Tinder-Quik is in a tough market. I can get 13 ounces of Vaseline and 500 cotton balls for about $7, and those items have many other uses besides fire starting.
True, but I think Tinder-Quik is among the best quality products you can find. Cotton balls and Vaseline work but it's messy. The Tinder-Quik are premade, very water resistant and very compact. I'd rather use them than cotton balls in a pinch. But of course, the cotton balls work great and are a lot cheaper.