@recluse "Are all these products in fact the same? with the hope that someone will pay more for a variety of reasons?"
No, they are not all the same. That said, many instances DO exist where the same product gets sold under different names, and different pricing. And the span of that range of pricing can really surprise. It's not difficult to find the same product offered for $X and for $5X. Rule Number One in business is buy low, sell high. Don't think the Chinese sellers did this first, consider how many high-end audio loudspeaker companies claim to use a special version of a driver made only for them or everyday cable marketed for audiophiles at unbelievable (100 - 1000X) markup.
Personally, I think it makes sense to look into Chinese gear on the low-end. They offer a wide array products with a fair amount of what more expensive ones provide. However, once you get to the mid to upper ranges, service after the sale, intermediate / long term product reliability, and overall track record of a company become some of the more important factors. With a few exceptions, you just don't get that from the Chinese products
No, they are not all the same. That said, many instances DO exist where the same product gets sold under different names, and different pricing. And the span of that range of pricing can really surprise. It's not difficult to find the same product offered for $X and for $5X. Rule Number One in business is buy low, sell high. Don't think the Chinese sellers did this first, consider how many high-end audio loudspeaker companies claim to use a special version of a driver made only for them or everyday cable marketed for audiophiles at unbelievable (100 - 1000X) markup.
Personally, I think it makes sense to look into Chinese gear on the low-end. They offer a wide array products with a fair amount of what more expensive ones provide. However, once you get to the mid to upper ranges, service after the sale, intermediate / long term product reliability, and overall track record of a company become some of the more important factors. With a few exceptions, you just don't get that from the Chinese products