Finding miscellaneous items such as HDMI, VGA, DVI, or A/V cables can be a real pain. If you go to a brick and mortar store like Best Buy or Radioshack they will charge you way more than you should be paying for them. Over the past years, I've been able to save on all the necessary cables and adapters I've needed by choosing to shop through one of five sources below:
Option #1: Amazon.com
Amazon is the world's largest online retailers and they carry a massive assortment of products including every cable and adapter you could ever need. They offer free 2-day shipping via for Prime members or free super saver shipping for orders over $25 for regular members. I always choose to go here first as they almost always will carry the cable or adapter I am looking for.
Option #2: Meritline.com
Meritline is another great online retailer that I featured in the ways to save on printer ink article. They carry a wide selection of miscellaneous cables including great deals like a 25 foot HDMI cable for only $9.99. I have purchased cables through them many times and they perform just as well as the ones triple the price at local stores. Meritline also has great customer service so don't hesitate to place an order with them.
Option #3: Focalprice.com
Focalprice is a Chinese retailer, but ships internationally. They feature a wide range of cables and adapters especially for cellphones and other mobile devices. The vast majority of their products include free shipping, but sometimes can take a bit longer than retailers such as Amazon due to their location. If you aren't in a rush to get the product and want to save yourself a few bucks then Focalprice is an excellent option.
Option #4: MonoPrice.com
Monoprice is the perfect solution for someone who is buying cables in bulk. For example, when in my last job as an IT support team member in a company of about 100 employees we made a purchase of 200 Ethernet cables from them. Since their pricing structure give discounts on the more you buy, we saved a ton of money and the cables were of high quality. This is your best choice if your looking for a large quality of cables.
Option #5: Ebay.com
Ebay is a last resort option for me, but I have made multiple cable or adapter purchases from it. They offer competitive prices, but depending on the seller the shipping speeds or customer service if something goes wrong can be a pain. My advice is just stick to Power-sellers who have great feedback so you can get a good deal on all sorts of cables and adapters and not have to worry about issues dealing with a shady seller in the process.
Photo credit: Flickr (new-york-city)
