Although many electronics simply rely on rechargeable and internal batteries to operate, some still require external batteries that you put into them.
Duracell batteries, for example, are a popular choice when it comes to buying batteries.
The problem with Duracell batteries is that the price can be quite expensive.
Why Are Duracell Batteries So Expensive? (10 Reasons)
The average price of Duracell batteries is around $10 with some packages costing $40 or more.
Duracell batteries are expensive due to their expensive manufacturing costs, the benefits that the battery provides and the costs of delivering those benefits, the size of the battery, and the fact that Duracell is one of the leading brands of batteries.
Let’s look at these factors in more detail.
1. Higher Voltage Production
One of the reasons Duracell batteries are so popular is that they produce high voltages.
A battery’s primary job is to power some sort of electronic device.
It experiences some sort of chemical reaction which produces a voltage.
That voltage then powers the device.
Duracell uses zinc and manganese to create the electrode part of the battery.
In order to create the voltage, it also needs to produce an electrolyte.
Potassium hydroxide makes that chemical reaction occur.
All these different elements and chemicals aren’t always cheap to source.
That’s especially true since Duracell wants its batteries to produce high voltages.
The more voltage a battery produces, the more electronics it can power.
If its voltage is too weak, then it can’t power certain electronics efficiently.
That can lead to some poor customer reviews.
Duracell’s reputation might start to suffer.
Because it’s more expensive to produce higher voltages that also maintain their voltage over time, Duracell sells its batteries at higher prices.
Duracell batteries are expensive because it’s expensive to produce long-lasting high voltages.
2. Ability To Store Unused Energy For Long Periods
A problem that battery brands sometimes have is that the battery starts to lose its energy over time.
Even when it’s not in use, the battery loses the voltage within it.
That’s likely because, even though the battery isn’t in use, the elements within it are starting to degrade.
They might even be undergoing the chemical process to produce a voltage even though nothing is triggering the process to start.
They malfunction in a way.
Nothing is more frustrating than opening up an unused package of batteries only to discover that they’re all dead.
It’s a huge waste of money.
Duracell recognized that this was a problem.
It started developing batteries that were able to hold their charge until they were actually used.
Only after the battery was in use would it start to lose its voltage.
This made Duracell batteries expensive for a few reasons.
The first is that it meant Duracell likely had to take on a few more manufacturing costs to achieve that feat.
With higher manufacturing costs come higher prices.
In addition, batteries that don’t lose their voltage when not in use also have more value to the consumer.
Most consumers are going to be willing to pay a bit more for a battery that won’t die before they even get a chance to use it.
That keeps the price high, too.
Duracell batteries are expensive because they retain their charge even when not in use.
3. Focus On Safety And Non-Toxic Materials
Batteries are usually safe to use, however, there are always ways to make them not safe.
One problem that Duracell has faced is the increasing number of battery ingestion cases.
These cases are primarily among children.
The culprit is Duracell’s lithium coin batteries.
They’re small, disc-like, and almost look like shiny pieces of candy.
Younger children who are unable to recognize the battery for what it is might consume them.
As the battery sits digesting in the child’s stomach, it can lead to serious health problems.
If the stomach acid can eat away at the protective shell containing the elements within the battery, those elements could spill into the child’s stomach instead.
In an effort to keep children safe, Duracell started adding a bitter coating to its lithium coin batteries.
This bitter coating ensures that if a child puts such a battery in their mouths, the bitter flavor will make them spit it back out.
This can decrease the chances of children swallowing the batteries.
That sort of additional feature costs Duracell a bit more money to produce.
As such, the batteries tend to cost a bit more money.
Duracell batteries are expensive because some of them have a bitter coating put on them.
4. Durable
Duracell batteries have a reputation for being tough.
If you’ve ever tossed a battery around, then you know that it’s more likely to dent a wall or break glass than become dented, itself.
Part of the reason the battery has such a durable exterior is that it houses some potentially toxic chemicals within it.
The last thing Duracell wants is for those chemicals to leak out and harm those who are handling them.
Duracell is also aware that batteries are sometimes used in areas where abuse is common.
For example, on a construction site, a carpenter might use Duracell batteries to power their tools.
Since a lot of manual labor happens at construction sites, there’s always a chance that someone might drop a battery on hard flooring or jam it into the power tool too roughly.
There’s a higher chance that some sort of physical abuse might occur to the battery.
To ensure the battery can maintain its shell without breaking, Duracell uses high-quality materials to make the battery’s exterior.
Since it’s durable, there’s less of a chance of potential leakage.
However, making batteries as durable as they are isn’t always cheap.
That leads to higher prices.
