why is the WD 4 TB USB external so much?

[Lynn McGuire]

Does anyone know why the WD 4 TB USB
external is so much?
http://www.amazon.com/Book-External-Drive-Storage-Backup/dp/B008S94HXG/

Lynn

 

[VanguardLH]

Does anyone know why the WD 4 TB USB
external is so much?
http://www.amazon.com/Book-External-Drive-Storage-Backup/dp/B008S94HXG/

You thought top-of-the-line (in this case, top-of-the-capacity) products
would be linearly the equal cost per byte as the low-end higher-demand
products?

Their claimed "regular" price:
1 TB @ $170 = 17 cents/GB
2 TB @ $115 = 6 cents/GB
3 TB @ $150 = 5 cents/GB
4 TB @ $230 = 6 cents/GB

Their discounted prices:
1 TB @ $100 = 10 cents/GB
2 TB @ $89 = 4 cents/GB
3 TB @ $120 = 4 cents/GB
4 TB (no discounted price)

Prices are linear for their "regular" price (except for the high-deman
1TB unit for which they're getting a premium). They aren't discounting
the 4 TB unit as yet. *You never said which prices you were comparing*,
or even if you were comparing their product set of WDC externals against
some other brand or against some other online seller. Newegg sells the
same item for $200 (also with free shipping). No surprise there that
you have to shop around to different vendors (while limiting them to
those that are trustworthy and have a decent return policy) to find
different prices. Higher capacities usually incur a price premium, just
like buying the latest and fastest video cards with the most pipes and
biggest memory. This is no big secret. The biggest LCD monitors are
more than what would be the linear cost of the normal-sized ones that
have more sales.

Also, you aren't looking at just an internal hard disk. You are looking
at their *enclosed* external hard disk. A hard disk by itself would be
cheaper but then you'd still need the hardware interface for the
external device. I suspect there is a WDC green 4 TB inside the case (I
stay away from their green drives) and those sell for $190 at Newegg.
The difference of $40 is not unrealistic for the extra cost of the
external case with the interface PCB, and then add the cost for a USB3
cable that [I'm assuming] they're including.

 

[Lynn McGuire]

Does anyone know why the WD 4 TB USB
external is so much?
http://www.amazon.com/Book-External-Drive-Storage-Backup/dp/B008S94HXG/

You thought top-of-the-line (in this case, top-of-the-capacity) products
would be linearly the equal cost per byte as the low-end higher-demand
products?

Their claimed "regular" price:
1 TB @ $170 = 17 cents/GB
2 TB @ $115 = 6 cents/GB
3 TB @ $150 = 5 cents/GB
4 TB @ $230 = 6 cents/GB

Their discounted prices:
1 TB @ $100 = 10 cents/GB
2 TB @ $89 = 4 cents/GB
3 TB @ $120 = 4 cents/GB
4 TB (no discounted price)

Prices are linear for their "regular" price (except for the high-deman
1TB unit for which they're getting a premium). They aren't discounting
the 4 TB unit as yet. *You never said which prices you were comparing*,
or even if you were comparing their product set of WDC externals against
some other brand or against some other online seller. Newegg sells the
same item for $200 (also with free shipping). No surprise there that
you have to shop around to different vendors (while limiting them to
those that are trustworthy and have a decent return policy) to find
different prices. Higher capacities usually incur a price premium, just
like buying the latest and fastest video cards with the most pipes and
biggest memory. This is no big secret. The biggest LCD monitors are
more than what would be the linear cost of the normal-sized ones that
have more sales.

Also, you aren't looking at just an internal hard disk. You are looking
at their *enclosed* external hard disk. A hard disk by itself would be
cheaper but then you'd still need the hardware interface for the
external device. I suspect there is a WDC green 4 TB inside the case (I
stay away from their green drives) and those sell for $190 at Newegg.
The difference of $40 is not unrealistic for the extra cost of the
external case with the interface PCB, and then add the cost for a USB3
cable that [I'm assuming] they're including.

Yes, this week I have watched the Amazon price
go from $215 with free shipping to $238 + $17
shipping. One wonders if the 4 TB external is
out of production for the moment.

