32gb USB Memory sticks/Pens - why the huge range of prices.

If you check the specs, you will most likely find that the maximum data transfer rates correlate quite closely with the price.

Also, some memory sticks come with cheap-and-nasty cases, where others have stronger, better-designed cases, protectors for the connector that don't detach and get lost etc.

The cheap ones are probably unreasonable fragile, and will not last due to mechanical failures. The top of the line models are certainly overpriced.

I haven't bought a flash memory that large, but would go with a did-priced one.

The sellers maybe entrenched in such ideologies as supply vs. demand or other tried an true capitalist trends

Supply & demand plus overheads.

I've used 7DayShop for USB sticks & other stuff and had no trouble, my current one is 8Gb and is their 'own brand' but the design is good & data transfer fast. You can see identical makes in computer shops for twice the price. 7DayShop don't charge delivery so the price you see is what you pay. I've only once had to return an item & that was replaced without question.

Hello to:

Paulusgnome #1, HarryBurt #2, Bwire #3, Nigh #4, Guest #5 and Guest #6.

Thanks. I will have to take a chance with a mid range price one.

Nobody seems to give data transfer speed - at least not on eBay - which hints at 'slowness' being the norm.

I've gone for an 8gb USB flash drive pen stick. £12.

PS. My comment about 'cheap' from Hong Kong and China is not meant to imply poor quality. Many items I have bought from those places turned up in a few days and they work a treat. So no complaints. But then, I'm not fussy.

I bought a 4 G from Wallmart from a reputible manufacturer and it was crap. Tried it in 3 different computers and none of them could even see it as connected. Paid $9.00 US for it (Yes that was a bargain). Took it back and got a refund. Went across the street to Staples (Office supply store) bought a Staples brand Paid $19.00 for it and it works great. The case and USB plug are weak and have bent on me a few times but it works... Shop around...

As already clarified, both the construction (case/connector) and the data transfer rate of the chip contribute greatly to the pricing thereof.

Supply-&-demand in any given area also drive pricing ... akin to the "envy-factor".

Most people gotta have what everyone around them is buying, whether there is something much better on the horizon or not.

So, manufacturers can well-afford to WAIT on bringing-out the good stuff, until they've made all the money they can off the chintzier stuff.

Case-in-point:

The same memory cards you are seeing now at between 2-&-32GB capacity have been sitting in vaults at 1-Terabyte capacity for over a year now!

The military can get their hands on them (a-plenty), but you won't see them in the mainstream until Joe Q Public has spent his last dime getting that new camcorder he's been eye-ing for a year now, complete with 4-each "top-dollar" 32GB SD cards.

Sure, they're starting to roll-out slowly... but landfills need to have LOTS more 1/2/4/8/16/32GB modules in 'em before you step up to buy that which has been waiting in the wings for some time already:

Sony 1-Terabyte module

SanDisk

New Memory Stick PRO™ Formats Announcement (3/4 down the page) 2TB capacity ...

The devil makes you do it...