Perhaps, but the fact that you can buy plenty of, e.g., HDMI to DVI cables for
(well) under $10 *shipping included* from eBay suggests to me that anything
over $20 at a Wal*Mart-style brick and mortar store contains a *very*
significant profit margin.
Not likely as much as you might think for Wal Mart. Perhaps the maker
gets a bigger than usual margin too, and perhaps there is a distribution
house that even WalMart has to buy from... the ever-present middle-man
(like as with us and our groceries).
Either way, WE are the folks getting less for more. Hell, there isn't
even a cheap Asian source at the flea markets like there is with tools
and such. :-] I used to be able to find stuff at the flea markets. Now,
it's all sunglasses, swords & knives, kids' collectibles... other odd
junk. No really good stuff as often as in the past.
We are getting the Asian product, but paying twice what would be the
American price. These cables are NOT worth that much. Hell, we never
paid that much for BNC fitted RGB cables back when that was the sate of
the art, even in the labs. Even back when the dollar was worth a lot
more. This crap is simple Mfg process, and even molded on ends, so we
can't even service the friggin' things! If I pay that much for a cable,
I would want solder cups so I could service my own purchases product upon
any failure. Screw crimp on pins and sockets! :-]
Otherwise, it should be dirt cheap, as was stated by
KruddyRottenWeirdo.
Agreed... places like Best Buy compete based on having "big ticket" items such
as laptops and big-screen TVs priced with low margins and then make much
higher margins on cables and other accessories to make up for it.
We've had certain government customers ask us to provide them with a quote on
replacing the standard 6' IEC power cords we supply with our hardware with 15'
versions instead. We dutifully responded, coming up with a quote reflecting
our costs from, e.g., DigiKey, our own internal costs in processing, and some
margin... and they bought them! This is where your tax dollars are going...
to agencies where job duties are so narrowly defined that you have to go
through a pricey formal process to do something as simply as buying a longer
power cord!
Yeah... If possible, one should always get a sample or two first to
give it a look. Unfortunately, not all "Std." 10 Amp IEC line cords
"settle" in at the same temperature when they are passing ten Amps. Sad
that acceptance markings end up on products that do not comply... even
with the most rudimentary safety requisite conformances.
Come to think of it, a lot of big companies operate that way too...
Yet another democracy on the verge of falling prey to the same
corruptions that have haunted "democracies" throughout history.
Why in the **** do Presidential elections need to or have a requisite
for tens of millions of dollars or tens of tens. Lobbyism should be
rendered archaic in an information rich society like that of our world.
Enron was practically like Gabriel's Horn for those giving notice (or
should be).
What cable could you need