Lynn

 

[Lynn McGuire]

Does anyone know why the WD 4 TB USB
external is so much?
http://www.amazon.com/Book-External-Drive-Storage-Backup/dp/B008S94HXG/

You thought top-of-the-line (in this case, top-of-the-capacity) products
would be linearly the equal cost per byte as the low-end higher-demand
products?

Their claimed "regular" price:
1 TB @ $170 = 17 cents/GB
2 TB @ $115 = 6 cents/GB
3 TB @ $150 = 5 cents/GB
4 TB @ $230 = 6 cents/GB

Their discounted prices:
1 TB @ $100 = 10 cents/GB
2 TB @ $89 = 4 cents/GB
3 TB @ $120 = 4 cents/GB
4 TB (no discounted price)

Prices are linear for their "regular" price (except for the high-deman
1TB unit for which they're getting a premium). They aren't discounting
the 4 TB unit as yet. *You never said which prices you were comparing*,
or even if you were comparing their product set of WDC externals against
some other brand or against some other online seller. Newegg sells the
same item for $200 (also with free shipping). No surprise there that
you have to shop around to different vendors (while limiting them to
those that are trustworthy and have a decent return policy) to find
different prices. Higher capacities usually incur a price premium, just
like buying the latest and fastest video cards with the most pipes and
biggest memory. This is no big secret. The biggest LCD monitors are
more than what would be the linear cost of the normal-sized ones that
have more sales.

Also, you aren't looking at just an internal hard disk. You are looking
at their *enclosed* external hard disk. A hard disk by itself would be
cheaper but then you'd still need the hardware interface for the
external device. I suspect there is a WDC green 4 TB inside the case (I
stay away from their green drives) and those sell for $190 at Newegg.
The difference of $40 is not unrealistic for the extra cost of the
external case with the interface PCB, and then add the cost for a USB3
cable that [I'm assuming] they're including.

I do not do business with Newegg anymore since
they screwed me on a poorly packaged and damaged
bare drive.

What is the URL for the newegg price of $200? I
did not see it.

Lynn

 

[Percival P. Cassidy]

Does anyone know why the WD 4 TB USB
external is so much?
http://www.amazon.com/Book-External-Drive-Storage-Backup/dp/B008S94HXG/

You thought top-of-the-line (in this case, top-of-the-capacity) products
would be linearly the equal cost per byte as the low-end higher-demand
products?

Their claimed "regular" price:
1 TB @ $170 = 17 cents/GB
2 TB @ $115 = 6 cents/GB
3 TB @ $150 = 5 cents/GB
4 TB @ $230 = 6 cents/GB

Their discounted prices:
1 TB @ $100 = 10 cents/GB
2 TB @ $89 = 4 cents/GB
3 TB @ $120 = 4 cents/GB
4 TB (no discounted price)

Prices are linear for their "regular" price (except for the high-deman
1TB unit for which they're getting a premium). They aren't discounting
the 4 TB unit as yet. *You never said which prices you were comparing*,
or even if you were comparing their product set of WDC externals against
some other brand or against some other online seller. Newegg sells the
same item for $200 (also with free shipping). No surprise there that
you have to shop around to different vendors (while limiting them to
those that are trustworthy and have a decent return policy) to find
different prices. Higher capacities usually incur a price premium, just
like buying the latest and fastest video cards with the most pipes and
biggest memory. This is no big secret. The biggest LCD monitors are
more than what would be the linear cost of the normal-sized ones that
have more sales.

Also, you aren't looking at just an internal hard disk. You are looking
at their *enclosed* external hard disk. A hard disk by itself would be
cheaper but then you'd still need the hardware interface for the
external device. I suspect there is a WDC green 4 TB inside the case (I
stay away from their green drives) and those sell for $190 at Newegg.
The difference of $40 is not unrealistic for the extra cost of the
external case with the interface PCB, and then add the cost for a USB3
cable that [I'm assuming] they're including.

Yes, this week I have watched the Amazon price
go from $215 with free shipping to $238 + $17
shipping. One wonders if the 4 TB external is
out of production for the moment.

I read on one of the overseas news sites (BBC? Guardian?) a few days ago
that there is flooding in Thailand again.

Perce

 

[Lynn McGuire]

Lynn McGuire wrote:

Does anyone know why the WD 4 TB USB
external is so much?
http://www.amazon.com/Book-External-Drive-Storage-Backup/dp/B008S94HXG/

You thought top-of-the-line (in this case, top-of-the-capacity) products
would be linearly the equal cost per byte as the low-end higher-demand
products?

