I recently bought a Japanese camera, which, despite its high price, doesn't come with accessories such as a lens hood. The hood, the adapter ring you need to screw on the hood and whatever filters I might want to use all need to be purchased separately. The manufacturer charges nearly 1,000 yuan ($157) for the set. This is a lot of money for what are necessary accessories, and a clever marketing ploy that enables the company to make extra money out of those consumers that will forgo cheaper options that work just as well, in order to have the brand's name on the hood.

Not too long ago, a friend in Beijing called me to complain that the very expensive handbag she bought from a European manufacturer's own outlet in the city began to discolor after just a few months of use. The fading was particularly obvious on the handles, and a sales person at that outlet promptly told my friend that the problem was not the material but her sweaty hands.

Predictably, my friend was furious. Her hands aren't any sweatier than anyone else's hands..