You're perhaps more extreme than many, but I wouldn't go so far as to say 'atypical.'

Many of my friends in Vancouver just don't get the whole 'shopping' thing.

What's the point?

I don't think it's necessarily a shopping thing. I think people just expect to have a decent range of shops for regular stuff, a few malls here and there, nothing too exceptional. But even that seemed to be missing or the quality was just not there.

Not a big deal for me though, I dislike shopping anyway. :) Luckily there were lots of good watering holes around, though as I mentioned before I didn't see a lot of young people out on town downing pints.

Hey, I do most of my shopping online in the States and send them to my mailbox in Blaine. Better prices, better quality, and better selection.

Of course, OP didn't say what he/she was shopping for. I do like Harry Rosen and Holt Renfrew. Nordstrom is supposed to be coming next year as well as the new US style outlet mall by the airport (although I loathe outlet malls).

blaine enterprises? i send lots of stuff to them.

Nope. Hagen's - the grand-daddy of the cross-border shoppers' mailbox services.