An excited reader emailed me yesterday saying she had discovered an imitation Wii and Wii Fit for less than a third of the price the brand name video game console commands – $80 v. $317. She is so smitten with the generic version she plans to buy it for her son for Christmas.
(CVS sells the Zone 40 wireless gaming console for $30 (orig. $40) and the Zone Fit Extreme Gaming Pad is another $50. Amazon has the Wii for $200
Is the Wii’s brand name worth the higher price? Conversely, do the price savings of the Zone 40 make up for its supposed short comings?
Every time we buy we have to decide whether to go with a brand name or generic. The differences are not always trivial.
- Status of brand
- Quality of product
- Life expectancy of product
- Quality of technical support
- Warranty
When it comes to electronics, are brand names worth the extra cost? What other factors do you consider?
Thanks, Tina!