Their claimed "regular" price:
1 TB @ $170 = 17 cents/GB
2 TB @ $115 = 6 cents/GB
3 TB @ $150 = 5 cents/GB
4 TB @ $230 = 6 cents/GB

Their discounted prices:
1 TB @ $100 = 10 cents/GB
2 TB @ $89 = 4 cents/GB
3 TB @ $120 = 4 cents/GB
4 TB (no discounted price)

Prices are linear for their "regular" price (except for the high-deman
1TB unit for which they're getting a premium). They aren't discounting
the 4 TB unit as yet. *You never said which prices you were comparing*,
or even if you were comparing their product set of WDC externals against
some other brand or against some other online seller. Newegg sells the
same item for $200 (also with free shipping). No surprise there that
you have to shop around to different vendors (while limiting them to
those that are trustworthy and have a decent return policy) to find
different prices. Higher capacities usually incur a price premium, just
like buying the latest and fastest video cards with the most pipes and
biggest memory. This is no big secret. The biggest LCD monitors are
more than what would be the linear cost of the normal-sized ones that
have more sales.

Also, you aren't looking at just an internal hard disk. You are looking
at their *enclosed* external hard disk. A hard disk by itself would be
cheaper but then you'd still need the hardware interface for the
external device. I suspect there is a WDC green 4 TB inside the case (I
stay away from their green drives) and those sell for $190 at Newegg.
The difference of $40 is not unrealistic for the extra cost of the
external case with the interface PCB, and then add the cost for a USB3
cable that [I'm assuming] they're including.

Yes, this week I have watched the Amazon price
go from $215 with free shipping to $238 + $17
shipping. One wonders if the 4 TB external is
out of production for the moment.

I read on one of the overseas news sites (BBC? Guardian?) a few days ago
that there is flooding in Thailand again.

Perce

I am wondering if this is the same thing:

http://www.amazon.com/Drive-Security-Local-Backup-WDBFJK0040HBK-NESN/dp/B00E3RH61W/

Lynn

 

[VanguardLH]

What is the URL for the newegg price of $200? I
did not see it.

This is how I found it:
Go to newegg.com
Computer Hardware -> Hard Drives
External Hard Drives
Manufacturer = Western Digital
Newegg (not interested in buying from other vendors advertising through
Newegg)
Search within: 4TB (displays the only result)

That took me to:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822236385

Even has the same WDC part number as shown in the Amazon ad. By the
way, have you rechecked Amazon's price using the link your provided?
It's down ... to $185. This time Amazon is pointing to Tiger Direct as
the vendor (I didn't bother to check last time). Tiger Direct is using
Amazon's site for advertising their wares. Maybe a few days from now
that same Amazon page might list another 3rd party vendor. So that you
"buy" from Amazon doesn't really mean they are the seller. They are an
auction site used by lots of vendors.

 

[Lynn McGuire]

On 10/4/2013 10:48 PM, VanguardLH wrote:
Lynn McGuire wrote:

Does anyone know why the WD 4 TB USB
external is so much?
http://www.amazon.com/Book-External-Drive-Storage-Backup/dp/B008S94HXG/

You thought top-of-the-line (in this case, top-of-the-capacity) products
would be linearly the equal cost per byte as the low-end higher-demand
products?

Their claimed "regular" price:
1 TB @ $170 = 17 cents/GB
2 TB @ $115 = 6 cents/GB
3 TB @ $150 = 5 cents/GB
4 TB @ $230 = 6 cents/GB

Their discounted prices:
1 TB @ $100 = 10 cents/GB
2 TB @ $89 = 4 cents/GB
3 TB @ $120 = 4 cents/GB
4 TB (no discounted price)

Prices are linear for their "regular" price (except for the high-deman
1TB unit for which they're getting a premium). They aren't discounting
the 4 TB unit as yet. *You never said which prices you were comparing*,
or even if you were comparing their product set of WDC externals against
some other brand or against some other online seller. Newegg sells the
same item for $200 (also with free shipping). No surprise there that
you have to shop around to different vendors (while limiting them to
those that are trustworthy and have a decent return policy) to find
different prices. Higher capacities usually incur a price premium, just
like buying the latest and fastest video cards with the most pipes and
biggest memory. This is no big secret. The biggest LCD monitors are
more than what would be the linear cost of the normal-sized ones that
have more sales.

