The rise of extremely inexpensive shopping sites DX (DealExtreme), Monoprice, and several other retailers offering direct electronics sales to internet consumers has meant a growing dissatisfaction in many ways with the products on offer. Complete with free shipping, product reviews, and a bargain basement price -- things never seemed simpler. The quality, of course, may vary; something that many shoppers who are unfamiliar with electronics or the sourcing of electronics may not know.Is there anything wrong with these offbrand or unbranded electronics?Not necessarily. Oftentimes these sites offer a great value to their customers because the products can be had for a very inexpensive price and no middleman marking them up on a huge margin. However, more complex equipment is often of questionable quality -- things such as unbranded Android tablets or TV systems can often be of mediocre quality compared to branded alternatives such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab or the upcoming OUYA.What should I buy? What should I avoid?Products that are often worthwhile purchasing from DX or likeminded outlets might be:inexpensive batteries for inexpensive devices or toysHDMI cables, often of quite good quality at one quarter the price of a retail outletUSB extension cables, for those that prefer a wired solution to a home theatre systemscreen protectors, packages often being available at ten units for two or three dollarsProducts that are things certain to avoid include:Tablet devicesGaming handheldsstreaming or TV devices, essentially unbranded RokusThe rule of thumb boils down to: the less complex the part, the more reliable it will be when produced inexpensively. Therefor products which are relatively simple in design such as batteries or cables will be preferable to things which require more sensitivity and higher quality components such as tablet rigs, etc.All in all these sites provide very deep discounts for consumers who are careful as to what they buy, and as to what their expectations should be realistically set at.