I live in Canada and recently been looking at the UK based online cycling shops with a view to purchasing some Shimano components. It appears they aren't offering them for sale to North America. Can anyone confirm that?
Yes, as of January 1st, Shimano has prohibited UK-based companies from shipping their products to the US, presumably so they can continue to overcharge US consumers. You can still order Shimano parts from companies like Bike24 in Germany.