I’m not sure whether this should go in GD or here, 'cause I want facts and opinions. So let’s see where this goes.
What product do you think has a value that far exceeds its actual monetary worth? I’m talking about stuff that cost peanuts to make, in terms of labor and raw materials, but sells for considerably more.
My $0.02:
Fast food
Diamonds
CDs and DVD’s, although you have to factor in royalties.
Designer clothing
What do you think?
In most cases bottled water is highly inflated over the cost of water out of the tap. However, if you can’t get to tap water it could be worth its weight in gold.
Breakfast cereal. Per pound, it’s more expensive than sirloin.
Most inflated? Human egg cells.
Next: Diamonds.
Krogers tells me that Wheaties (at regular price) is 23-1/2 cents per ounce). Multiply that by 16 and you get $3.76. That’s a cheap cut of sirloin isn’t it? 
After diamonds, it’s gotta be car air-conditioning units. Want a new one? $1400 minimum. For that much, you could buy a deep freezer and a fridge for your house.
Anything sold at Bath and Body Works. My cousin worked for them (not anymore though darnit! We got so much cheap stuff through her!) and she said that the $10 and $20 bottles of lotion cost the company about 25 cents to fill.
Yeah, but you realize that an ac has a much larger job to do than a fridge, right? I would imagine all those extra moving parts would be more difficult to design and assemble, plus they have to last.
I was trying to think of designer things that are wayyyy overpriced, and I completely overlooked toiletries. Especially potpourri. That has to be the least labor intensive product ever. Besides ice, anyway.
Apparently, none of you have ever shopped for department store cosmetics or women’s bathing suits ($90 - $120 for a bikini, I shit you not, & the smaller, the pricier).
I’ll second the breakfast cereal though. You’d think there was gold bouillion at the bottom of the box! (just raisins. I checked 
)
My soul.
Lot’s of people interested in it, but it ain’t worth a plug nickle.
Tap beer at a bar. Keep in mind it flows from the keg at roughly 3 cents an ounce. A 16 oz mug costs the owner about 50 cents. If it’s sold for $2 you’re talking 400% mark-up.
Popcorn - particularly at the cinema, but even in the supermarkets it costs several dollars. The pricing on popcorn just doesn’t make any sense whatsoever.
…and I just bought a car with no air conditioner. Good thing winter’s coming and I don’t intend to keep it for much more than a year, if that.
And to stay on topic – bottled water.
Bottled water, most definitely.
And cavier. I simply do not understand the appeal of stanky fish eggs. I tried some once. It made me gag. Blegh.
Add to that: Ridiculously expensive bottles of wine. Don’t get me wrong; a good bottle of wine is very different from a mediocre one, but there comes a point where the difference is entirely imaginary and people spend thousands of dollars solely for the ego trip.
Sushi
Lobster
Car Repairs
Luxury Hotels
Last Minute Flights
Prescription Drugs
Cigarettes
Wine
Cheese
Fancy Restaurants
Furniture
Umm …
Exactly, I instantly thought of beer. On top of that, in bars, most booze runs between 250%-400% mark-up. I get in trouble with my bosses if I make less than that, but in many cases I make much more.
For instance: A bottle of house vodka costs $6.96. There are 28 shots in a bottle (for inventory purposes that is, there’s actually more than that). We charge $3 per shot. So, we make $84 on every $7. Do the math on that. (I would, but I’m now officially brain-dead, it’s been a long night).
~S
Hi-end wristwatches. What can a Rolex do that a $19.99 Timex can’t?
(FWIW: I won’t even spend 20 on a watch. Between the lake, homeowner projects, and general wear-and-tear, I find it’s best in the long run to toss the damaged one and buy a new $7.00 walmart watch every 6 months or so).
Don’t forget that money also pays you to serve the vodka, the rent and utilities on the building, to wash the glass the vodka was served in …
I’d say the markup on fountain soda pop is much higher than tap beer.