Why are electric tooth brush heads so expensive?

MMS

Money Making Scheme

MMS

because its a patented design unlike a basic toothbrush

and its how they make there money...

It's the same with ink cartridges - cheaper printers, expensive ink cartridges.

and with razor blades

I know

Robbing *****

cos its a business...and cos they can

cos youre a woman...cos i can

huh?

It is a bit curious now you think of it why cheap 3rd parties don't make heads which fit the toothbrushes. I'd be surprised if they couldn't reproduce a head which fits a given machine yet avoids patent/license issues (after all they make 3rd party ink cartridges which are a lot more technical!) - not sure I'd buy a razor blade off DealExtreme but toothbrushes I would consider!

I tend to use ebay for mine.

I got 12 for £8.20 the other day, which work's out at 68p per head.

In the shops they are very expensive.

You just have to watch Dragons Den to get an idea of the mark ups they put on products...75% seems the baseline.

Varies so much between product category. In this particular market, the toothbrush bodies seem to be on a permanent 50% off 'sale' at all the supermarkets, and all-in they probably make less than 75% given the cost of the battery, motor and charger. The heads on the other hand - way more than 75%! Tesco themselves will make a decent enough markup on the 4 for a £1 extra value toothbrushes!

Razors are another prime example, but I'd expect Gillette et co. spend quite a bit more proportionally on advertising and promotions, yet less on the initial cost (a razor body versus an electric toothbrush)....

they do - ebay is flooded with cheaper ones. trouble is that they are rubbish!

and how much markup do you think there is on most other items (e.g milk, chickens etc).