Who buys things from the airplane SkyMall magazine?
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I have often wonderd who buys the stuff from places like Brookstones or airplane "Mall" catalogues. The stuff always seems over priced and of slightly dodgy quality. So I was very surprised recently to be on a flight, reading the catalogue, when I found something I needed and at a really great price. I had been looking for a firewire adapter cable to go from a 6 pin male to 4 pin female, as the new laptop has the tiny interface and all my firewire stuff uses the larger connector. I'd been to circuit city and the like, and all the cables there were gold plated and cost about 30 (has anyone else notice how network cables and the like have gone up about 300% in price in the last couple of years?), anyway, no way was I paying 30 bucks for 2 foot of wire, so I held off. Then on the plane I saw in the catalogue the TigerDirect section, and an ad for a bunch of connectors for $9.99 after rebates, and it came with two adapters that did exactly what I needed, plus other useful things like a network cable, crossover cale converter, headset and mic, all in a little package. So a few days later I ordered it. It arrived yesterday and I was quite surprised, the build quality is pretty good works as advertised and it is only going to cost me about $14 after S&H. If you're interested in one, they're here. I'd still like to know how Brookstones stay in business though.
I have often wonderd who buys the stuff from places like Brookstones or airplane "Mall" catalogues. The stuff always seems over priced and of slightly dodgy quality. So I was very surprised recently to be on a flight, reading the catalogue, when I found something I needed and at a really great price. I had been looking for a firewire adapter cable to go from a 6 pin male to 4 pin female, as the new laptop has the tiny interface and all my firewire stuff uses the larger connector. I'd been to circuit city and the like, and all the cables there were gold plated and cost about 30 (has anyone else notice how network cables and the like have gone up about 300% in price in the last couple of years?), anyway, no way was I paying 30 bucks for 2 foot of wire, so I held off. Then on the plane I saw in the catalogue the TigerDirect section, and an ad for a bunch of connectors for $9.99 after rebates, and it came with two adapters that did exactly what I needed, plus other useful things like a network cable, crossover cale converter, headset and mic, all in a little package. So a few days later I ordered it. It arrived yesterday and I was quite surprised, the build quality is pretty good works as advertised and it is only going to cost me about $14 after S&H. If you're interested in one, they're here. I'd still like to know how Brookstones stay in business though.
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Comments
Still, it's definitely mostly stuff nobody needs. Glad you found an exception.
Posted by Ed Brill At 02:25:28 PM On 12/02/2004 | - Website - |
You caught me !!! I just got back from Atlanta and ordered a World Wall Map for my daughters (I don't think they teach Geography in American schools !!) for Christmas from Skymall - It was offered by Hamacher Schlemacher (sp ?) which is also overpriced so I thought about just ordering from them directly but then found that from Skymall if you spend over $200 you get a $50 gift cert (from Skymall as well !!). So now I guess they got me because I now have to buy something else from them !!
Cheers,
Neil.
Posted by Neil Agate At 09:36:35 PM On 12/02/2004 | - Website - |