New Aero Stockist in Canada!

[Radz108]

Hi TFLers,
I'm not sure where to post this info or if it has been posted already(did a quick search and nothing came up). So if I posted this in the wrong forum, moderators, please accept my apologies and move it accordingly

Anyways, I was browsing around the Aero website for more "inspiration" despite having an Aero jacket on order already (I know...I have a condition). I happened upon the Links tab on the Aero website. Under the Friends of Aero heading, there was listed all the Websites to current Aero stockists. To my surprise at the very bottom was a company called Bison Leather Clothing and it was listed as an Aero Stockist in Canada.

Website: www.bisontrading.ca

I checked out the website and was pleasantly surprised to see that they are or will be vendors for Aero Leather, Eastman Leather, ELMC, Schott NYC, Cockpit USA, Filson, and Redwing. They are based out of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and they seem to be a newly opened online retail store (their business license is dated 2017)

If this is really legit, this would be awesome for Canadian customers, since we will save on customs/duty fees etc.

I got all of my Aero jackets (4 in total and one on order) from Thurston Bros. Carrie and Wade are great to work with and their customer service with fit jackets are second to none. However due to US to Canada exchange rates plus $150+ custom and duty fees, I do ended up paying more for my jackets.

I would definitely still do business with Thurston Bros. because of their proven exemplary customer service, Thurston exclusive Aero patterns, Vanson leather and Thedi leather stockist status and such.

This new retailer just gives us Canadians more affordable options to acquire Aero Leather Jackets and feed into our vintage inspired addictions!

 

[rocketeer]

I know we have these brands in the UK but curiosity did not kill this cat. I just discovered a new Aero style from peeking in here, The Moonshiner based on Aero's Bootlegger but a button up. Hoorah for the buttons. Anyone else?

 

[Doctor Damage]

If this is really legit, this would be awesome for Canadian customers, since we will save on customs/duty fees etc.

We will NOT avoid duties or taxes, this company will simply roll duties and taxes into their prices. But it will mean this company will deal with the hassles of international shipping, etc, and if the company does enough volume they will be able to reduce some of the import costs via bulk. So... I wouldn't look on this as a big savings, because it won't be, but as a convenience thing for Canadians.

 

[Interbak]

Just had a quick look. Their prices seemed pretty decent. I compared Eastman's online price to Bison's and it was equal to the exchange rate. They say free shipping, so it's price plus taxes. If they can swing it, it is a large savings for us. Some stuff, like Cockpit, is just over priced to begin with. $500.00 for an M-65 copy seems a bit much, I just picked up an NOS real one for $50.00 at my favorite Army Surplus shop in Toronto. We'll see if there is enough market for them to stay afloat.

B

 

[AllanP]

Just as a side, where do Canadians here order their jackets.

Do people order straight from ELC or Aero, or go through American vendors

 

[Interbak]

Just as a side, where do Canadians here order their jackets.

Do people order straight from ELC or Aero, or go through American vendors

We do it a bit of both. I have Aero's bought through Mark Moye, back in the days of "Areo USA" before the scandal, and I've bought directly from ELC. Some go through US vendors like Thurston Bros. Sizing is always the question, it can get real expensive to send the wrong size back overseas.

B

 

[Radz108]

We will NOT avoid duties or taxes, this company will simply roll duties and taxes into their prices. But it will mean this company will deal with the hassles of international shipping, etc, and if the company does enough volume they will be able to reduce some of the import costs via bulk. So... I wouldn't look on this as a big savings, because it won't be, but as a convenience thing for Canadians.

Did some quick number crunching
Eastman Leather Standard B3 jacket
Direct from Eastman $1356 Canadian not including shipping and duties
History Preservation $1666.5 Canadian with shipping not including duties/tax
Bison clothing $1199 with free shipping not including tax

Aero B3 jacket
Direct from Aero $1191.8 Canadian not including shipping and duties
Thurston Bros $1614 Canadian with free shipping not including duties/taxes which can be as much as $150 or more
Bison Leather $1300 Canadian free shipping not including tax

Seems Canadians can save nearly $300-400 ordering from A local vendor like Bison

 

[Edward]

Always cool to hear about this sort of thing. I'm now envisaging dropping past on that Canadian holiday one year.... not, of course, to buy new (as I'm in the UK), but there's always the dream of the trade-in bargain...

