While any of those options could be the case, the fact of the matter is that it’s usually just an issue of branding.  The thirty dollar BlackBerry car charger is actually made by BlackBerry, while the models that are less expensive are usually made by other companies.  One exception to this rule is when someone is selling a used BlackBerry car charger on an online auction site like eBay or a local classified ad site like Craigslist.  Then you could get a car charger that’s made by BlackBerry for a very low price since it’s not new merchandise.  Another exception is when it’s an OEM product, so it’s made by BlackBerry, but sold from someone else.

If you’ve come across a listing on an online retail store for a BlackBerry car charger that is very inexpensive and you want to know who it’s made by, you can take a look in the item description that usually appears below the picture of the charger.  Most of the stores that advertise online will give full information about their products and who they are manufactured by.  If you don’t see it right away, you’ll be able to read product reviews written by customers who have bought that particular item from that retailer, and they will say if it’s an authentic BlackBerry car charger or not.

But the real question you need to ask is if you actually need to spend thirty bucks to get a BlackBerry car charger that’s made by BlackBerry, or if a model made by another company will work just fine.  If you opt for the higher priced model, are you actually paying for a better quality charger, or are you just paying for the name?

The answer is that a generic car charger for your BlackBerry will basically perform just as well as an authentic BlackBerry car charger.  You need to check to make sure that your particular BlackBerry model number is listed in the item description, so that you know that it will work.  You also should take a look to see that it’s not made by a junk company, because there are always companies out there that only produce trash.  Reading reviews will give you an idea if it’s a quality product, and make sure to look at the company’s return policy and if there’s a warranty.

One case where you might want to go for a charger that’s made by BlackBerry is if you are working on the go and you’re going to be very dependent on it.  In that case, I think it might be worth the extra money to know that you’re totally covered and not take the risk of getting a lower quality BlackBerry car charger.

However, the good thing is that it’s pretty easy to find BlackBerry car chargers online.  There are so many online stores that sell them, from big online “department stores” like Amazon.com to specialized e-stores that only sell BlackBerry accessories, that you can easily find the particular BlackBerry car charger that you’re looking for with a few clicks of your mouse.

Lot’s of people don’t realize how easy it is to shop online, and that you can find exactly what you’re looking for much faster and much cheaper than if you actually go out to a store.  First of all, many online stores offer free shipping and handling, but even if you decide to buy from one that doesn’t, you’ll likely spend less than you would on gas, particularly if you’re shopping for an item as small and lightweight as a BlackBerry car charger.

You don’t have to wait in lines, look for sales people, or stand around while they page their manager and ask “Do we have a BlackBerry Storm car charger left in stock? All I can find on the shelf is a BlackBerry Pearl car charger.”  Instead, you can find exactly the particular model you are looking for without having to spend ages waiting for people to manually look up the information.

Another great thing about shopping for a charger for your BlackBerry online is that you can read product reviews for the particular charger that you’re looking at, and see if other customers were satisfied.  There is a ton to be gained from customer reviews, and they will usually give you a lot more information than you would get from a sales person in a store.  And that information is bound to be a lot more accurate.  After all, chances are that the sales person has never even used the BlackBerry car charger you’re looking at.  In fact, he or she might not even own a BlackBerry at all! So reading a customer review on an online store is usually much more helpful than any information you’ll be able to get in a brick and mortar store.

If you’re looking to get a BlackBerry car charger, the best option for you is to buy it online.  You’ll save time, money, and know that you’re getting the exact product that you need instead of something else which isn’t quite right.  And that will make you a much happier camper.