Buying Expensive Gadgets – Is the Price Right?

LG 3D Smart TV

People always surprise me with their inconsistent expectations and behavior. The other day, I was visited by an old friend of mine, when the talk turned to my 3D TV, which is LG 47LM6400. My friend (who shall remain unnamed) was surprised how someone could spend on a 3D TV. He says the technology is still undeveloped, and with 3D films few and far between, it doesn’t make sense. It is another matter that all this assessment was wrong – 3D in fact is a quite progressive technology – as any connoisseur of 3D will understand. However, his biggest grouse was the price – he thought it was too expensive.

Not that the friend is a technical novice or dud – far from it. He uses the latest smart phone (cost him around Rs 30K), and is fairly savvy in other respects. However, he chose to see wrong in my choice of my LG3D TV!

I often find people wondering at the high priced gadgets, and they are surprised that these gadgets sell at all!  However, I think differently in this matter. Utility for a gadget lies in the eyes of the beholder – if something is useful for you, then it is worth paying the price for it.

To that friend, I cited what I call the “car test”. I know a number of people who are extremely comfortable with paying 5 lakhs or so for a mid-segment car. Even at that price, they are OK with the fact that the car will be good for 5 to 7 years – 10 years at the most. Yet, when it comes to spending on 3D Smart TV, they balk at even 20% of the sum that they are ready to pay for a car. My question is – is your TV any less important than your car? After all, you and your family might end up spending more time in the front of the TV than inside the car! Is the entertainment and recreational value of a 3D TV any less than the utility of the car that takes you from A to B?

LG Side by Side Refrigerator

Another often commented upon gadget that I own is our current refrigerator – a brand new LG Side by Side refrigerator model (LG GC – P227LGCW). However, the comments on this refrigerator are not surprised ones; rather they are inspired by admiration.  It is a huge fridge – almost 600 liters – but that is what we needed given our current family size. Its wonder door feature is its highlight – almost a mini-fridge inside the main fridge. Another draw of this fridge is its water and ice dispenser. Together with the wonder door and the dispenser, the main body of the fridge needs to be opened much less frequently – saving cooling loss and saving power. Of course, the attractive color of the fridge makes it a centerpiece of our kitchen too.

What I would like to stress upon again is that any gadget is well priced if it has a utility value for you – the nominal price of the gadget should not be the benchmark of “expensive”. And whenever you are in doubt, refer to my “car test” – it will certainly guide you! Signing off for today with a promise to come back with more gadgets info in my next post!