| USB flash memory (or USB pen drives) having been | | | | methods of marketing USB. This is evident in the |
| established in the Far East for many years have finally | | | | multitude of designs in the outer casing of the USB |
| arrived on the shelves for the consumer. They are | | | | pens. The USB housing can be made from most |
| now recognized by the general public as a useful (if | | | | materials; wood, metal and many different plastic and |
| not essential) tool for the storage and transportation of | | | | other oil based materials such as PVC, PET, ABS and |
| digital information such as photos, design files, word | | | | Silicon. The variation in costs of these outer cases |
| documents, presentations and much, much more. | | | | obviously affects the total cost of the drive, and can |
| This ubiquitous device that is best compared as cross | | | | be used to add value or offer (infrequent) high volume |
| between a floppy disc and a portable hard drive has | | | | flash drive orders the most cost effective housing |
| long been used in the work place in many | | | | solution. |
| organizations and industry sectors over the last five | | | | The choice of material, in addition to taste and personal |
| years and has developed from the entry level 32mb | | | | preference, can also be influenced by a few factors |
| USB 1.0 to a 256bit encrypted 64GB USB. | | | | most important of which is the run size; different |
| The main component of the USB sticks, the controller | | | | materials are cost effective for different quantities. |
| (essentially a micro processor) is manufactured in the | | | | Lead times may also influence the choice of material |
| Far East by only a handful of factories, owing to the | | | | as some moulds take longer to make than others. |
| high cost of entry into the microprocessor industry. | | | | Finally a word or two on sourcing: any buyer worth his |
| Due to this supply limitation, prices rise and fall in much | | | | salt wants to buy direct from a factory; but the reality |
| the same way as other less readily available products | | | | or it is that with a product consisting of parts that are |
| do, and USB memory stick is a product that isn't likely | | | | not produced by one factory or even one company |
| to be subject to the drastic price reductions that other | | | | for that matter. The best you can hope for is to deal |
| storage mediums such a CD, DVD and Blu-ray have | | | | direct with an assembly plant that buys good quality |
| been exposed to. | | | | memory chips and PCBs, moulds the cases, |
| Various other factors also present a unique advantage | | | | assembles everything then tests and ships them. |
| to the resellers of these products, the changing price | | | | The down side of that is that this will mean dealing |
| doesn't offer opportunities for larger cash rich | | | | with a factory that is in all probability in mainland China. |
| companies to buy in bulk unless they can shift fully | | | | Communication is difficult and payment up front is the |
| assembled product very quickly (something that simply | | | | only option. This will often result in a product that is |
| isn't possible when making the smaller runs of branded | | | | unsatisfactory at best with nothing that can be done |
| and custom molded USB Flash drives). Memory | | | | about it. The ideal solution is to use a company that |
| capacity is always being improved upon, but rather | | | | has offices based in the country of purchase that |
| than creating a drop in price of lower capacity | | | | represents a factory that has been thoroughly vetted |
| memory chips, they simply become obsolete - another | | | | and has all the necessary certification. In addition |
| factor in keeping the prices in the USB memory | | | | Chinese speaking UK based staff are usually |
| market fairly buoyant. | | | | necessary and ideally a member of staff on the |
| All this effectively levels the playing field for resellers, | | | | ground in the Far East to check goods prior to |
| and allows plenty of opportunity for healthy competition | | | | shipment. |
| and the development of innovative and creative | | | | |