"XXproduct alternative" search
My recent example is Dropcam, a wifi webcam that is simple to set up. I noticed many reviews/blogs saying this product is great marketing for ease of use for average consumer but there are much superior alternatives for cheaper with a bit of DIY involved.
I haven't seen savvy IMers or competitors target the "alternatives" angle however.
As a consumer, I routinely do an "alternatives" search on a product to see if there is something better/cheaper out there before considering a purchase.
Link Wrangler