Does cost matter?

[5teve]

Do some people buy things simply because they are available and with no concern about cost?
I'm not going to name names but it seems mad to me that people go into the Apple Store and pay £25 for a camera connection kit (+ USB) when the same gizmo can be bought for £5.38 (inc UK postage) on eBay.

 

[sjleworthy]

you make it sound like a bad or shameful thing.

It's all down to lifestyle, opinions and wealth of course.

I'm always one for buying eBay goodies, but where Apple is concerned I generally like to remain official. I'm not too concerned about penny saving in general, and I like to treat myself to whatever I wish (within reason of course)

Not wishing to sound arrogant here, but we're all in different financial and domestic situations than the next person.

 

[tzimisce]

I'm not going to name names but it seems mad to me that people go into the Apple Store and pay £25 for a camera connection kit (+ USB) when the same gizmo can be bought for £5.38 (inc UK postage) on eBay.

Sometimes it's a matter of convenience - when you're in the store and already buying the main product, it's easy to impulse-buy small accessories without thinking too much about the overall cost.

It can also be a question of quality: who knows how those made-in-China clones were made, and what if you plug it in and it shorts out your device, or how easy it is to get a swap or refund if it's defective etc. Whereas if it is an Apple-branded item, you know that Apple will stand by their warranty.

Personally I'm comfortable looking for components inexpensively on Fleabay, especially mainstream accessories like adapers/chargers, plug converters, cables, etc. At the same time, for certain types of quality items - handmade covers from Oberon Design, or a Saddleback Leather Company laptop bag - I am willing to pay a premium, because it will be something that will effectively last forever. (An attribute of quality leather is that it gets better with age.)

 

[Kaykaykay]

Do some people buy things simply because they are available and with no concern about cost?
I'm not going to name names but it seems mad to me that people go into the Apple Store and pay £25 for a camera connection kit (+ USB) when the same gizmo can be bought for £5.38 (inc UK postage) on eBay.

Well, I wouldn't pay $300 for a CCK, but $30 doesn't give me pause when it's something I plug into my iPad. I'd be more willing to go cheap with accessories I don't plug in, but even then I find it better to spend middling amounts, rather than to go cheap, because of the variation in quality. YMMV

If I could see the item in person, that'd be different from ordering from eBay and maybe getting stuck with something. In parts of Asia, there are loads of cheap accessories (mostly cases and such, I mean), and I have no problem bargain hunting. I have about a dozen iPod and iPhone cases I bought for a few bucks each. In the U.S., I've seen them sell for much more.

I make more money than many people, but I like a bargain as much as anyone.

 

[Studor13]

Some gizmos are the same but often they are not.

If you buy something from eBay and it doesn't work with your iPad then it's going to cost you time and money.

I paid a premium for the Apple wireless keyboard but I knew that it was going to work not ony with my iPad but also with my wife's iPod touch. How many 5.38 keyboard sellers are going to guarantee you that their product is going to work across all Apple devices?

Somethings are worth shopping around for to save money, somethings just need to work!

 

[hulai21]

it depends on who the person is, if one is rich then he may not care about the small price gap.

 

[arbor53]

I don't think rich has anything to do with it, if you want quality buy original, if your after price then eBay is the way to go. I have regrettably bought some items from eBay to find out that you really do get what you pay for. But in the end it comes down to the item as there are some great buys on eBay. (my theory is if it plugs in to something or has power running to it buy original)

 

[Rudinater]

I hate everything about ebay, so I don't buy off of it.

Also I like to be able to return stuff from time to time so I don't mind buying local.

 

[tzimisce]

I don't think rich has anything to do with it, if you want quality buy original, if your after price then eBay is the way to go.

The two aren't mutually exclusive: you can find a bargain anywhere - Fleabay is just one place you can look. If people only want the original brand, there's also Amazon and Froogle and half.com, and a whole bunch of other specialist sites (e.g. Abebooks for books, shoebuy.com for leather items, etc.)

Example: if you go to Timbuk2’s website, you can pick up a size M messenger bag, gunmetal-grey, for a cool $90 -- Timbuk2 Messenger Bag

But a look at Amazon's page for the same product, sold by the same vendor, is going for 25% less at $67 -- Amazon: Timbuk2 Messenger Bag

In fact, I'm not even sure you'd easily find that kind of price on Fleabay for a Timbuk2 original; but there's a vendor who's currently selling the all-black model for $60, which is also a considerable saving, if you don't mind the colour. The point being: you should always shop around for the best prices anyway, since it's all there at your fingers.