Bulk USB cable for Canadians

[actioncake]

Hey everyone, I was wondering if anyone had a descent suggestion for purchasing bulk USB cable in Canada? I have been studying up on making several coiled cables which I want to make quite long and the only thing I have had issue with is finding a descent price once import fees and shipping take over. I'm also terrified I will get a cable that is the incorrect one so I was hoping someone might have a good suggestion.

Sorry if this is an amateur question I am fairly new to the hobby but thanks you all the amazing advice on here!

[Leslieann]

How much bulk.
10 cables? Try Ebay or local electronics shops.
100 cables, Ali Express.
1000 cables Alibaba.
Wiring is expensive thanks to the weight and the price of copper, there's no avoiding it.

If you are only doing a handful, I'd buy long premade with one nice end and just sever the other end (if it has a Type A that's almost always the end to sever).

[actioncake]

Thanks for the answer, I was a bit hesitant to try my luck with Aliexpress and Alibab I didn't want to somehow damage something, or not have the cable work. Has anyone used them before?

[Leslieann]

Thanks for the answer, I was a bit hesitant to try my luck with Aliexpress and Alibab I didn't want to somehow damage something, or not have the cable work. Has anyone used them before?

Know what you are buying before you buy and keep a record of all communication, I've had them claim I never mentioned a specific thing and try to argue their way out of it.

If you have questions keep them basic, break them up and don't use slang or anything else that could trip up the translators.

Do not use Western Union to pay, no matter how much they push. You're doing a small order so you likely won't be making a direct payment anyway, but it's a big red flag when they try and move to a deal off platform (I.E. from Alibaba to a private sale) and then start talking Western Union, if this happens. It may have to go private sale for a deal, it's how business is done but Western Union leaves you no recourse when the product never shows. This is a major problem, do not do it no matter how legit they seem.

If it's on Alibaba you can haggle, however that tends to happen offsite, so see above, don't expect them to bend over for you, but they can also be really cool about it.

Which is another point, if you see a cable you like that is close to what you want ask them if they can make the necessary changes.  All these products you see that look identical but are just a teeny bit different, that's how they got them. Want to change the screen printing, no problem, wire length change, no problem, minor redesign, no problem. So long as you start with off-the-shelf and keep changes minimal your cost will remain minimal. Alibaba is more like a manufacturers catalogue than it is a buying platform.

[Maledicted]

Have you got restores around there? My local one seems to always have random old spools of wire lying around. I always look at them to see if they might be useful for something. The last time I went I got a giant spool of shielded 4 conductor wire for 5 bucks. It is solid core, and they bundled the conductors in pairs in separate shielding, but who cares for 5 bucks?

I'm also cheap as heck though.