Many business owners already struggle with the difficulties of pricing. In some cases, setting prices by their competition and in others, charging arbitrary amounts.
During the current cost of living crisis, it can be extra challenging to arrive at a price that is both competitive and significant enough to keep your business profitable.
This is especially true given the other pressures that consumers already face from inflation.
To help businesses with their pricing strategies, we will look at some of the established techniques that they can follow.
Psychological Pricing
Possibly one of the most commonly used forms of pricing, this dates back as late as the 1800s but remains effective even to this day.
At its core, Psychological Pricing relies on the strategic pricing of goods and services just below a nice, round number.
We will have all seen this. Maybe a car dealership offers its latest model at £9,999 or who can forget the 99p store.
Many businesses use this trick and consumers are aware of it, is it still effective? Amazingly, the simple answer is yes.
Even though the price difference is negligible, irrational customers don’t round up the price and perceive the item to be cheaper than it is and are more inclined to buy.
Relative Pricing
In this enlightened digital age, ensuring your price is relative to the rest of the market can be key, especially with the emergence of price checking apps.
Knowing how much to charge relates to several factors, one of which has to be how much a competitor charges. However, this shouldn’t be the driving force in setting an effective price.
Constantly trying to charge less than a competitor will squeeze margins to potentially unsustainable levels and may lead some consumers to think of your product as inferior.
It is at this point where you may want to reconsider how your product or service is marketed. You may decide you want to be a premium or economy brand relative to your competitors and should then price accordingly.
It’s all contextual
Sometimes a price is justified by lots of different factors, not just the service or product on offer.
People will happily pay thousands for a Rolex that tells the time when a £5 watch will do the same. The products fulfil the same role, but there are other forces at play that determine the price.
The same applies online and sometimes it can be down to things beyond the price – even the look of a website or the services offered alongside products can make a difference in how much is charged.
A business should, therefore, look at non-product/service changes it can make that will justify a higher price.
Offering choice
Research has shown that by selling three products alongside each other, you subconsciously push customers towards the middle product.
Therefore, if you strategically make the mid-priced product more expensive you can increase your average order value.
The savvier online seller can also then use this technique to develop a mid-priced offering that is more cost-effective and, therefore, more profitable.
The common thread
All of these pricing strategies rely on the way that customers perceive price and highlight that it can be one of the determining factors in a sale or order. This means that effectively adjusting your price could help increase sales and improve profitability.
In today’s modern online marketplace businesses cannot sit back and leave prices static. They need to create a pricing strategy that adapts to the market and the needs of customers.
This can be difficult to achieve alongside the other pressures of running a business and it is why, as a business expands online, seeking professional assistance can pay dividends.
Meeting your costs
Whilst we have addressed some of the psychological factors that affect price, ultimately the eventual price that you set will have to give some consideration to your own expenses and your desire to turn a profit.
Businesses often face a balancing act between setting a price that is too high, which might drive customers away, and setting a cost that is too low, which cuts their profits and ability to grow.
If you currently find yourself in this position, then it is important to seek professional advice. To find out how we can help you with price-setting, please speak to us.
