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TBF, it is common tactics for manufacturers to do this. They even have specific SKU for each retail store (Amazon, Target, Walmart, etc), including Black Friday

TBF, it is common tactics for manufacturers to do this. They even have specific SKU for each retail store (Amazon, Target, Walmart, etc), including Black Friday SKUs (they are inferior/lower quality product intended for Black Friday/Cyber Monday day). Not surprisingly that WD are going down to this route. "Shareholders is a priority over customers" is a common business mantra.

MattGaiser 5y ago
Customers so often fall for it though. I've been taken in by Black Friday deals many times. It hurts you with rigorous buyers, but most are not that.
matheusmoreira 5y ago
> Black Friday SKUs (they are inferior/lower quality product intended for Black Friday/Cyber Monday day) How inferior?
- QuotedForTruth 5y ago
  Usually its not easy to tell. There are often less ports and other obvious features, but who knows whats inside. I dont think anyone has ever done a component level breakdown like they do for storage. >These derivative models are toned down versions of standard ones, perhaps offering a reduced number of HDMI ports or lower quality components. However, it's hard to say -- it can even be hard to tell which specific TVs are derivatives, requiring a careful scan of a model number which could total eight or nine digits. https://www.forbes.com/sites/benzingainsights/2012/11/21/why-you-shouldnt-buy-a-tv-on-black-friday/?sh=3f0648bd1a2c https://www.forbes.com/sites/benzingainsights/2012/11/21/why...
  - cwizou 5y ago
    While this happens on TVs (and other consumer goods, mattresses is another example of different SKUs for different retailers), this is not common at all for performance sensitive components in PC hardware industry. Making different SKUs (with same generic marketing name) can happen (which WD did NOT do here) for good reasons, but most of the time you get better performance out of it. What WD did is really shameful and very much not the norm in this industry.
- Isthatablackgsd 5y ago
  Less inputs (like only 1 HDMI port), lower resolutions, low spec cpu (lagfest smart TV), etc. So inferior version of the same superior products. [1] https://www.businessinsider.com/black-friday-insider-secrets-2017-11#some-items-are-made-specifically-for-black-friday-and-are-lower-quality-8 https://www.businessinsider.com/black-friday-insider-secrets... [2] https://www.forbes.com/sites/benzingainsights/2012/11/21/why-you-shouldnt-buy-a-tv-on-black-friday/?sh=33442ad91a2c https://www.forbes.com/sites/benzingainsights/2012/11/21/why...
everdrive 5y ago
>including Black Friday SKUs (they are inferior/lower quality product intended for Black Friday/Cyber Monday day). This is news to me. Can you elaborate?
handrous 5y ago
See also: "outlet mall" clothing.
cptskippy 5y ago
The different SKUs is a way to get around price matching because they're "not the same". Black Friday SKUs are a similar tactic where the retailer can offer a raincheck knowing that SKU will never resurface. What WD is doing hits differently and would be like LG using LED panels in the OLED*A line of TVs or if the Ford F-Series PowerStroke suddenly came with an EcoBoost engine. It betrays the trust people have in the line/model that WD has created.
- 908B64B197 5y ago
  > The different SKUs is a way to get around price matching because they're "not the same". So then the customer can just order from his phone right in front of the cashier the item he doesn't want to price-match? I don't get how that's helping anyone.
  - cptskippy 5y ago
    Stock issues and often prices in store and online don't match, frequently they're independent systems. Home Depot uses the same system and still maintains different prices.
Stratoscope 5y ago
The mattress business is notorious for this. Every mattress store offers price matching against any other mattress store... but only for the exact same item, by name! Let's take one manufacturer, I'll call them Sorta. One store will sell the Sorta Beautysleep, another sells the Sorta Quietrest, and a third has the Sorta Hamptonshire. All three are identical design, materials, construction, and appearance. The only difference is the label Sorta attaches before shipping to each store's distribution center. So when you ask for a price match on that first store's Sorta Beautysleep, no price match for you! It's an exclusive product available at our store only.
- awill 5y ago
  I've never really understood the value of price-matching. Unless you have a gift card, or one store offers free shipping, why both with a price match? Just buy from the cheaper place.
  - Osiris 5y ago
    Some places used to offer price match plus an additional 10% off so it was beneficial to search for a cheaper price. I once did this at Lowe's by finding the item at home Depot for just a few cents cheaper and after buying 100 bundles saved a bunch of money. They recently stopped doing the extra 10% off.
  - yencabulator 5y ago
    It's useful if you have a local store you like, with good customer service, that does price matching. It means you get the cheaper price but the better experience.
  - FractalParadigm 5y ago
    If one place is walking distance and will price-match, it doesn't make sense to even start the car let alone drive elsewhere. In a different vein, when I was younger my mom price-matched a TV at Best Buy against a lower price at the Future Shop across the street, it was about $50 on a $1100 unit. We went to Best Buy first, found the TV we liked, then went across the road to see if there were any better/cheaper options. We ended up going back to Best Buy because the sales people actually seemed to give a damn about their job and the customer, and the fact they were not paid commission (unlike Future Shop), all combined with the price matching made it the more appealing decision. IIRC the BB extended warranty was a better deal.

