|
|
Although Jim Carrey has little to worry about in the comedy stakes, despite some pundit-driven concern that Kogan's previous million-dollar JB stunt wasn't doing the e-tail entrepreneur any favours, we need only look to all the many outrageous stunts that Richard Branson has performed over the years to truly ask whether there's ever really any bad publicity.
In that vein, and without a bevy of blondes by his side, Ruslan Kogan is actually exposing something of importance with his latest stunt: the high cost of cables that send zeros and ones between HDTVs and other, modern consumer electronics and computing devices.
Although Kogan is selling his 3 metre HDMI cables for three dollars, a price that even beats Jaycar for HDMI cable affordability, Kogan notes that, as of today's date, JB Hi-Fi is selling Soniq branded HDMI cables of 1.5 metres in length for $69, 4 metre Soniq cables for $99, and a Pure AV branded 3 metre cable for a whopping $199.
Kogan will sell you an entire TV, an HDMI cable and will ship it to you for less than $199, if memory serves, and it does highlight the ongoing cable and surge protector rip-off that various consumer electronics retail stores have been engaging in for some time - given how profitable cable prices are, which can deliver greater profits than the TVs themselves.
So, what is Kogan's exact deal for JB Hi-Fi customers who have purchased a TV this year, and how can they claim their free HDMI cable, which Kogan will even ship to qualifying JB Hi-Fi customers free of charge?
Please read on to page two!
As Kogan notes, 'Australian shoppers are currently being tricked by JB Hi-Fi et al into thinking they need to buy an expensive cable to get the most out of their new TV.'
|
|
Ruslan Kogan says that: 'Some retailers have decided that it's appropriate to trick unsuspecting Aussie shoppers into thinking a $200 HDMI cable is somehow better than a $3 cable.
'What they conveniently forget to tell you is there's no difference in picture quality between Kogan's $3 cable and one more than 60 times its price!
'While retailers like JB HiFi use rip-off prices on cables to try to increase their margins, we're selling them for $3, and we'll even help JB HiFi customers realise what is going on by giving them free cables.
'Kogan is committed to offering value to our customers across all our product lines. We don't think it's fair that customers who buy some products are ripped off to help compensate for better deals on other products.
'At Kogan, we think it's extremely unfair for someone who shells out their heard-earned money on a new TV to be shafted on cables and accessories because of a deliberate misinformation campaign by the big retailers.
"We are proud of the commitment we have made to our customers to offer great value on all products. We believe that what's good for our customers is good for our business," Kogan said.
Kogan says its HDMI cable is compatible with HDMI version 1.4, 'meaning it is future-proof for transmitting 3D TV signals, can carry an Ethernet signal, and is gold-plated.'
Kogan asks that you simply 'email proof of your [JB Hi-Fi TV] purchase' to jbcom@kogan.com.au before March 31, 2011, presumably with a delivery address, and your cable, courtesy of the con-busting Kogan, Australia's cleverly competitive cable guy!
Kogan has listed more details in the blog at its website.
