Can someone explain the customization costs?

[pipspeak]

I've been cruising around the IBM site seeing if I can make my ideal T42 and have a question about customizing IBM's base configurations. Why does IBM charge full retail price for *replacing* one part with another?

For example, if I want to replace the CDRW drive with the DVDRW, it'll cost $299, which is the full retail price of the DVD drive. Why is there no discount to take into account the fact the IBM keeps the unwanted CDRW? Ditto when replacing the Intel B/G wireless card with an IBM a/b/g. I'd have to pay full retail for the IBM card.

Frankly it would be better to buy the pre-configured machine then buy the upgrade parts separately. It would cost the same, and I could then sell the unwanted parts on ebay rather than lose them to Big Blue.

I understand that the ready made machines probably incorporate a discount of some sort, but it would be fairer for IBM to simply send the upgrade parts in addition to pre-configured computer if requested since they're charging full retail price for them.

Am I missing something obvious?

[Leon]

They have their assembly line set up to produce certain models. A "custom" model incurs IBM substantially more cost, which is passed on to you.

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[emorphien]

Yes I find this to be a very poor implementation of customization as well. I can't name many other companies that do the same that are very large.

In fact I can't name any others that do this, period.

[pipspeak]

I can understand that production line models incorporate a discount, and even that customizing certain board components might not be discounted, but charging full whack for something like a DVD-RW drive that takes two seconds to swap out with the existing CD-RW drive is rediculous.

[emorphien]

It's a freaking modular part for pete's sake!