Andy wrote:

The next worst markup I have seen must have been for mobile phone cases
and PHFs.

These cost mext to nothing to make and supply - even back in the early
days of mobiles when volume demand was lower.

But these items were seen as some sort of super premium thing and they
were charged to the public at suitably super premium prices!

All the dealers back then were in cahoots with one another on this one.
They resolutely stuck to the same sort of ripp-off price as one another.
Or maybe it was the wholesalers who was ripping the actual dealers off?
Well, the end effect was for the poor punter to pay a lot and get a
rather little.

And those in the know, or who could be bothered to shop around, went to
their local market stall and got them at a half-reasonable price.