I wanted to start this thread because going the online shopping route, you can find a lot of Amazon off-brand items made of the same material as more expensive brands. Some of them really perform well while others do not. I would say, as a general rule, invest in good high quality shoes from running warehouse or your local running shop but treat apparel as open game for finding steals on Amazon.
I would appreciate people posting their finds and reviews of products, good or bad. I will post something in my next comment.