MattGaiser 5y ago

Customers so often fall for it though. I've been taken in by Black Friday deals many times. It hurts you with rigorous buyers, but most are not that.

matheusmoreira 5y ago

> Black Friday SKUs (they are inferior/lower quality product intended for Black Friday/Cyber Monday day) How inferior?

QuotedForTruth 5y ago
Usually its not easy to tell. There are often less ports and other obvious features, but who knows whats inside. I dont think anyone has ever done a component level breakdown like they do for storage. >These derivative models are toned down versions of standard ones, perhaps offering a reduced number of HDMI ports or lower quality components. However, it's hard to say -- it can even be hard to tell which specific TVs are derivatives, requiring a careful scan of a model number which could total eight or nine digits. https://www.forbes.com/sites/benzingainsights/2012/11/21/why-you-shouldnt-buy-a-tv-on-black-friday/?sh=3f0648bd1a2c https://www.forbes.com/sites/benzingainsights/2012/11/21/why...
- cwizou 5y ago
  While this happens on TVs (and other consumer goods, mattresses is another example of different SKUs for different retailers), this is not common at all for performance sensitive components in PC hardware industry. Making different SKUs (with same generic marketing name) can happen (which WD did NOT do here) for good reasons, but most of the time you get better performance out of it. What WD did is really shameful and very much not the norm in this industry.
Isthatablackgsd 5y ago
Less inputs (like only 1 HDMI port), lower resolutions, low spec cpu (lagfest smart TV), etc. So inferior version of the same superior products. [1] https://www.businessinsider.com/black-friday-insider-secrets-2017-11#some-items-are-made-specifically-for-black-friday-and-are-lower-quality-8 https://www.businessinsider.com/black-friday-insider-secrets... [2] https://www.forbes.com/sites/benzingainsights/2012/11/21/why-you-shouldnt-buy-a-tv-on-black-friday/?sh=33442ad91a2c https://www.forbes.com/sites/benzingainsights/2012/11/21/why...

everdrive 5y ago

>including Black Friday SKUs (they are inferior/lower quality product intended for Black Friday/Cyber Monday day). This is news to me. Can you elaborate?

handrous 5y ago

See also: "outlet mall" clothing.

cptskippy 5y ago

The different SKUs is a way to get around price matching because they're "not the same". Black Friday SKUs are a similar tactic where the retailer can offer a raincheck knowing that SKU will never resurface. What WD is doing hits differently and would be like LG using LED panels in the OLED*A line of TVs or if the Ford F-Series PowerStroke suddenly came with an EcoBoost engine. It betrays the trust people have in the line/model that WD has created.

908B64B197 5y ago
> The different SKUs is a way to get around price matching because they're "not the same". So then the customer can just order from his phone right in front of the cashier the item he doesn't want to price-match? I don't get how that's helping anyone.
- cptskippy 5y ago
  Stock issues and often prices in store and online don't match, frequently they're independent systems. Home Depot uses the same system and still maintains different prices.

Stratoscope 5y ago

The mattress business is notorious for this. Every mattress store offers price matching against any other mattress store... but only for the exact same item, by name! Let's take one manufacturer, I'll call them Sorta. One store will sell the Sorta Beautysleep, another sells the Sorta Quietrest, and a third has the Sorta Hamptonshire. All three are identical design, materials, construction, and appearance. The only difference is the label Sorta attaches before shipping to each store's distribution center. So when you ask for a price match on that first store's Sorta Beautysleep, no price match for you! It's an exclusive product available at our store only.

awill 5y ago
I've never really understood the value of price-matching. Unless you have a gift card, or one store offers free shipping, why both with a price match? Just buy from the cheaper place.
- Osiris 5y ago
  Some places used to offer price match plus an additional 10% off so it was beneficial to search for a cheaper price. I once did this at Lowe's by finding the item at home Depot for just a few cents cheaper and after buying 100 bundles saved a bunch of money. They recently stopped doing the extra 10% off.
- yencabulator 5y ago
  It's useful if you have a local store you like, with good customer service, that does price matching. It means you get the cheaper price but the better experience.
- FractalParadigm 5y ago
  If one place is walking distance and will price-match, it doesn't make sense to even start the car let alone drive elsewhere. In a different vein, when I was younger my mom price-matched a TV at Best Buy against a lower price at the Future Shop across the street, it was about $50 on a $1100 unit. We went to Best Buy first, found the TV we liked, then went across the road to see if there were any better/cheaper options. We ended up going back to Best Buy because the sales people actually seemed to give a damn about their job and the customer, and the fact they were not paid commission (unlike Future Shop), all combined with the price matching made it the more appealing decision. IIRC the BB extended warranty was a better deal.