How much is the lighter?

Lighter is a common commodity, its function is to generate sparks or flames, which are used to light cigarettes, candles and so on. There are many kinds of lighters, including high-grade, ordinary, electronic, mechanical, metal and plastic. However, no matter how the types and materials of lighters change, the cheapest lighters on the market have always maintained a price of about one yuan, which has been maintained for more than 20 years and has not risen with inflation. Why on earth is this?

1, the cost of the lighter. Although the price of a one-dollar lighter is low, its technical content is not low. It consists of more than 30 parts and involves many precise processes such as flame control and ignition intensity. The production cost of these parts is not high, because they are all produced in batches, standardized and automated, and most of them are cheap plastic materials. Therefore, the cost of a dollar lighter is actually very low, only a few cents.

2. Lighter market. Although the cost of one-dollar lighters is low, there is a great market demand. Because it is a consumable, it has a short service life and needs to be replaced frequently. And it is convenient, you can buy it anytime, anywhere, without going to a specialty store or ordering it online. Therefore, the sales of one-dollar lighters are very high, and the annual sales in China reach several billion.

3. Competition of lighters. Although the sales volume of one-dollar lighters is high, the competitive pressure is also great. Because it is a product with low threshold, low profit and high risk. The low threshold means that the technology and capital required to produce lighters are not high, and any small manufacturer can easily enter this industry. Low profit means that the profit margin of lighters is very small, and each lighter can only earn a few cents or even a few cents. High risk means that the lighter market changes rapidly and is affected by consumer preferences, policies and regulations. Therefore, manufacturers and sellers of one-dollar lighters are facing fierce competition. If they want to survive in the market, they must keep the strategy of low price and cannot raise prices easily.

To sum up, the reason why the price of one-yuan lighters has not increased for 20 years is mainly because of low cost, large market and strong competition. It is a typical low-end product, which has no brand effect and added value and can only make money by quantity. If its price rises, it will lose market share and be replaced by other similar products. Therefore, the price of a dollar lighter is basically fixed and will not change with time.

There are short message service fees, bus tickets, park tickets, telephone charges and internet access fees that have not increased for more than ten years.