# What product do you think has the most inflated value? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 4, 2004, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-product-do-you-think-has-the-most-inflated-value/263089 "2004-09-04T05:23:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zoltarb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/dc4da7/32.png) [@Zoltarb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoltarb)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-product-do-you-think-has-the-most-inflated-value/263089/1 "2004-09-04T05:23:08Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-product-do-you-think-has-the-most-inflated-value/263089/2 "2004-09-04T05:38:08Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-product-do-you-think-has-the-most-inflated-value/263089/3 "2004-09-04T05:42:17Z")
Breakfast cereal. Per pound, it’s more expensive than sirloin. ---
**Author:** ![SnakeSpirit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snakespirit/32/7271_2.png) [@SnakeSpirit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakeSpirit)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-product-do-you-think-has-the-most-inflated-value/263089/4 "2004-09-04T05:50:55Z")
Most inflated? Human egg cells. Next: Diamonds. ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-product-do-you-think-has-the-most-inflated-value/263089/5 "2004-09-04T05:57:22Z")
> [@LifeOnWry](#): > > Breakfast cereal. Per pound, it’s more expensive than sirloin. 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? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-product-do-you-think-has-the-most-inflated-value/263089/6 "2004-09-04T06:07:52Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![raz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@raz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raz)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-product-do-you-think-has-the-most-inflated-value/263089/7 "2004-09-04T06:12:43Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Zoltarb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/dc4da7/32.png) [@Zoltarb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoltarb)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-product-do-you-think-has-the-most-inflated-value/263089/8 "2004-09-04T06:18:59Z")
> [@fishbicycle](#): > > 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. 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. ---
**Author:** ![Zoltarb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/dc4da7/32.png) [@Zoltarb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoltarb)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-product-do-you-think-has-the-most-inflated-value/263089/9 "2004-09-04T06:21:19Z")
> [@raz](#): > > 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. 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. ---
**Author:** ![jellyblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e480ec/32.png) [@jellyblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jellyblue)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-product-do-you-think-has-the-most-inflated-value/263089/10 "2004-09-04T07:24:13Z")
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 ☹ ) ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-product-do-you-think-has-the-most-inflated-value/263089/11 "2004-09-04T07:50:54Z")
My soul. Lot’s of people interested in it, but it ain’t worth a plug nickle. ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-product-do-you-think-has-the-most-inflated-value/263089/12 "2004-09-04T07:52:43Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bites_when_provoked/32/18073_2.png) [@Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bites_When_Provoked)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-product-do-you-think-has-the-most-inflated-value/263089/13 "2004-09-04T07:56:36Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-product-do-you-think-has-the-most-inflated-value/263089/14 "2004-09-04T10:54:43Z")
> [@fishbicycle](#): > > 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. …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. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-product-do-you-think-has-the-most-inflated-value/263089/15 "2004-09-04T11:07:26Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-product-do-you-think-has-the-most-inflated-value/263089/16 "2004-09-04T11:41:26Z")
Sushi Lobster Car Repairs Luxury Hotels Last Minute Flights Prescription Drugs Cigarettes Wine Cheese Fancy Restaurants Furniture Umm … ---
**Author:** ![Sami41](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c57346/32.png) [@Sami41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sami41)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-product-do-you-think-has-the-most-inflated-value/263089/17 "2004-09-04T12:09:32Z")
> [@duffer](#): > > 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. 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 ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-product-do-you-think-has-the-most-inflated-value/263089/18 "2004-09-04T13:37:21Z")
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). ---
**Author:** ![tanookie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/48db29/32.png) [@tanookie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanookie)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-product-do-you-think-has-the-most-inflated-value/263089/19 "2004-09-04T14:06:20Z")
> [@Sami41](#): > > 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 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 … ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-product-do-you-think-has-the-most-inflated-value/263089/20 "2004-09-04T15:11:34Z")
I’d say the markup on fountain soda pop is much higher than tap beer. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-product-do-you-think-has-the-most-inflated-value/263089.md?page=2)