disappointed (though it looks like you’ll have to wait for a back-order).
BEST DEAL: Costco.ca (select the drop down box)
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All I can find are Windows 7 UPGRADE family packs. Where do you buy the Windows 7 family pack (i.e. new install, not upgrade) in Canada?
Family pack is, as you’ve discovered, only for upgrading existing Windows licenses (XP/Vista, OEM or full-packaged-product/FPP/Retail).
Windows is only ever sold as FPP, OEM (with a new computer), or as a volume license for businesses, and the Family Pack is a good deal for those with existing computers to upgrade to Win7. If you want to build your own machine, or have a PC with no existing license on it, you have to own a license first, and the Family Pack is NOT a full license. The same logic applies to business computers and ‘Pro/Enterprise’ licenses – volume licensing only provides ‘upgrade’ licenses, meaning computers bought for business have to come with an OEM license already installed – or you have to buy a FPP license.
Here’s a good post to describe the logic of a ‘full’ license and ‘upgrades’…
http://bit.ly/bJMC0
But what I still want an answer for is why they sell it in the US for $149, which at today’s prices is $156 Cdn, but to buy it in Canada we have to pay $199!!!
$179 at Costco is the best price I’ve seen. Microsoft pricing has always been higher in Canada for everything. Doesn’t mean I agree with it, but they do have to go through an extra hoop or 2 to sell in Canada. Still having a 33% premium is more than any of us Canucks like.
Yeah, I found the Costco deal. Still not “fair” but better than elsewhere. (And good for Costco, for offering it at a better price!)