bare drive - questions

Does "bare drive" in an advertisement for a hard drive (HD) mean the HD is packed only in an anti-static bag and nothing more? On a related topic, an older post from July 2010 referred to the Hitachi Travelstar 500GB HD 0S02858 (H2IK5001672SP) as a Hitachi Travelstar 7K500 in retail packaging. Does this imply the Hitachi Travelstar 7K500 is typically sold only in its anti-static bag? Finally, several posts on this forum have indicated Newegg's packaging of their HDs is less than satisfactory and this may contribute to HDs arriving DOA or defective. Does this imply the dealer determines if a HD is packaged in a box or only in its bag, or does the manufacturer decide this?

I apologize if these questions are rudimentary--I'm still on the learning curve for PC terminology and jargon and appreciate your reading and any information.

 

There's no box to start with. Its a drive in a anti-static bag, that's it if memory serves ...It means it is just the drive and doesn't contain any cables, manuals, etc.
They can sell it for cheaper if they don't include the entire kit. These items come exactly as they are described. Although these items are brand new, they are purchased in bulk and do not include any documentation, software or accessories.

 

Most new OEM drives come in sealed anti-static bags, but I have a couple of Samsung 3.5" drives that came in a plastic protective shell as well as anti-static bag. Trust me though that Newegg packs their OEM drives very well, wrapped in a whole lot of bubble wrap and then put in a box stuffed with those clear air bag cushion things.

 

What Trottel said. Newegg's "bare drive" drives are very secure despite not being in retail packaging. My Samsung was wrapped in bubblewrap and anti-static bagging, while some WD HDDS I have gotten from them had the retail plastic bracket things, just no retail box or manuals or cables.

 

A bare drive is exactly the same and packaged just as well as a retail drive.

The difference is that comes without any extras. These can include manuals, cables, fixing screws (even a mini screwdriver), software and sometimes installation support.

 

I just got another Samsung drive delivered today! Came in the plastic case just like the others, but the rest was different. Here are some unboxing pics to show the packaging:

 

Samsung doesn't sell retail anyway...at least that's the case at the place I work at.