You paid what?!?

If people are tightening their purse strings, these 10 businesses wouldn't know. Their bestsellers have jaw-dropping price tags and plenty of buyers.

You paid what?!?

What recession? Even with the crazy swings in the stock market, gloomy economic forecasts and beyond embarrassing government and consumer debt, Americans still can't resist the luxe. And while many companies are scrambling to heavily discount their inventory to attract customers, the following 10 small businesses are selling products with astonishingly expensive price tags. Perhaps even more astonishing is that these products -- which include a $250 chocolate and a $40 bar of soap -- are flying off the shelves. Eat your heart out Wal-Mart and McDonald's. Paying through the nose is the new black. NEXT: $500 jigsaw puzzle