Why do softball bats cost so much and what are they made out of?

I've been playing Baseball at a competitive level of play for years now. Year after year its amazing to see how much money the bats will be marked at. this year I see bats that are hitting round the $400 dollar mark, its a sin with times so bad right now. I feel that these bat companies are making their prices so high, b/c they are putting more and more work and time to find good "technology" for these bats. There is no question that some bats are much better than others, but most of them are pretty much the same. IF you want a nice bat look in the $150 to $300 range. These are nice bats including bats like (stealth,demarini,exo, and more.) These bats make a little bit of a difference, but if the player is a terrible hitter, this bat is not going to make them look anyyyy better.