Duracell batteries are expensive because they’re durable.
5. Energy Lasts For A Long Time
One of the benefits that Duracell batteries are best known for is that their energy tends to last for a long time.
When compared to some other batteries, Duracell batteries can keep on going.
This makes them expensive for several reasons.
The first is that in order to keep producing energy over a long period, Duracell has to research different chemical reactions.
The company needs to find a chemical reaction that is both affordable to recreate and provides enough voltage to make using the battery feasible.
It also has to keep safety precautions in mind.
It doesn’t want to use anything that could cause cancer, for example.
Pulling all those different aspects together, you have a battery that is rather expensive to make.
It gives consumers what they need, ensures safety, and it’s not the most expensive way to make a battery.
Besides the cost of manufacturing a battery that lasts a long time, it also has increased value among consumers.
Consumers are more likely to buy a battery that lasts a long time even if it’s more expensive.
That’s because, to them, the investment is worth it.
Duracell batteries are expensive because they can last for a very long time.
6. Different Battery Sizes
Duracell also has different battery sizes as well as different battery packages.
The standard Duracell battery sizes are AAA, AA, C, D, and a few specialty batteries.
The size of the battery largely determines how much energy it’s able to store.
Bigger batteries are capable of storing more energy.
Since you’re buying a battery that can potentially last longer or power more energy-expensive devices, the price is going to be higher.
In most cases, C and D batteries are going to be more expensive than AA and AAA batteries.
Specialized batteries may cost more than C or D batteries, however.
Batteries that power a watch, for example, might be more expensive because they have very specific uses.
They’re a bit of a niche product.
Besides battery size, the size of the package can also make the batteries expensive.
The more batteries you have in a package, the more expensive that package is going to be.
That’s because you’re paying for more products.
Since the material cost of a large package of batteries is higher, you’re paying off those costs.
Duracell batteries are expensive when they’re large or in large packages.
7. Less Leakage Due To Better Materials
A problem that a lot of people had with earlier versions of batteries is that they leaked.
Some battery brands even leak to this day.
Sometimes the battery would leak after a certain amount of use.
When left in a device for too long, you’d often open the device to find a battery leaking acid everywhere inside it.
Some batteries would even leak while in storage.
If they weren’t used yet, then it was possible to find them leaking inside their packages.
Battery acid is dangerous to handle with your bare skin.
It can cause damage to your body.
Duracell, wanting to maintain its reputation for being one of the most trusted battery brands on the market, devised a way to reduce the amount of leakage that its batteries produced.
These days, it’s a bit rarer to see a Duracell battery leaking.
That likely came as a result of a lot of research and prototyping.
It likely also meant that Duracell had to use slightly more expensive materials to build its batteries.
Since costs are a bit higher to make non-leaking batteries, the price of the battery is also higher.
Duracell batteries are expensive because they have lower chances of leaking.
8. Rechargeable Batteries
In an effort to be more sustainable, Duracell also started producing rechargeable batteries.
The benefit of these batteries is that you could plug them into a charging station and have their voltages recharge.
You could then pop them back into a device, and they would continue to power the device.
It saved customers from having to buy batteries as often.
Rechargeable batteries tend to be more expensive than standard batteries for that reason.
Since the company isn’t going to make as many sales on rechargeable batteries, it needs to put a high price on it.
This enables the company to make a large profit on each, individual, sale rather than rapid, repeat sales.
Duracell batteries are expensive because rechargeable batteries are more expensive than standard batteries.
9. Research And Development Costs
Duracell is aware that it remains one of the leading battery brands because it continues to adapt.
Whenever a new type of electronic device comes out, it needs to ensure that it has a product that can work with that device.
Otherwise, it leaves room for its competitors to seize that specific market instead.
As such, the company spends a lot on its research and development department.
The more money the department receives, the faster it can develop new features or new products.
To cover the cost of funding its research and development team, the company has to have a high amount of revenue.
It receives that revenue through high prices on its products.
Duracell batteries are expensive because of the amount of money it spends on its research and development department.
10. Monopoly
A final reason Duracell batteries are expensive is that Duracell has a bit of a monopoly on the battery market.
While there are some other well-known battery brands, too, Duracell tends to be at the top.
Since there is only a handful of other companies that can compete with Duracell, the company doesn’t feel the pressure to lower its prices.
When there isn’t a monopoly on the market, most companies have to drive prices downward to compete with other businesses.
When there isn’t enough competition, the company can set whatever price it wants.
This is the situation that Duracell finds itself in.
Since the company isn’t pressured to lower its prices, it doesn’t.
Duracell batteries are expensive because Duracell has a near-monopoly in the battery market.
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