As you know high cost of DDR SDRAM modules is quite upsetting not only for many users but also for VIA company, which binds its success this year with this progressive memory technology. However, according to a post at Ace’s Hardware:

DDR SDRAM prices are going to drop substantially thanks to the latest initiative from VIA (chipset maker), Nanya (memory chip maker) and Apacer (memory module maker). Using a rebate scheme similar to that employed by Intel for its chipset and RDRAM, these three Taiwanese companies are joining forces to offer a US $99.00-deal on DDR Chipset + 128 MB DDR SDRAM combo .
With large quantity order, the combo price will be further reduced to US $90.00. This reflects a discount of approximately 35% or about US $50.00, in comparison to the current market prices for VIA DDR chipset + DDR SDRAM when purchased seperately. Even though the rebate program only applies to motherboard OEMs, it is expected that the discount will be extended to benefit the end-users in the market. This latest attempt spearheaded by VIA should stir up more interests and will hopefully result in faster adoption in DDR technology, whose popularity has thus far been hampered by higher than expected price premium.

This way VIA resorted to Intel’s methods of pushing forward the required memory technology (In Intel’s case it was RDRAM). As is known, in order to make up for RDRAM’s high cost Intel offers the users taking a Pentium 4 CPU in combination with RDRAM modules a rebate. And now VIA seems to be following in its footsteps so that DDR SDRAM could go down into the mass market.