That USB Cable Racket - Gold Plated Anyone?

Ever bought a printer at Costco, Staples or Future Shop? Read on...

Have you bought a USB cable to connect that same printer to your computer? Well if your answer is yes to both questions consider yourself a victim of unstoppable corporate marketing machine.

The fact is you should probably thank these company because THEY are the reason there ain't no stupid USB cable included inside the box of the printer you bought. That's right.

Here is their strategy:

1. Contact a printer manufacturer (HP, Epson, Canon, Etc.)
2. Since you want to buy 100,000 units, ask them to produce the cheapest printer they can
3. Make sure they doesn't add a USB cable in the box
4. Now, contact a cable manufacturer and buy some USB cable of the highest quality (Gold plated is best)
5. Sell the printer at your COST price (sometimes even lower - a technique known as "Lost Leader")
6. Tell your salesman they are fired if they don't sell the USB cable along with the printer

Here is your part:

1. There is a good deal on a cheap printer in the flyer from your local electronic mega-store
2. Rush to the store and buy the printer, the gold plated USB cable and while you're there take the extended warranty plan on the printer while the salesman is laughing in your back.
3. Also don't forget to put the rebate form in the mail to make sure you receive that 15$ in a few months... if ever.
4. Slap yourself on the forehead for encouraging such stupid practice.

Don't worry, It was 2$ on a clearance table... really!

Now here is what really happens backstage... let's watch it in slow motion:

Printer is priced at 149.99$ less 15$ (postal rebate) so they advertise the printer at 134.99$. The USB cable is 29.99$ and the extended warranty is 29.99$ so you'll have to throw 209.97 + taxes right now at the store and hope to get the 15$ back someday.

Some other options

You could have bought the same printer (or a better one) from a respectable local computer store. The price might be more expensive (maybe 159.00$ or even 169.00$) but at least, they would have given you that stupid USB cable (unfortunately not gold plated) or they would sell one to you for 5$ to 9$.

Don't think about the extended warranty, it's useless. If you want, pay with your Gold credit card to get a 1-year extra protection... (most major gold credit card give 1 year extra to electronic purchase)

Another option is to still buy the printer from the "salesman can sale vacuum too" mega-store but don't buy the cable nor the warranty. Then go to your local computer shop and buy a cable for less...

The final statement:

That stupid USB cable should have been included with the printer. final. It cost less than 2$ to produce damn it.

Another thing I just remembered... they can also ask to get their cheap printer for even less by giving half empty ink cartridge. Ever wonder why HP produced a 930C Deskjet printer but the "salesman get a bigger commission on this unit" store offered a 932C model? Strange, this model was nowhere to be found on the HP website