Also, you aren't looking at just an internal hard disk. You are looking
at their *enclosed* external hard disk. A hard disk by itself would be
cheaper but then you'd still need the hardware interface for the
external device. I suspect there is a WDC green 4 TB inside the case (I
stay away from their green drives) and those sell for $190 at Newegg.
The difference of $40 is not unrealistic for the extra cost of the
external case with the interface PCB, and then add the cost for a USB3
cable that [I'm assuming] they're including.

Yes, this week I have watched the Amazon price
go from $215 with free shipping to $238 + $17
shipping. One wonders if the 4 TB external is
out of production for the moment.

I read on one of the overseas news sites (BBC? Guardian?) a few days ago
that there is flooding in Thailand again.

Perce

I am wondering if this is the same thing:

http://www.amazon.com/Drive-Security-Local-Backup-WDBFJK0040HBK-NESN/dp/B00E3RH61W/

Lynn

How strange. The original 4 TB external is back
down to $196 plus free shipping.
http://www.amazon.com/Book-External-Drive-Storage-Backup/dp/B008S94HXG/

Lynn

 

[VanguardLH]

On 10/05/13 01:37 pm, Lynn McGuire wrote:
On 10/4/2013 10:48 PM, VanguardLH wrote:
Lynn McGuire wrote:

Does anyone know why the WD 4 TB USB
external is so much?
http://www.amazon.com/Book-External-Drive-Storage-Backup/dp/B008S94HXG/

You thought top-of-the-line (in this case, top-of-the-capacity) products
would be linearly the equal cost per byte as the low-end higher-demand
products?

Their claimed "regular" price:
1 TB @ $170 = 17 cents/GB
2 TB @ $115 = 6 cents/GB
3 TB @ $150 = 5 cents/GB
4 TB @ $230 = 6 cents/GB

Their discounted prices:
1 TB @ $100 = 10 cents/GB
2 TB @ $89 = 4 cents/GB
3 TB @ $120 = 4 cents/GB
4 TB (no discounted price)

Prices are linear for their "regular" price (except for the high-deman
1TB unit for which they're getting a premium). They aren't discounting
the 4 TB unit as yet. *You never said which prices you were comparing*,
or even if you were comparing their product set of WDC externals against
some other brand or against some other online seller. Newegg sells the
same item for $200 (also with free shipping). No surprise there that
you have to shop around to different vendors (while limiting them to
those that are trustworthy and have a decent return policy) to find
different prices. Higher capacities usually incur a price premium, just
like buying the latest and fastest video cards with the most pipes and
biggest memory. This is no big secret. The biggest LCD monitors are
more than what would be the linear cost of the normal-sized ones that
have more sales.

Also, you aren't looking at just an internal hard disk. You are looking
at their *enclosed* external hard disk. A hard disk by itself would be
cheaper but then you'd still need the hardware interface for the
external device. I suspect there is a WDC green 4 TB inside the case (I
stay away from their green drives) and those sell for $190 at Newegg.
The difference of $40 is not unrealistic for the extra cost of the
external case with the interface PCB, and then add the cost for a USB3
cable that [I'm assuming] they're including.

Yes, this week I have watched the Amazon price
go from $215 with free shipping to $238 + $17
shipping. One wonders if the 4 TB external is
out of production for the moment.

I read on one of the overseas news sites (BBC? Guardian?) a few days ago
that there is flooding in Thailand again.

Perce

I am wondering if this is the same thing:

http://www.amazon.com/Drive-Security-Local-Backup-WDBFJK0040HBK-NESN/dp/B00E3RH61W/

Lynn

How strange. The original 4 TB external is back
down to $196 plus free shipping.
http://www.amazon.com/Book-External-Drive-Storage-Backup/dp/B008S94HXG/

Lynn

That's what I noted 2 days ago. Revisiting the same link shows a
different (and lower) price. I don't remember who was the actual vendor
using Amazon back when I first visited that link. Now (when I last
checked) it was Tiger Direct. Tomorrow it could be someone else.

