hmmm... I bought Kai scissors and love them. They were recommended by a former Gingher user. How do you know that another brand is not just as good if you don't try it?
I bought a bunch of HF blades, and so far haven't found a bad one. I know that others have had problems with them, but I was lucky.
I always comparison shop, using the internet. I do pay more for a better product, but like to feel that I'm still getting the best buy. I think the key is that I'm almost always willing to wait until what I want is on sale.