How to Get Amazon Alexa in Canada

I have been asked how to get Amazon Alexa in Canada… a lot. Well, I’ve got some good news and some bad news.

First the bad news…

At the time of this writing Echo products are NOT officially available in Canada (i.e. you cannot get Amazon Alexa in Canada)… yet. [UPDATE Nov 15/17: Alexa is now available in Canada!] Get Alexa Here!

But it’s just a matter of time and all signs point to it being available really soon. More about that in an upcoming blog post.

And now for the good news…

Some Canadians have figured out a number of different ways to get Amazon Alexa in Canada, and I will tell you exactly how you too can jump on the Alexa bandwagon!

There are actually 6 different methods that I am aware of, and I’ll break ‘em all down for you now.

Method 1: Take a trip

If you have a holiday in the States coming up, make sure to stop at one of the major US retailers that has the Amazon Echo products on their shelves. Here is a list of ALL of the official US retailers that sell the Echo products on their shelves right now. A few of the bigger US retailers on this list include:

Method 2: Have a friend take a trip to the States

The next best thing would be having a friend or relative take a trip to the States and do you the favour of picking up Alexa for you. Maybe you could even scout out which of the major retailers will be closest to where your friend/relative will be staying. Then give your friend specific instructions on what model to get. Make it as easy as possible for them!

If you really wanna be their best friend, as a thank you, tell them to pick up an extra Alexa device for themselves, on you of course!

Method 3: Have a US resident bring (or ship) you one

On the the other hand, if you have a friend or relative that lives in the States, and that person is planning to come up for a visit, why not have them bring you the device?

That person could either go to one of the retailers I listed above, or you could order the Alexa device that you want on the Amazon.com website and have it shipped to that friend’s place before they leave. Just make sure you leave enough time for shipping so the device gets to their place before they leave for their trip. Check out all the Echo products here.

Alternatively, have this friend buy the device you want and then ship it to you. Just make sure to reimburse them for the shipping costs too!

Method 4: Use a parcel receiving service

This method is particularly great if you live close to the US border. The way this works is you use the Amazon.com website to order your choice of Alexa/Echo product and have it shipped to a parcel receiving service just over the border. Then you simply cross the border to pick it up and return home with your shiny new Alexa!

The best way to find a receiving service is to simply google “Parcel receiving service [insert name of US place]”. For example, I’m in Vancouver and Point Roberts, WA is a very short drive. When I google “parcel receiving service Point Roberts” I get a number of options. I have actually used this service for many products that I couldn’t get in Canada, from electronics to car hitches.

Just keep in mind there is usually a modest fee for using this service, and you may be required to pay taxes/duty at the border. I find that this is often still very much worth it. In fact, sometimes I use this service even when a product IS available in Canada, because the product is so much cheaper in the States than up here.

Method 5: Order through B&H Photo Video

B&H Photo Video is the only major US retailer that I am aware of that currently will ship Amazon Echo products to Canada.

Keep in mind that when you first go to their site, prices are in US dollars, but you can change that to see the equivalent amount in Canadian dollars. Also keep in mind that they require you to spend over $99 USD to get free shipping. So, if buying just one Echo Dot is what you plan to do, you’ll end up paying for shipping as well. Also, you will have the option of paying the taxes and duty up front, or to pay upon delivery.

Method 6: Be patient

This isn’t really a great solution if you’re anything like me, but all signs point to Amazon Alexa coming to Canada soon. If you want to be updated on any Alexa news, make sure to join our mailing list and I promise to let you know when I hear anything more concrete. 

Take your pick!

So, that’s how to get Amazon Alexa in Canada. No, she’s not officially here yet. But if you wanna get one soon, take your pick of one of the 6 options available to you and start chatting with Alexa now!

I’d love to hear which method you are going to use, or if you already have an Alexa, how did you get it? Also, comment below and share if you have any other secret ways to get Amazon Alexa in Canada right now!