Aren't Electronics Prices Supposed To Drop Over Time?

[Ornery]

Recently searched for a 'decent' MP3 head unit, and found they're still hovering at the same price they were a couple years ago. Aren't they supposed to drop by now?

My brother-in-law is in need of a four port switch/router. I'll be damned if they aren't over $70.00 now. WTF? They were half that price a few years ago!

I've got two Carbon Monoxide Detectors. One old one, without a digital readout, beeped a couple times the other day. the newer one, with the readout, is still registering zero. I figured I'd pick up another digital one, for the same $35 or $40 price I paid a few years ago. Wrong, now they're $50.00 instead.

I've grown conditioned to seeing electronics prices drop like a rock in very short time. All of a sudden, the prices are not only not dropping, they're increasing! When did this happen?

 

[pulse8]

I got an 8 port switch from the Egg for $25.00.

A Kenwood headunit will run you about $160 from Crutchfield.

 

Wireless routers are actually as cheap or cheaper than wired-ONLY ones. I think that's because pretty much no one is buying SOHO wired routers anymore, so there's not much demand. I got a Netgear MR-814 about 2 months ago for $30 after rebates, and wired routers were more than that without any rebates.

As for the other two, I'm not sure.

 

[Ornery]

Why does the Barricade, with the print server, which sold for $40.00 a few years ago, now cost over $70.00? Why does an MP3 head unit now cost the same as it did a few years ago? Aren't the prices for this stuff supposed to drop?

Memory prices dropped like crazy, as do CPU and CDROM drives. Your home electronics, like alarm clocks, microwaves and everything else drop every year. What gives with the other stuff?

 

[Aves]

Originally posted by: Ornery
Why does an MP3 head unit now cost the same as it did a few years ago? Aren't the prices for this stuff supposed to drop?

I guess the argument would be that you are paying for features and new technologies.

 

[mpitts]

Everything seems to be overpriced to you.

 

[GoSharks]

november 2000 - netgear rt314 4 port router w/switch: ~$125 after coupon/(rebate?)
now - smc wireless 4port router - $30 after rebate

 

[ApacheXMD]

you can get an mp3 headunit for like 60 bucks.
no name brand, but still dirt cheap

-patchy

 

[Ornery]

Originally posted by: mpitts
Everything seems to be overpriced to you.

Told ya it was an 'old man' rant!

Paying for new technology? The 80X CDRWs are a third the price of the old 4X drives. Why should the head units be so much? What's new and better about them?

Why are those C/O detectors priced higher? What's new about them?

The damn wireless switches were for shlt with their print servers last time I heard.

Edit: The AIWA CDC-X504MP CD/MP3 is still the same price as their CDC-MP32. Apples & apples, ya' know?

 

[BatmanNate]

Rest assured, it is all soley the fault of the political left.

 

[Ornery]

Several years ago, I was able to purchase the Bunn 10 cup coffemaker for $40.00 at Walmart. The price was higher than that about 20 years ago, but gradually dropped to $40.00. Overnight, Bunn jumped the price to $80.00, and now it's even higher at full retail. Smart move on their part, I guess.

 

[Aves]

Originally posted by: Ornery
Edit: The AIWA CDC-X504MP CD/MP3 is still the same price as their CDC-MP32. Apples & apples, ya' know?

When I bought the Aiwa CDC-MP3 (the original) in 2001, it was $300. That Aiwa you linked to is light years ahead of it and it's nearly half the price.


CPUs don't really go down in price, old CPUs that are less desirable go down in price until they are phased out. Newer, faster replacements take their spot and stay at the same price point.

Originally posted by: Ornery
My brother-in-law is in need of a four port switch/router. I'll be damned if they aren't over $70.00 now. WTF? They were half that price a few years ago!

Routers used to be $35 years ago? I don't know that they weren't but it seems kinda hard to believe. A plain switch maybe.

 

[TGregg]

Originally posted by: OrneryMy brother-in-law is in need of a four port switch/router. I'll be damned if they aren't over $70.00 now. WTF? They were half that price a few years ago!

. . .

I've grown conditioned to seeing electronics prices drop like a rock in very short time. All of a sudden, the prices are not only not dropping, they're increasing! When did this happen?

Used to be you could get 4 port switched routers for free. I would buy the lastest freebie, and sell my old one on eBay. But I bet if you watch the Hot Deals forum, you can still get some smoken deals on routers.

But yeah, prices are climbing. The fed has been expanding our money supply at astonishing rates for years. They've changed how they "measure" inflation to keep it quiet. But sooner or later, it's gonna show. Look for interest rates to climb and a "rate hike" by the fed this summer. That stupid rate hike doesn't directly do anything, it's all about how the public watches it - it's all image.