I been thinking about this one a lot since NOS came out with their Power shot. I see it selling for 2.50 to 2.99 in stores. It is weaker than a 16oz can of NOS, is smaller, does not need refrigeration, is way easier and cheaper to ship. Why does it cost more? I can actually buy a 22 oz bottle of NOS for the same price and get 3 times the kick. Is portability really worth the extra cost? Who is reaping the benefit more the stores or the manufacturer? Just wondering what others think.

Granted I do not drink energy drinks.
I'm guessing the shooter costs more just like
a 20oz bottle of soda pop costs more than
a 2 ltr of soda pop. It's all about perceived
or actual ease of portability.

I agree, portability and can be a big factor when I decide how to get my energy - Shot, Can or BFC. It also depends if I am going to be active or not. If I am playing sports or working out I usually don't want 8-24 oucnes of liquid rumbling around in my stomach, regardless of carbonation levels... Just my two cents...

I like the portability of the shots as well. I just don't think you should be charged more when it cost them much less to make it and distribute. I think shots should be priced more like nano coffee energy tabs. You get 2 servings in a pack for about 1.50 which is a good deal. I think the least a shot like the NOS powershot should offer is the equivalent amount of kick. Less kick+more cost=bad deal

Its marketing!!!!
The shots are marketed to a different set of consumers than regular energy drinks.
The shot is more for the professional, upper income, greater educated consumer.
The portability is often one of the major selling points of the drink. It looks far better for a women to sip on one of these and put it back in her purse at work then for her to have a 16oz of Monster on her desk. For some reason it just doesn't look professional. Furthermore, the ingredient profile is for a different consumer. Sure it gives you caffeine but most do not adhere to the same ingredient deck as the energy drinks. Most use B12 as their selling point and about 10-20 times the RDA of it to give you a sustained energy release.
The drink/product/package itself is all about a more mature energy supplement user. As of today I have only seen one company advertise the product( on television) and that is 5hr Energy. Look who they go after and how they go after them. Not one young kid in the commercial doing tricks with his bike or skateboarding, wakeboarding, MotoX or anything of the sort. Professionals only in those ads. Hence the pricing....not to mention that 5hr created the category and once it became successful others played follow the leader......HMMMM, Where have we seen that before?


OH to answer your question....NO, I do not think they are a bad deal. It is all perspective and what you feel comforatble with using as your energy supplement.

Think espresso vs. coffee. And for the record there is a hell of a lot more water in those 16oz and 20oz and 32oz energy drinks.......More vitamins in 5 hr than any RTD can.

...at my local Walgreen's store. Regular and decaf 2-packs were 2 for $10 and 6-packs were $14.99. 2-packs of 5-hour Energy Extra Strength were 2 for $12. I had some days apart for the last several weeks and the regular (to me) has more kick than the Extra Strength. I haven't tried the decaf yet. I'll let you know what I think of it soon.

Easy to see who is a consumer and who is a distributor/manufacturer. I say raise the price to $3.99!

5-hour Energy decaf doesn't do anything for me. I won't get that variety of it anymore.