Comparison with retail-purchased products

Why is the vinyl fence available at the Big Box store so much cheaper than yours?
That is the question that haunts dealers and consumers, many of whom lack an understanding of vinyl. Resin prices are set at commodity levels (supply and demand strictly dictate pricing). Additive prices are set in a similar way. Competition is intense, with over 20 extruders in North America competing in the same market. In order to capture market share, some new manufacturers establish a low price, which they raise later. Others decide to make an 'economy' product which is thinner and may not conform to industry standards or building codes. Another way to keep the price low is by using recycled materials, which often change the dynamics of the product itself [See Co-extrusion with Regrind in the Engineering/ Technology section]. A manufacturer may also choose to fabricate the product using less expensive, high-volume and, sometimes, inferior methods such as gluing the pickets to the rails, or using brackets to attach the rails to the posts with screws.