You can find really good deals at dollar stores, some products are a bargain, while others don’t deserve your attention. Their smaller prices are due to the fact that the products are bought from larger retailers and their old inventory, so it’s no wonder why many items are of low quality…
Even though this is a great business model, it also means that some of the products are not as qualitative as you may think. For a small price, you get what you pay for.
Shopping at dollar stores is a good idea for those on a budget, but there are some items you should never toss in your cart, no matter how low the price may seem to you. Especially when it comes to tech items, it is better to avoid buying them from dollar stores.
Follow the advice of the experts and find out what tech items you should never buy from a dollar store and here’s why.
Speakers
Speakers are usually delicate pieces of equipment, calibrated to deliver the highest quality audio. The thing with buying speakers from dollar stores is that they usually deliver tinny and subpar devices.
They’ll produce sound, the only thing is that its quality is not that good. If you need a speaker only to have some background noise, then these ones from dollar stores may be perfect for your needs. But if you want something more high end, you better look elsewhere.
Adapters
Adapters found in dollar stores usually have a short life. Adapters are mechanical devices, and it is normal for them to weaken and wear out as time passes. However, a low-quality adapter bought from a dollar store has a remove limited usage and weakens faster than it should.
This is why we should choose more carefully where we buy our tech items from, you might pay a smaller price at first, but you’ll end up spending more money in the long term if the item you purchased needs to be replaced.
USB Sticks
USB sticks became a symbol of modern plug-and-play technology. USB sticks are storage devices that are widely available for a small price. Dollar store versions usually are more colorful and have decorative add-ons, such as cartoon characters to catch one’s attention.
Adding a decorative feature on a USB stick usually adds weight to the tiny device and causes more problems. If you want to own a USB stick that you will use for a longer period of time, avoid the ones from a dollar store and choose a more high-quality one instead.
Phone Chargers
A charger’s purpose is to supply power to the device. If the amount of power is too little, it will take forever for the phone to charge, while too much power might cause damage to the device.
A charger from a dollar store usually has an erratic power supply and it will give you more trouble than you bargained for. Nevertheless, choose a charger that will do its job even if it will cost you a little more.
Earbuds/Headphones
For earbuds or headphones to be considered value for money, it must deliver a high-quality audio sound. If what you’re looking for in a pair of earbuds or headphones is a better sound, then you should definitely spend that extra money and get yourself an item that will do its job.
Those dollar store earbuds are good for jogging, but it won’t deliver you a high-quality sound.
HDMI Cables
Just like any other cables or chargers, dollar store HDMIs are more prone to failure than others. The HDMI version you can find in the dollar store often skimps in essential areas like the head/cable connection.
If you want to avoid buying an overpriced HDMI cable from a large retailer, try searching for one online at an electronics speciality site where you can find a collection of quality cable for a modest price.
Batteries
By purchasing dollar store batteries there’s a higher likelihood you’ll be paying for an older product that’s been forgotten on some shelf quickly approaching its expiration date. Quality batteries are made from alkaline, while cheap versions are made with lower quality carbon-zinc. This is why the cheaper versions have a shorter life and are more prone to leaking.
