Free Tip #1: Save Money on Cables
Retail stores make their money on computer accessories. Cables are a major culprit: markups of 1000% - 2000% are not unusual. Anything you buy at a local office superstore will not include a
cable. Your salesperson will try to sell you one, preferably the $34.99 model with gold-plated ends. If he does not, his manager will beat him. Don't give in: you can buy a similar cable for less than $2.00.
Just Do It.
Click this link for
our purchasing recommendations.
Cable Economics
A 10-person office will use an average of three cables per person and 10 additional ethernet cables for printers, routers, card readers, external drives, etc.
Add tax and shipping and you get:
| Total Price at On-Line-Discounter |
|
$ 89.60 |
| Total Price at Staples . . . . . . |
|
711.90 |
| Total Price at Staples with Gold Cables |
|
1,008.70 |
Buying Tips
There are more different kinds of cables, adapters and connectors than we can count, but there's only one bottom line:
cables are always much cheaper when purchased from a good on-line discounter.
ALWAYS!
ProductivePractices.com currently buys cables from
Cables for Less,
Cables to Go and
SFCable.com. We have been satisfied with their prices and shipping.
Since March 2008, we've regularly found $1.00, 5' USB and Firewire cables at our local Dollar Tree Store. This is not a formal endorsement. There are thousands of on-line retailers who sell these products. Pick your favorite.
Your Best Bets
It's easy to pay $50 for a single $2 cable. All you need to do is send an employee to your local office superstore. Assume $25 for the cable and
$25 for the time it takes to make the trip.
Or ... for about $200, you can lay in a supply of cables that will cover your office's needs for several years.
Make a list of commonly used cables in your office. Buy several of each kind. Include Ethernet, USB, firewire, power cables, etc.
If you'd rather not do it yourself,
click here to see the cable recommendations in our
spare parts checklist.
Shielded Cables
In general, cables are cables: buy cheap.
Shielded cables are the exception. Shielded cables are specially wrapped to reduce interference from nearby motors, fluorescent lights and other such devices. They're thicker and more expensive than standard cables.
Use shielded cables when they'll run within a foot or two of such devices. Otherwise, skip it.
Don't Pay More for Gold Plated Cables
Gold connectors improve sound quality in analog stereo equipment. Computer connections are digital: they either work or they don't. Gold doesn't appreciably improve digital signal.
The only advantage to gold is that it resists corrosion, but
we have never seen a corroded steel connector. If you're not in a highly corrosive environment, don't waste your money.
Comparison Pricing Data - Cables
| Use | Cable Type | Cables
for Less* | Staples or
Belkin Silver | Staples or
Belkin Gold | Walmart.Com |
| USB | USB A-B , 6 - 7' | $ 1.49 | $ 20.99 | $ 24.99 | $ 7.98 |
| | USB A-B , 10 - 11' | 1.89 | 20.99 | 34.99 | 7.98 |
| | USB A-B, 15 - 16' | 2.29 | 31.99 | 36.99 | 12.77 |
| | USB A-Mini B, 5 Pin 6' | 2.19 | 20.99 | | 4.99 |
| | USB A-Mini B, 5 Pin 10' | 2.99 | | 29.98 | 6.88 |
| |
USB AM-AF Extension, 6' |
1.79 | 20.99 | 26.99 | |
| |
USB AM-AF Extent ion, 10' |
2.09 | 26.99 | | 9.98 |
| Networking | Ethernet, Cat5e Sngls 7' | 1.49 | 14.99 | | 4.97 |
| | Ethernet, Cat5e Sngls 10' | 1.89 | | | |
| | Ethernet, Cat5e Sngls 14' | 2.59 | 12.59 | | 9.97 |
| | Ethernet, Cat5e Sngls 25' | 3.99 | 25.99 | | 10.98 |
| | Ethernet, Cat5e Sngls 50' | 7.89 | 34.99 | | |
| Screen Cable | HDMI Standard 6' | 6.59 | 49.99 | | 19.99 |
| | HDMI Standard 30' | 39.99 | 59.98 | | 44.72 |
| | DVI-D Male-Male Dual, 3m | 10.19 | 73.99 | | 16.88 |
| | DVI-D Male-Male Dual, 4.5m | 12.69 | 79.98 | | 28.88 |
Notes
| 1. |
Cables for Less & other discounters offer no sales tax and free shipping for orders of $30+. |
| 2. |
Staples/Belkin products reflect prices from Staples.com pre-tax. Price shown is the lower of Staples or Belkin brand. Staples offers home delivery is free for orders of $50 or more. |
| 3. |
Walmart.com prices are pre-tax. Most products shown are sold line but NOT available in local stores.
|
| 4. |
BestBuy, Office Max and Radio Shack in-store products offer prices that are nearly identical to Staples. Radio shack offers StarTech products for on-line sales only; prices are similar to Walmart. |
| 5. |
Prices as of 10/23/2008. |
