Go on Ebay and check out Blue Fox spinners, even with the difference in the U.S. dollar you can usually find some bargains.
I buy all my Mepps / Blue fox spinners off Ebay. you just have to spend the time searching for deals!
Youre correct, I used the same tool. Price vs price it isnt THAT different. But if you get right into it, its pretty cool.
Material prices. Looks like brass to me. Then some formed aluminum, and the hook and wire I would guess are stainless.
Manufacture of these parts
Assembly
Packaging
Shipping
I would add in R&D, but this 23 year old spinner looks damn near identical as the ones I bought recently. I stand corrected!
"The Rapala Group’s R&D department continuously seeks to replace current raw materials with more environmentally friendly substances – yet still maintaining the products' desirability. Of course, most of the Group's products are used for years or even decades."
All of these cost in materials, and labour. These costs have risen, and been affected by inflation. Fact is, in 23 years, gas has gone from 1 dollar a gallon, to 4. Smokes were 1.50, now they are 10. Minimum wage was 5.50, and will be 10.45. I know these examples are apples to oranges, and as well, are affected by some very volatile markets, as well as taxes and what not out the wazoo. But I am impressed that in 1992 it cost one hour of minimum wage work to buy a spinner. Now it only costs a half hour.