I know we have these brands in the UK but curiosity did not kill this cat. I just discovered a new Aero style from peeking in here, The Moonshiner based on Aero's Bootlegger but a button up. Hoorah for the buttons. Anyone else?

There was a thread about it a few weeks ago. It looks great. Reminds me a bit of the spirit of the Snake Plisken jacket (though not an actual copy of the same in the mould of the Magnoli or the Kelso ones). I find myself idly thinking about one in goat, with a mouton collar...

Just had a quick look. Their prices seemed pretty decent. I compared Eastman's online price to Bison's and it was equal to the exchange rate. They say free shipping, so it's price plus taxes. If they can swing it, it is a large savings for us. Some stuff, like Cockpit, is just over priced to begin with. $500.00 for an M-65 copy seems a bit much, I just picked up an NOS real one for $50.00 at my favorite Army Surplus shop in Toronto. We'll see if there is enough market for them to stay afloat.

B

I remember back in the eighties going into army surplus stores in Belfast and there being an entire wall with M65s in both green and overdyed black..... GBP15 a pop, or thereabouts. Rare sight now.

 

[Doctor Damage]

by Radz108
Did some quick number crunching:
Eastman Leather Standard B3 jacket
Direct from Eastman $1356 Canadian not including shipping and duties (WITH 18% DUTIES & 13% TAX & EST. $120 SHIPPING = $1896)
History Preservation $1666.5 Canadian with shipping not including duties/tax (WITH DUTIES TAX SHIPPING = $2145)
Bison clothing $1199 with free shipping not including tax (WITH TAX = $1355)

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Heck, that's good news, if this company is kosher. They are clearly getting some help from Aero to keep prices down, and they're using the import system properly. I've added duties to your prices above to help and I consider these calculations a good 95% accurate estimate. (Remember that History Preservation's prices already include U.S. duties, so we pay U.S. duties and Canadian duties.) I had more or less given up on shearling given the costs involved and uncertainty over sizing, but this company could change that situation.

 

[Doctor Damage]

I just picked up an NOS real one for $50.00 at my favorite Army Surplus shop in Toronto.

Please tell us which store that is, if you don't mind. Thanks.

 

[BowsTrading]

Just made a purchase on an ELC star sportswear I've been eyeing for a while. I guess we'll find out soon if they're legit or not. Purchased through paypal just to have the extra protection as well

 

[AllanP]

Just made a purchase on an ELC star sportswear I've been eyeing for a while. I guess we'll find out soon if they're legit or not. Purchased through paypal just to have the extra protection as well

Nice, do update us on how it goes. I've been very hesitant on buying anything since discovering this forum because there is really no Canadian dealers, CAD is so bad these days buying from the States simply makes no sense

 

[daw]

Probably doesn't make sense for those in the US to order from them rather than directly from Aero; I'm guessing Canadian duties are built into the price, and then US duties will be tacked on when it's shipped from Canada to US. I'm also guessing they won't provide personalized fitting service the way Thurston Bros do. And Saskatoon is a little off the beaten track, even if they have jackets in stock to try on...

Still, nice to have options.

 

[l0fielectronic]

Looking at back through their instagram feed it seems they used to be called/trade as 'Ozzy Leather' and were/are also based in China.

 

[Radz108]

Looking at back through their instagram feed it seems they used to be called/trade as 'Ozzy Leather' and were/are also based in China.

I have been doing my due diligence and have come to the conclusion that Ozzy Leather and Bison Leather Clothing might be owned by the same owner or at least affiliated. I'm in email contact with a fellow named Max from Bison Leather. He seems very helpful and knows the products well. His English grammar on the emails are a bit off but who am I to judge. Has anyone had and dealings with Ozzy Leather?

