Accessories are important, necessary or just practical for many electronic devices. One external hard drive for example, saves data in an emergency, while better fans and a solid graphics card can also convert a normal computer into a real gaming PC. But not only special accessories are useful. If you mainly work with a laptop and suffer from headaches and neck pain, you should think about external keyboards and a laptop stand. This article reveals how users can really save on accessories and keep in mind that »cheap is often cheap«.
Select suitable device
Accessories must fit the respective device or correspond to its specifications. In addition, however, accessories can be divided into two general categories:
- Fixed characteristics - external hard drives, graphics Cards, a CPU or programs have fixed performance characteristics. The only differences here are the storage size of the hard disk or the type of storage. But like a car that can do 300 kilometers per hour on a flat surface, there is no personal discretion with these accessories.
- Personal Characteristics – other accessories, on the other hand, are difficult to be recommended by third parties. A keyboards are a good example and mice. Of course it is possible that these are recommended, but whether you can work comfortably with them can only be found out by yourself. Every user is different and while one person finds a keyboard as quiet as a mouse, the other feels disturbed by the popping click when the key is pressed.
It is also necessary to find out for yourself what is actually desired. This is where the old pros and cons list comes in handy. Only those who know exactly which features are important and which factors are an absolute exclusion criterion can then go on a search for the accessories and compare several products with each other. Now you are welcome to use the experiences or recommendations of other people. Depending on the type of accessory, however, a personal test is recommended. If you want a new external keyboard, for example, you should take the time and at least try it out a little in electronics stores.
Compare prices
As a rule, it is quite easy to identify up to three favorites. The search up to this point has been shaped by the list of pros and cons, but also by the experiences and recommendations of others. Depending on the accessory, models have also been tested. In order to buy the required part cheaply, the price comparison is important:
- price search – online price comparisons are very easy. It is no longer necessary to call up several shops in a row and search for the product first and then the price. With the exact product designations, price search engines go to work alone and spit out the low prices.
- select stores – now the three to four dealers are selected that have the lowest prices in the overview. If a user already has a retailer from whom they buy again and again, their price is also taken into account.
- Check conditions – Unfortunately, price search engines have a disadvantage. They often only show the low prices, but do not provide any information about the conditions in the overview. However, these are important, because if a product is three euros cheaper, but shipping costs an additional 9,99 euros, any price savings are gone. In addition, attention should be paid to the payment options and shipping conditions. Which shipper does the shop work with? You don't want every accessory to be sent uninsured, other users have had negative experiences with senders in the past and would like to avoid them. However, there are also exceptions among the price search engines, which already offer significantly more information.
In the case of particularly cheap offers, it should also be checked whether it is actually an original part or a counterfeit. The experiences of other customers help here again. But be careful: Don't just read the positive reviews, always consider the negative ones. It is often enough to simply enter the dealer with the addition »experience«. Especially negative experiences that have been reported in forums or on small sites are found so quickly - and help to avoid spending good money on a defective product.
Check offers
And now it's really time to save. If you own a map of Germany or similar map models, you should check in advance whether you happen to be working with the dealer. Of course, the price does not change in this way, but the points credited with the purchase are also cash in retrospect. Otherwise applies:
- discounts – does the selected shop have a discount campaign? If shopping isn't that urgent and special celebrations are coming up, it may be worth waiting a little longer. Before Easter, for example, there are always special promotions.
- Vouchers – It is also worth checking the Internet for corresponding vouchers. The coupons are published on portals and can be redeemed when shopping, provided the conditions are met. Attention: Sometimes the vouchers are linked to a minimum order value. If this is too high, no savings are made.
- new customers – anyone who orders their accessories from a previously unknown shop occasionally receives a new customer discount. In this case, however, it must be checked in advance whether it actually refers to the first order. Not infrequently, the new customer voucher can be redeemed with the second order.
Regardless of offers, a look at the price development of a product can help - alternatively also at that of similar products. Google can also help with this. In the case of products that are of interest over the long term, the price development shows whether there are certain periods in which the prices are constantly being reduced. If the manufacturer launches a successor product for the desired accessory in the near future, it is also very likely that the prices of the “old goods” will drop.
Conclusion – consider, inform, compare and check
If you really want to save because not only the price is low, but the quality of the accessory is high, you have a little effort ahead of you. First of all, of course, it is important to know what is actually required and which criteria the product has to meet. Only then can a real price comparison and the search for offers and discounts begin. Who computer mice, keyboards, graphics tablets and whose accessories are looking for should at least see a few models »live« and test them. Just because others find a mouse comfortable doesn't mean your fingers won't hurt after prolonged use.
