CI have had this policy for a while. I tried over a year ago with the same result - my Canadian credit card is registered to a Canadian address therefore they will not accept it.

I offered up a US credit card (registered at a US bank) which unfortunately had been reregistered to my new Canadian address (having moved from my previous address Stateside and still wanting to receive statements) and that too was refused. It was not only a credit card but a debit card too, so they could not have been cheated of funds - the money has to be in my account for it to be authorized.

SO, even if you had a US debit card but it is registered to a Canadian address it is unacceptable, according to the two people I spoke to at CI.

I was, like you, going to have my order shipped to a friend in Cali and collect them - as for customs and duty avoidance - we can carry 50 sticks per person back into the country without any tax, so no offence would have been committed.

Still, since that time, Jack Schwartz, Atlantic, and a few other very helpful establishments have benefitted to the tune of a few thousand dollars (I travel a lot). Thank you to the less closed minded vendors.
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Strange.... just from a retailers perspective, we take a fairly significant number of orders from Canadian friends who provide us with a US shipping address. As far as the billing and shipping address being different, there are many people who place orders as gifts, and have their order shipped directly to the gift recipient. Sounds like you did get a bad CS rep.
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Every time I've gone to Canada and stopped at the Beer Store I've had to use cash, they don't take American plastic (they took Canadian VISA, but not US.)
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Strange - I've been to liquor store's in BC - on more than one occasion and at more than one store - with friends from the US and from UK and both paid - with UK and US credit cards and there was never even a question.
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