 

[Radz108]

Just made a purchase on an ELC star sportswear I've been eyeing for a while. I guess we'll find out soon if they're legit or not. Purchased through paypal just to have the extra protection as well

As part of my due diligence, I emailed Eastman Leather directly to confirm that they are a stockist. Gary emailed me back stating in essence they are or will be but they currently have no stock until at least October this year. Gary stated that they dont have any production scheduled for them until October so far. FYI

 

[ton312]

As part of my due diligence, I emailed Eastman Leather directly to confirm that they are a stockist. Gary emailed me back stating in essence they are or will be but they currently have no stock until at least October this year. Gary stated that they dont have any production scheduled for them until October so far. FYI

I think that October date is true for all Eastman carriers. Interesting thread here and tho I'm not in Canada the more vendors carrying all this stuff certainly can't be a bad thing. Competition favors the buyer. For me, in the US, I'd still order an ELMC thru HPA and an Aero thru TB or directly, if I knew precisely what I needed and a fit jacket wasn't a concern. It's interesting to note that I have never once paid any customs tax on a single item I've ordered from overseas or Canada....and in saying such surely will on the next one.

 

[Interbak]

Please tell us which store that is, if you don't mind. Thanks.

Sure, but don't ask for my favourite fishing hole or hunting spot . I got it at TNT, at the corner of Islington and Lakeshore in Etobicoke. He has quite a few decent M65's, I got the 2 best ones. The one I kept for myself looks completely unworn with no spots or stains. DLA # indicates 1977.

 

[BowsTrading]

Well that order was short lived, he did in fact inform me that they will not have the eastman stock ready to ship until october and offered a free pair of glasses if I wanted to wait. No sense in waiting until October for me though so order cancelled

 

[HPA Rep]

by Radz108
Did some quick number crunching:
Eastman Leather Standard B3 jacket
Direct from Eastman $1356 Canadian not including shipping and duties (WITH 18% DUTIES & 13% TAX & EST. $120 SHIPPING = $1896)
History Preservation $1666.5 Canadian with shipping not including duties/tax (WITH DUTIES TAX SHIPPING = $2145)
Bison clothing $1199 with free shipping not including tax (WITH TAX = $1355)

-----

<snip>
(Remember that History Preservation's prices already include U.S. duties, so we pay U.S. duties and Canadian duties.)
<snip>

Not quite so. As previously stated on TFL in other posts to you directly, as well as to all others, Canadian customs has reliably and regularly deemed our shipments to Canada as made in the USA, thus qualifying under NAFTA as duty-free, and I have no recall of any Canadian customer ever telling us they paid duty, just national and, if applicable, provincial taxes. Nearly 30 years of experience indicates the 18% duty is not charged to Canadian buyers, so our current price of $1, 185.00 USD would approximate to $1, 575.00 CAD @ 1.33 conversion, plus your 13% tax. Shipping & insurance would be extra (everything we ship is always fully insured), and our normal shipping carrier to Canada is either UPS Ground (which is day-definite guaranteed excluding customs clearance) or USPS EMS (also day-definite guaranteed excluding customs clearance) - we prefer using only the most reliable and secure shipping modes, though we can use lesser services on request.

I'll be curious to see this store's prices once they actually pay for and receive goods and have them in stock since the exchange rate could easily shift up or down between now and 7-8 months later. ELC/ELMC leather goods will positively be going up in price for this fall, per Gary's Eastman's indication, with sheepskin material costs being no less than 10% higher. That number could increase by about 2.75 times using ELC's guessed-at retail markup, and then the dutiable rates would be tacked on. I don't know how much of the price we're charged reflects the sheepskin vs. the labor, but a fair guess is about half. Horsehide costs are also rising from ELC suppliers, and labor could be going up to help defer the costs of the new ELC factory and operating costs. And then the weakened pound has also contributed to rising costs when buying the raw materials from outside the UK, most especially the zippers and leather; based on what Gary has alluded, all leather jackets will be going up in a substantive way.

I cannot see any store absorbing so much in the way of taxes, duty, and shipping and still surviving, especially when also operating a storefront; it's not as if they are selling common consumer goods. Low-balling to gain a foothold is nothing new with new businesses, which typically changes to a more sustainable set of prices in order to survive. Time will tell as we celebrate 30 years this fall since making the first order of ELC jackets.