RadioShafted

[KenWittlief]

Originally Posted by Chriszuma

...However, upon discovery that they were going to completely rip ME off by hideously overcharging me, I thought I would simply turn the tables on them. Honestly, if they're going to charge $40 for that piece of junk, how can they expect me to not get back at them? ....

Ive checked the news websites and I see no reports of natural disasters in your area - so we can rule out profiteering.

The price is whatever they say it is. If you dont want it, go buy it somewhere else.

You are rationalizing your actions. You have decided what you think is a fair price, and what good quality merchandise is, and concluded if someone else does not live up to your view of how things should be, then you are free to do whatever you want.

You can go to any mall in America on a Sunday afternoon and buy BNC connectors and banana jacks and solder wick and LEDs and coax wire - where? only at Radio Shack.

The store is what is it is. I happen to like Radio Shack, and I greatly appreciate the fact that they ARE a major sponsor of FIRST!

A persons true character is revealed by the way they react when things go wrong . People who blow up when they have a bad day usually end up dying from an aneurysm over some trivial event.

Breath in. Breath out. We still love you - its ok! :^)

[Chriszuma]

Originally Posted by KenWittlief

The price is whatever they say it is. If you dont want it, go buy it somewhere else.

You are rationalizing your actions. You have decided what you think is a fair price, and what good quality merchandise is, and concluded if someone else does not live up to your view of how things should be, then you are free to do whatever you want.

For the eleventh time, I didn't have the option to buy it somewhere else. We had to download the code so we could get practice time in and they're the only place within 20 minutes that could be expected to sell such an item.

And to a degree you're right; I am rationalizing my actions, but I think it is a very good rationalization. Maybe my "view of how things should be" consists of not being completely ripped off for such a trivial item, is that really so much to ask?

[gobeavs]

Maybe this store is selling their USB to serial cable at $43 because they know we can't find another one on the internet...or this store or this one or this one or even this one. Or maybe they are just charging prices at which they can turn a profit.

[Adam Richards]

Originally Posted by gobeavs

Maybe this store is selling their USB to serial cable at $43 because they know we can't find another one on the internet...or this store or this one or this one or even this one. Or maybe they are just charging prices at which they can turn a profit.

No, but this store and this store are definitely charging less.

[Chriszuma]

Originally Posted by Adam Richards

No, but this store and this store are definitely charging less.

Not to mention this one, this one, or this one, all under 10 dollars. The list goes on.

[MikeDubreuil]

Originally Posted by Chriszuma

Maybe my "view of how things should be" consists of not being completely ripped off for such a trivial item, is that really so much to ask?

Yes. Have you ever heard of the phrase the world does not revolve around you?

You might think Radio Shack is your friend because they sell geek toys. Unfortunately, they are not a friend, they are a company whose goal is to make lots of money.

Radio Shack wants to maximize their profits. Therefore, if RS knows that they are the only ones locally to sell a USB to serial adapter than they will charge as much as "the market can bare." Meaning as much as someone is willing to pay for it before going elsewhere.

That's a perfectly legitimate and legal thing for Radio Shack to do. By returning the USB to serial adapter you are going something illegitimate, buying the product, using it and then returning it fraudulently.

[Chriszuma]

Originally Posted by MikeDubreuil

Yes. Have you ever heard of the phrase the world does not revolve around you?

You might think Radio Shack is your friend because they sell geek toys. Unfortunately, they are not a friend, they are a company whose goal is to make lots of money.

Radio Shack wants to maximize their profits. Therefore, if RS knows that they are the only ones locally to sell a USB to serial adapter than they will charge as much as "the market can bare." Meaning as much as someone is willing to pay for it before going elsewhere.

That's a perfectly legitimate and legal thing for Radio Shack to do. By returning the USB to serial adapter you are going something illegitimate, buying the product, using it and then returning it fraudulently.

I understand that they are not my friend. I however do not understand how they sleep at night. Yes, you pay more for the convenience of being able to buy one, but it becomes unacceptable when the thing doesn't even work because they outsource their software to people who don't know what they're doing. That's not being a company, that's just screwing people over. There are anti-monopoly laws for a reason.

And by the way, it's not illegitimate because I really couldn't get the bloody thing to work. My initial reaction to the price may have been "immoral" but by returning it I'm not doing anything fraudulent. I don't need it and it doesn't work. If it had worked properly I might have changed my mind and made it the official team USB adapter, since the other one is owned by Jacob. I'm just really angry because I was expected to pay 40 bucks for such a piece of junk.

[EDIT] I just made that last paragraph part of the original post because it needs to be said [/EDIT]

[Katie Reynolds]

Alright everyone. I think this topic has been talked to death, for now. Closing the thread; it might be reopened tomorrow.