Hmmm.... after 4 pages and about 90% of the votes saying reps are too expensive, I think we can expect almost everyone here to stop buying reps and learn these nasty rep factories and dealers a lesson!
Guys, like Kruzer already said on page 1, vote with your wallets. Trying to speculate how the cost structure of manufacturing reps works doesn't lead anywhere. It's probably a combination of cost increases, weak dollars, inflation, greed or whatever, but since when do customers determine the price for manufacturers?