Start with the balloon itself. A plain latex balloon and a chrome, marble or confetti one of exactly the same size are produced differently, and the finish is what you pay for. Among foil balloons a plain heart and a licensed cartoon character differ because of the licence fee, and quality of the valve and the seam varies by manufacturer even at identical dimensions.
Then there is what the balloon holds. Helium pricing follows volume, so a 24-inch balloon costs several times more to fill than an 11-inch one even though it is the same material. This is the part that surprises people most, because on the shelf the two look like a small difference in size.
Finally there is what has been done to it. HiFloat treatment, printed artwork or vinyl lettering, a matching weight, a quality ribbon, a tassel tail or gift wrapping all add to the final figure, and a balloon assembled into a designed bouquet also carries the work of putting it together.
- Finish: plain latex versus chrome, marble, pearl or confetti
- Licensed foil designs carry a licence fee that plain shapes do not
- Helium cost scales with volume, so larger balloons cost much more to fill
- HiFloat, printing and vinyl lettering are each an added step
- Weights, ribbons, tassels and packaging are part of the final price