The mysteries surrounding how things are priced have largely been eroded by the increased access to information consumers have via the internet. Yet, we still pay WAY too much for most products.

Here at Dealhack, we felt like getting to the bottom of which products are marked up the most. From coffee to concert tickets, some of these items may surprise you.

Below we expose more than 30 products with high markups, ranging from “very high” to “absurd”. How many of these do you pay for in full?

*Note: The traditional “keystone” markup is around 100%.

Our Sources

CategoryProductMarkupSourcesNotes
ServicesSnow removal3900%http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/09/your-money/estimating-expenses-before-buying-your-first-home.html$800 for 4 months vs. $20 shovel
ServicesCutting the lawn492%http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/09/your-money/estimating-expenses-before-buying-your-first-home.html$1,000/year vs. $169 mower
ServicesInterior painting6329%http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/09/your-money/estimating-expenses-before-buying-your-first-home.html$9,000 vs. $20/gallon, 7 gallons/house
ServicesHouse cleaning5900%http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/09/your-money/estimating-expenses-before-buying-your-first-home.html$100/cleaning ($2400/yea) vs. $40 supplies/year
ServicesValet airport parking313%http://www.npapark.org/pdfs/2010_Parking_in_America_Report.pdf$12.07 valet vs. $2.92 self-park (both first hour)
ServicesPool cleaning210%http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/09/your-money/estimating-expenses-before-buying-your-first-home.html and http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052748704164904575421660103119700$130/month vs. $42/month supplies
EducationTextbooks163%http://uspirg.org/reports/usp/rip-101-2nd-edition$100 US vs. $38 UK
EducationHigh school ring1329%http://www.cnbc.com/id/100711598$70 basic vs. $1,000 high-end
EducationIvy League vs. in-state tuition1100%https://www.collegetuitioncompare.com/best-schools/ivy-league/$5,000/year in-state university vs. $60,000 Ivy League
EducationCap and gown1011%http://www.nbcnews.com/id/30870784/ns/us_news-the_elkhart_project/t/cap-gown-costs-keep-some-seniors-rite-passage/#.U4eQuvldWo0$18 to buy vs. $200 to rent
EducationSAT prep classes3082%http://www.kaptest.com/sat-prep/sat-prep-course/course-options and https://store.collegeboard.org/sto/productdetail.do?track=satsite&Itemkey=008525$700 Kaplan prep vs. $22 book
EducationTI-83 Plus calculator892%http://www.cemetech.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9621 and https://epsstore.ti.com/OA_HTML/ibeCCtpSctDspRte.jsp?section=10131&sitex=10023:22372:US$129 from TI site vs. $13 estimate of materials
Home/familyFuneral caskets350%http://www.nytimes.com/1998/05/29/nyregion/selling-coffins-storefront-savings-are-large-but-some-find-setup-unnerving.htmlAverage US funeral costs 300% more than average UK funeral
Home/familyFurniture400%http://consumerist.com/2007/09/26/the-furniture-industry-is-a-secret-cabal/Home furniture has up to a 400% markup
Home/familyPurebred vs. rescue dog1400%http://www.forbes.com/sites/allenstjohn/2012/02/17/how-much-is-that-doggie-in-the-window-the-surprising-economics-of-purchasing-a-purebred-puppy/ and http://www.thehumanesociety.org/adopt/$200 puppy from Humane Society vs $3,000 puppy from top breeder
Home/familyPrinter ink300%http://mashable.com/2013/01/23/tech-rip-offs/$22 at Best Buy vs. $5.50 online
Home/familyNew roof650%https://www.thezebra.com/homeowners-insurance/rates/how-roof-type-impacts-home-insurance/$22,500 slate vs. $3,000 concrete tile
Home/familyCar financing124%http://www.moneyunder30.com/car-buying-mistakes$2,094 interest at 6% financing vs. $934 interest at 4% financing with extra down payment
Food/drinkRestaurant wine400%http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/09/08/top-5-food-mark-ups-where-restaurants-make-huge-profits/Low of 200% markup to high of 600% markup at high-end restaurants
Food/drinkDomestic beer694%x$19 for 30 pack ($0.63/beer) vs. $5 average bar price
Food/drinkMixed drinks (well)1150%x$14 for 1.75L ($0.35/shot, $0.05/soda) vs. $5 average bar price
Food/drinkRestaurant soda1150%http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/09/08/top-5-food-mark-ups-where-restaurants-make-huge-profits/$.20 wholesale vs. $2.50 in restaurant
Food/drinkBottled water2000%http://www.businessinsider.com/bottled-water-costs-2000x-more-than-tap-2013-7Bottled water vs. tap water
Food/drinkMovie popcorn900%http://www.billshrink.com/blog/7636/the-12-biggest-ripoffs-in-america/Average bucket cost vs. less than $0.10/ounce to produce
Food/drinkCoffee shops2900%x$3 average drink vs. $0.10 for homebrew coffee
HealthcareBrand name pain relievers398%http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/03/09/biggest-drugstore-markups-what-you-pay-a-premium-for/Retail vs. wholesale
HealthcareOvernight hospital stay472%http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/03/15/why-an-mri-costs-1080-in-america-and-280-in-france/$3949 in US vs. $690 in Switzerland
HealthcareMRI286%http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/03/15/why-an-mri-costs-1080-in-america-and-280-in-france/$1,080 in US vs. $280 in France
