Displaying Your Prices On Your Website: Pros and Cons

Displaying your prices isn’t a decision to make likely, and there is a stack of arguments on both side. So how do you decide if public pricing is for you?

The pros of displaying your prices

By stating your price upfront you’re eliminating obstacles – not only for your customer (they won’t have to call or email to find out what you charge), but also for yourself.

Liaising, negotiating and quoting for jobs can chew up a huge amount of time, and at some point the prices have to be stated anyway. So isn’t it better to just deal with the money issue head on?

Most clients hit your site with a budget in mind, even if they’re not 100 per cent sure about it. And if they can’t afford you, they should probably move on.

The cons of displaying your prices

Of course, there are potential negatives to publishing prices. One of them is the fear of cheapening your brand. When your site is ‘priceless’ it can retain a sense of mystery and seem more high-end. By giving dollar values to everything you do, there’s a risk you could make yourself seem bog standard.

And what about your competitors? If people compare on price alone without taking into account your experience, previous clients, testimonials and specialist services, you could end up looking expensive.

Finally, unless your product offering is very clear-cut, most people will still want to call. It’s far easier to make a sale from a conversation than from a website – no matter how well designed and written it is. Published prices should start, not replace, a one-to-one conversation.

For some tips on how to make publishing your prices work for you, click here.