I like to support the little guy, I really do. About ten blocks from our new office is a great little Mac shop called MacForce. The folks there are nice, and while they don’t necessarily have the greatest selection, I usually try to buy from them first. I like to support small, local businesses like theirs.
However, I just couldn’t bear it this time around. I was looking to purchase three items. The first was the amazing new Logic Studio from Apple, a must-have upgrade that’s well worth the money. Unfortunately, not in stock. The second was a simple, cheap, unpowered USB hub. Again, they only carry powered hubs, and they cost more. Not interested.
Finally, I need some dual-layer DVD–ROM discs. With a capacity of 8.5 GB, they’re pretty handy for quick backups. Now, I don’t expect MacForce to be as cheap as buying them online. But when the cost of buying two discs at MacForce ($18 each!) is the same as a spool of 25 discs (including shipping!), that’s quite a deal-breaker. I could buy my 25 discs for $38 online, or $450 at MacForce!
I’m willing to pay a bit more to buy from the local guy. That’s just how economics works. But when prices are this dramatically different, I’m not just going to skip this trip. I’m going to be discouraged from stopping by there next time, too.