HealthcareChild birth330%http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/03/15/why-an-mri-costs-1080-in-america-and-280-in-france/$9,280 in US vs. $2,157 in Germany
HealthcareCoronary artery bypass1394%http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/03/15/why-an-mri-costs-1080-in-america-and-280-in-france/$67,583 in US vs. $4,525 in India
HealthcareProzac4451%https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/center-drug-evaluation-and-research-cder/generic-competition-and-drug-prices$136.52 brand name vs. $3 generic
ElectronicsHDMI cables1900%http://mashable.com/2013/01/23/tech-rip-offs/$1,000 at Best Buy vs. $50 for 36′ cable online
ElectronicsCable internet4900%http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2013/02/25/usage_based_internet_plans_may_be_an_attempt_to_thwart_netflix_other_online.html$0.5/GB fee vs. actual cost $0.01/GB
Electronicstext messages5961%http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2010/news/1001/gallery.americas_biggest_ripoffs/Plans with $0.20/message vs. actual cost $0.0033/message
Electronicsphone charger672%http://www.callcenter-iq.com/customer-experience/articles/saga-of-a-cell-phone-charger-how-best-buy-office-d/$20 in store vs. $2.59 online
Electronicsethernet cable1000%http://mashable.com/2013/01/23/tech-rip-offs/$22 in store vs. less than $2 online
Electronics64GB iPad (2012 price)103%http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2012/07/apple_profit_margins_you_re_paying_way_way_too_much_to_get_a_little_more_space_on_your_ipad_and_iphone_.html$829 retail vs. $408 manufacturing cost
EntertainmentDiamonds230%http://smallbusiness.chron.com/markup-diamonds-76435.htmlRetail diamonds cost 1.6 to 3 times original cost
EntertainmentMovie tickets192%http://www.today.com/money/3d-movies-push-ticket-prices-all-time-high-1C8342088$21 for IMAX ticket vs. $7.20 bulk rate from Costco
EntertainmentYankees seats1567%https://www.mlb.com/yankees/tickets$300 MVP Club vs. $18 bleachers
EntertainmentConcert ticket resellers2873%http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB123672740386088613$1,189 from reseller vs. $40 from venue
EntertainmentAirline tickets388%http://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/aug/22/airline-ticket-eight-week-rule$166 at 1 week from departure vs. $34 at 8 weeks
EntertainmentValentine’s Day roses220%https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-retail-roses-idUSBREA1514620140206$8 retail vs. $2.50 wholesale
FashionEyeglass frames1329%http://www.lenscrafters.com/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=11651&orderBy=3&facet=&beginIndex=0&categoryId=24713&langId=-1&storeId=10851&metaData= and http://www.zennioptical.com/low-prices$100 Lenscrafters vs. $7 Zenni Optical
FashionDesigner jeans vs. brand650%http://on.wsj.com/q9HAw4$375 True Religion vs. $50 Levi’s
FashionSkin-care products300%http://skincare.about.com/od/skincarefaqs/a/Do-Expensive-Skin-Care-Products-Work-Better-Than-Inexpensive-Ones.htm$112 high-end vs. $28 low-end
FashionDesigner boots354%http://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewcarroll/2012/02/22/how-fashion-brands-set-prices/$245 retail vs. $54 manufacturing costs for VAEL Deckard Boots
FashionWedding dress290%http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2012/04/03/149929993/why-did-my-wedding-dress-cost-so-much$2,730 retail vs. $700 material + labor
FashionDesigner lingerie vs. brand name1100%http://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-stir/expensive-lingerie-is-it-_b_808125.html$240 designer vs. $20 brand name
PseudosciencePower Balance bracelet5028%http://www.ratbags.com/rsoles/comment/powerbalance.htm$60 retail vs. $1.17 manufacturing cost
PseudoscienceFlu “relief” Oscillococcinum48900%http://www.amazon.com/Boiron-Childrens-Oscillococcinum-6-Doses/dp/B007N7BB9C/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1401720041&sr=8-3&keywords=childrens+oscillococcinum and http://www.amazon.com/Domino-Sugar-Granulated-10-Pound-Bags/dp/B00060N5OW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1401720164&sr=8-3&keywords=sugar$10 for 6 pills or 6.8 g total ($1.47/g) vs. $15 for 4,530g sugar ($0.003/g)
PseudoscienceCrystal healing2493828%http://www.healingcrystals.com/Wand_-_Selenite_Massage_Wands.html and http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/historical-statistics/ds140-gypsu.pdfGypsum “healing” $122.5 for 355g at 2.308 g/cm3 (25 at 2″x1″x1″), or $312,988 per ton (907,185g) vs. “regular” $12.55 per ton
PseudoscienceMagnet therapy970%http://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-Therapy-Set-Large-XLarge/dp/B000GKEYJW and http://www.craftparts.com/hardware-powerful-magnets-c-198_315.html$30 for 28 “therapeutic” half-inch magnets ($1.07 each); $7.25 for 70 half-inch magnets ($0.10 each)
PseudosciencePsi bands (acupressure)3900%http://www.amazon.com/PSI-Bands-by/dp/B000WGLR4K/ref=zg_bs_3767501_1 and http://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/adjustable-silicone-rubber-wristband_511859045.html?s=p$16 for two acupressure bands ($8 each) vs. $0.20 each in bulk
PseudosciencePsychic phone call9186%http://www.californiapsychics.com/help/category.aspx?contentid=4248 and http://attprepaidcard.amssupport.net/Public/FAQ.aspx$6.50 per minute psychic vs. $0.07 per minute with AT&T