Ian
Shoppers hate to see a ‘Price on request’ tag line when they see stuff they would like to buy online. Nothing sends them out of your page faster than that. The reason?
1. Customers get a clear idea of whether you are in the league or out of their league
It sounds snooty and expensive when you don’t mention a price. That sends the signal that the merchandise is very expensive and likely to fall outside their affordability range. So, if you want sales volumes and if you want to maximize your profits by converting more customer visits to sales, you are better off mentioning clear prices on each item you advertise for sales. You will see that your sales will grow. Visibly!
2. There’s no bias: all customers get to see the same price
Customers have their own networks and forums. When you don’t mention the price on your site, you lead to chaotic pricing. You or your sales teams can float across different prices to different customers (or worse, to the same customer). This can lead to distaste among customers. The person who’s been quoted a higher price would feel cheated. The person who’s been quoted a lower price would end up feeling there might be others you have sold the item at a lower price. In order to avoid these trust issues, it is better to be very transparent when it comes to mentioning prices.
3. Aid price comparison across sites
Today’s buyers are smart. With a few clicks, they compare prices across sites and get what they want from the site they are satisfied with. What happens when you don’t mention prices on your site? You aren’t even running the race. This can cost you dearly. If you cannot afford to lose site visits and potential sales, mention prices!
4. Handle sales and offers better
What’s the point in holding sales and offers when you never mention process in the site? How does a customer know what your actual price is and what the offer price is? Customers love to get things from you when they feel you have slashed prices down. That’s psychology 101! There are few online shopping sites that do not indulge in offers. Goes to say what sells today!
5. Trust factor
When things are mentioned in black and white, written for all to see on a publicly available website, people trust you. That’s the truth. In sales, especially where you are looking to maximise profits, that counts.
