Yeah, well it's easier to make things by the million when you don't care about testing, certification or product damage.
Part of the reason the cheap ones have so much availability is that they are cheap and easy to make and have little quality control -- even though they may not work.
Not really. I can buy super cheap micro-USB cables that work perfectly.
This seems to happen all the time when there's a new standard out. The disreputable companies whip together something shoddy and try to get those early sales before more reputable companies can move in. Meanwhile, companies like Amazon do nothing to stop this obvious fraud. Amazon should be stopping these sales.
Also, its disingenuous to pretend these are $2 cables. The only ones still available showing price are $14.99. These are much more than $2.
Arguably though, if a USB cable is $20 through Google, and $2 through an off-brand, I may want two of them, but buy six and consider any that don't work or stop working disposable. And still be saving money over buying from Google.
Consumers need to be aware of the risks they take when they buy bargain brand, but it doesn't negate the benefits of having bargain brand available.
That's a risk. But for the millions of people who successfully use $2 cables every single day, many of whom can't afford $20 cables, they're pretty glad $2 cables exist.
Part of the reason the cheap ones have so much availability is that they are cheap and easy to make and have little quality control -- even though they may not work.