A start-up computer company is in the process of introducing their first line of computers. These computers are high in performance and "radically slim" in design but will cost the consumer only $1,800 (average retail price). It costs the computer company $500 per computer for the materials, $300 per computer for assembly, and $1,000 for every five computers in shipping. The machines are sold to retailers for $1,500.

In addition to manufacturing the computers, the company spent $500,000 on new labs, $300,000 in recruiting new staff, and $450,000 on research and development. Also, on top of these basic expenditures, the company has invested heavily in marketing the computer. They spend $3,000,000 on TV ads, $4,000,000 on magazine ads and $1,000,000 on sending a free catalog to subscribers of Wired magazine.