 

[miso]

This is how I found it:
Go to newegg.com
Computer Hardware -> Hard Drives
External Hard Drives
Manufacturer = Western Digital
Newegg (not interested in buying from other vendors advertising through
Newegg)
Search within: 4TB (displays the only result)

That took me to:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822236385

Even has the same WDC part number as shown in the Amazon ad. By the
way, have you rechecked Amazon's price using the link your provided?
It's down ... to $185. This time Amazon is pointing to Tiger Direct as
the vendor (I didn't bother to check last time). Tiger Direct is using
Amazon's site for advertising their wares. Maybe a few days from now
that same Amazon page might list another 3rd party vendor. So that you
"buy" from Amazon doesn't really mean they are the seller. They are an
auction site used by lots of vendors.

I don't think Amazon is an auction site, but they "front" other
companies. The actual company is there in the fine print. I'm kind of
indifferent to Amazon. Not a fan, not a hater.

I'm sure I have some rant about bare drives on this group. I just wait
for Fry's to have a sale on retail drives. Then I make sure I don't take
the drives at the front since they could have fallen. ;-)

 

[VanguardLH]

I don't think Amazon is an auction site,

ANYONE can create an account there and auction their wares just like
they can do over at eBay. Individuals and companies can use Amazon.
They never did erode eBay's marketshare so they discontinued the
auction-style sales (http://news.cnet.com/2009-1017-270723.html). Their
auctions.amazon.com URL now redirects to a help page. eBay tried to
chip away at Craigslist's free listing (ebayclassifieds.com) but that
failed as there is piddly little traffic over there.

Yes, Amazon is a front for other people to sell their wares just like
eBay is a front for individuals, companies, or those that want to setup
eBay "Stores". You don't have to use an auction-style ad at eBay,
either, but can set a fixed price (e.g., Buy It Now or fixed price).

 

[miso]

ANYONE can create an account there and auction their wares just like
they can do over at eBay. Individuals and companies can use Amazon.
They never did erode eBay's marketshare so they discontinued the
auction-style sales (http://news.cnet.com/2009-1017-270723.html). Their
auctions.amazon.com URL now redirects to a help page. eBay tried to
chip away at Craigslist's free listing (ebayclassifieds.com) but that
failed as there is piddly little traffic over there.

Yes, Amazon is a front for other people to sell their wares just like
eBay is a front for individuals, companies, or those that want to setup
eBay "Stores". You don't have to use an auction-style ad at eBay,
either, but can set a fixed price (e.g., Buy It Now or fixed price).

But this is circa 2000! I thought the poster meant recently.

Yeah, Amazon will front anyone. Like I said, I'm no fan.

Ebay eventually "invested" in Craigslist. I haven't bothered to see how
independent they are these days.

 

[VanguardLH]

But this is circa 2000! I thought the poster meant recently.

From what I read, it was sometime during and after 2009, not 2000, when
Amazon users (companies) were dumping Amazon auctions. Their auctions
faded away sometime after that but I haven't found an article that cites
a statement from Amazon declaring when they discontinued the service.
They started scaling back in 2009 but I can't find when it went
completely dead.

Ebay eventually "invested" in Craigslist. I haven't bothered to see how
independent they are these days.

eBay bought a stake in Craigslist back in 2004. However, that
relationship has been tumultuous. Back in 2009, eBay sued (and won)
against Craigslist. Something about Craigslist changing that somehow
"diluted" eBay's share in Craigslist. Apparently Craigslist was
supposed to be eBay's exclusive online classifieds service but then eBay
started their own (ebayclassifieds and Kijiji). Craiglist saw eBay not
as a partner but as a threatening competitor and wanted buy out eBay's
share. Although eBay won the suit, they have been definitely predatory
against Craiglist, even announcing they want to buy Craigslist outright.

 

[Rod Speed]

miso wrote

ANYONE can create an account there and auction their wares just like
they can do over at eBay. Individuals and companies can use Amazon.
They never did erode eBay's marketshare so they discontinued the
auction-style sales (http://news.cnet.com/2009-1017-270723.html).
Their auctions.amazon.com URL now redirects to a help page.

eBay tried to chip away at Craigslist's free listing (ebayclassifieds.com)
but that failed as there is piddly little traffic over there.

The main reason it failed is because most use
facebook buy sell swap groups for that now.