why so expensive?

[RobertParker]

Alright, this is really more of a rant than a serious question, but why is it that many sporrans are so expensive. Especially the mass produced day-wear leather ones. I really get it with fur and mask sporrans. I get it that it's a bit of a niche market. I even get it that the most basic sporran has a decent amount or craftsmanship in it. But they can't all be hand-sewn, can they?

Now when I say affordable, I'm thinking approximately $30 for a rather plain, mass produced leather (not even good leather, just standard) one. But even the most basic ones are going for $50-60. Can someone explain this to me?

Okay, I feel better now.

[JamieKerr]

I have no facts to back myself up with...just my own opinions...

I play airsoft, a sport similar to paintball. Many cheapo airsoft companies market absolute garbage guns to new players, completely lying about the quality of product they are selling...and greatly over pricing their products. Many new players buy those products because a) they don't know better, b) it is the most inexpensive entry product available. I think this same thing is probably true with sporrans. They know that even though their product might be garbage, they can still get you to pay that inflated price for it because you might not be willing to spend $100+.

[Bugbear]

This might not be the type of sporran you're talking about, but I have both a brown and a black plain sporran from stillWater Kilts that each cost around twenty dollars. I also have a brown SWK rabbit fur sporran that was around fifty dollars. I have no way of knowing if these are of a quality you would want to wear, but I'm putting it here as a suggestion. I understand if it is not quite what you are talking about. Good luck.

[Donnie]

I think JamieKerr is close. Most off the rack sporrans are made of very cheap material and done on a production line. They charge as much as they do just because they can. Good sporrans (and a lot of other things) can be found. Hand made stuff is a bit more expensive just because of the workmanship! Sometimes you are buying a labor of love, as well as a piece of art. You just have to look around! There are good sporrans out there!

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Sometimes pricing trickles down from the most expensive item to the least expensive item in the product range. In this way the merchant can take a larger per-unit profit on the cheap end, thus enabling him to stock the slow moving, high ticket product.

EXAMPLE:

$100 fur sporran & $25 leather sporran.

Side-by-side the $100 sporran looks over priced when compared to the $25 sporran.("How much more can a scrap of rabbit fur cost?" the potential buyer asks himself.)

Now up the price of the leather sporran by $25. Suddenly the $100 fur sporran doesn't look so over priced when parked next to a $50 leather sporran. And by comparison the leather sporran now gives the impression of being better value for the money as well.

In small volume sales ratcheting up the price often has no effect on total units sold, although it may alter the demographic profile of your customer base.

Since it is unlikely that the market for sporrans is going to expand the only way a retailer can stay in business is to increase the price point to something approaching profitability.

[Oldhiker]

I spent far less on my sporran than my wife does on her purses.

Could it be we men are used to buying a wallet for $20? I carry half the world in my wallet but can't find a thing in my sporran.

So far on my kilt accessories my wife has not made a comment but I think I may have to take back some comments that I have made in the past about here stuff. She did chortle when I was trying to coordinate my flashes, hose and kilt.

[robthehiker]

I wanted a lightweight inexpensive sporran for hiking. I got this on eBay:



It cost me $15.99 US including shipping. Now it's not something I'd wear to a wedding but with a casual kilt it looks great. It would have cost me twice as much to order a crappy traditional day sporran.

[Jako Dar]

My PERSONAL financial concern is this:

Casual kilt - casual sporran = about $50
Dressy kilt - dressy sporran = $100 - $200
Full dress kilt - full dress sporran = about $300

those prices are give/take depending on what you find out there. I am doing a LOT of research before buying my first. OUCH!!!

oh, and JamieKerr, I play paintball and have seen the same kind of ploy used in the paintball market as well. sigh.

[JamieKerr]

oh, and JamieKerr, I play paintball and have seen the same kind of ploy used in the paintball market as well. sigh.

Sadly I think it ends up being what discourages a lot of new people from joining yours and my sports, and spending the money on things like highland dress. They buy what they are led to believe is a good product, then find out they wasted their money and are hesitant to do it in the future.

[Chef]

My PERSONAL financial concern is this:

Casual kilt - casual sporran = about $50
Dressy kilt - dressy sporran = $100 - $200
Full dress kilt - full dress sporran = about $300

those prices are give/take depending on what you find out there. I am doing a LOT of research before buying my first. OUCH!!!

While bargains are available, I would say that your are a little optimistic, particularly if you expect a jacket etc. for the full dress kilt for $300. If what your hoping to get is all the outfits for the total cost listed it would be possible since certain items can pull double duty.