I'm a lifetime chip-maker. I don't know how they can justify those outrageous prices. I don't know how they can maintain them either.
I do suspect something illegal.
Controlled market. The audiologists got themselves licensed by the states early on. . . where before they were unlicensed and anyone could sell hearing aids, trumpets, gimmicks, etc. Once they were licensed, they naturally prevented just anyone from selling their panoply of devices to aid hearing. . . and jacked up the prices, regardless of the wholesale pricing. . . and draconian fines and jail time awaiting anyone caught competing with them, enforced now by guys and gals with guns (all state enforcement agencies have guns now since 911) and that allows them to legally charge all that the market will bear.
Look in your local listings and see how few audiologists and hearing aid centers there are competing against each other in large metropolitan areas. . . not many for a large populace of hearing loss consumers. They have gatekeepers on who can enter the retail market for selling hearing aids. Even Costco doesn't discount much in this area.
So, you think I have made a valid point?
Don’t fall for the scam.
My father went into one of those hearing aid places and they told him there was no risk because if he didn’t like it he could return it.
What they didn’t tell him about was the 15% restocking fee.