A pricing strategy is the way you set the price. A pricing model is a kind of price format – it's part of the way you package and present your goods and services to the customer. Pricing Models "Setting the right price for a product or service is crucial to a company achieving success in its market (Cravens and Piercy, 2008; McCarthy et al., 2001)." This concept will help professionals to better understand the methods and strategies for leveraging pricing power in their company’s daily operations. It is supported by industry examples, professional tools and additional resources. Pricing Models Definition Price is one of the key variables in the marketing mix. There are four general pricing approaches that companies use to set an appropriate price for their products and services: cost-based pricing, valuebased pricing, value pricing and competition-based pricing (Kotler and Armstrong, 2009). The cost of production sets the lower limit while the upper limit is set by consumer perception about the product/service (McCarthy et al., 2001). Companies must also consider competitor prices to find the most suitable price, often between these two extremes (Cravens and Piercy, 2008). Determining prices for your products and services can be a difficult task. If your prices are too high, you’ll lose out on sales. If they’re too low, you’ll lose revenue and profit. But you don’t have to resort to guesswork to price your products. There are pricing models and strategies you can employ to discover the best prices for both your customers and your company. What is a pricing model? A pricing model is how your pricing strategy is presented to your customers. It is basically a detailed design for executing your pricing strategy. What’s the difference between pricing model and pricing strategy? While intertwined, pricing strategy and pricing models are two different concepts. Both are necessary to provide your customers with effective pricing. Pricing model A pricing model is the way you implement your pricing strategy. There are several types of pricing models to choose from. Keeping your pricing strategy in mind, your model should consider: how it relates to your buyer personas, whether you will offer multiple plans, and what features are offered at each level. Your business may use a variety of pricing models for different products or use more than one model to maximize profits. We will discuss some of the most common models in a moment. Pricing strategy A pricing strategy is your high-level plan for setting the best prices for your products and services, keeping in mind production cost, your customers’ perception of the product’s value, the type of product, and whether you’re selling a product or service. The pricing strategy you choose may vary from one product to the next, and it will likely change over time. Pricing strategies include: Penetration pricing: launching a new product with low prices and realigning when a customer base is established Premium pricing: pricing an item higher to boost its perceived value Price skimming: charging a higher price when a product is new on the market and then reducing it later to appeal to those with higher price sensitivity Bundle pricing: grouping several items together and offering them at one price so that customers perceive that the value is greater than the price Loss-leading: selling new products at a heavily discounted price to gain customer attention. The loss is recouped on other items with better margins, presented to customers gained by the lossleading strategy. Why is it important to choose the right pricing model? Pricing is a key factor in many purchasing decisions. Choosing the right pricing model portrays value to your customers. “Cheap” may mean a lower price, or it could indicate poorly made products. Consumers associate low prices with low quality. Make sure your pricing model reflects the value of your products. Here’s where balance comes in. If your price is too high, potential customers won’t be willing to pay. Your ideal price is one that customers are willing to pay, that shows value, and convinces them to purchase the product over the competition. The consequences of a weak pricing model include sending the message that your product does not offer high value, making potential customers feel uncertain about making a purchase, and targeting the wrong customers for the chosen pricing model. The right pricing model portrays value, convinces customers to buy, and gives them confidence that they are making the right decision buying from you. Remember, effective pricing builds trust with your customers as it supports your business goals. It provides value for you and your customers Choosing the right pricing is critical for driving value for consumers. For example, with tiered pricing, customers can choose the tier that provides them with the most benefits specific to their needs. This allows businesses to gain customers who perceive value at different price points. The importance of running a price optimization study Before you can establish a pricing strategy or choose a pricing model, you need to establish a foundation for your pricing decisions. A price optimization study is the best way to find the best price point for a product or service. Understand what customers are expecting to pay for your new product or service Use the Momentive Van Westendorp Price Sensitivity solution to find out what customers perceive as an acceptable price for your product, what price point is considered too high, and the optimal price range. Expert researchers will help design and analyze your pricing study, considering only the highest-quality data and removing low-quality respondents from the data set. Gain a better understanding of your competitive landscape There isn’t a way to choose a pricing strategy without conducting market research on your competitors. You need to know their offerings, strengths and weaknesses, and pricing. You’ll use the data to decide if you’ll beat your competitors’ prices or value as you enter the market. Look at both direct competitors, who sell exactly the same product as you and indirect competitors who sell a comparable alternative product. Make sure your existing product is priced accurately Find out what customers are willing to pay at different price points, purchase frequency, predicted churn, and predicted customer lifetime value. Helps with customer retention Your research will help you determine what will appeal to your customers in the long run. Some pricing strategies to research include: Multi-step discounts: the more the customer purchases, the higher the percentage discount Time-based discounts: the discount increases if, for example, a subscription is purchased for three years rather than one Time and loyalty discounts: a longtime subscriber receives incentives for signing up for automatic renewal or new services added to their subscription Price guarantees: guarantee that your product is offered at the absolute lowest price and offer to refund the difference if it is found cheaper somewhere else 5 pricing models and when to use them There are many pricing models you can choose from. Here, we discuss five of the most common models and when to use them. 1. Freemium The freemium (a combination of the words “free” and “premium”) pricing model involves offering a free version of your product with opportunities to upsell your customers to a paid version. Some freemium services offer incentives for referring customers. A great example of the freemium pricing strategy is Spotify. You can listen to music and podcasts free of charge, but you must listen to periodic commercials and can only skip a limited number of songs when listening. Premium paid plans include ad-free listening, offline play options, and multiple accounts at a discounted price. Some customers are satisfied with the free tier, but many have upgraded. Another example of freemium pricing is the free trial. Many streaming services offer seven-day free trials for customers to watch their programming. Customers can do nothing and pay for continued service use or cancel before the seven-day limit. When to use Freemium The main purpose of the freemium model is to attract new customers, usually to a digital product. Your product must appeal to mass markets—it should be easy to understand and offer an excellent user experience. You also must be able to balance your resources until your initial freemium customers upgrade. And you need to be able to analyze your data accurately to assess what features should be offered free and what should be gated for premium users. 2. Tiered subscription Tiered subscriptions offer customers multiple options and flexibility depending on their needs. Going back to our Spotify example, there are five subscription tiers. The first tier is free, which is why we discussed it as a freemium model. There are then successive tiers for individual users, duos, families of up to six accounts, and heavily discounted student plans. (Students also receive an ad-supported subscription to Hulu as well as Showtime streaming services.) When to use tiered subscription Tiered pricing appeals to a wider, more diverse range of customers. It is usually associated with digital services that can be customized to meet the needs of a range of target markets. 3. Flat-rate subscription In a flat-rate subscription model, users pay a set price on a regular basis. This is also known as fixed pricing. Basically, this model offers a single product with a fixed set of features at a set price each billing cycle. For example, if your company offers a product management tool, you may charge $125 per month for unlimited projects. When to use flat-rate subscription Flat-rate subscriptions work best for products with limited features and one buyer persona. 4. Bulk pricing In the bulk pricing model, the price decreases as the volume of goods or services increases. This is also known as volume pricing. It is straightforward and simple to understand. It encourages large orders by offering higher discounts for higher volume purchases. For example, stock image businesses use volume pricing for their downloadable digital products. Users can choose packages based on the number of images and videos they want to download. When to use bulk pricing Bulk pricing is most often used in business-to-business (B2B) sales and wholesale. 5. Market pricing In the market pricing model, the price of the product fluctuates according to supply and demand. This means you need to know what competitors are charging for similar products so that you can align your price with theirs. This model is linked to the product lifecycle. This model does not consider the customer. It is based solely on your competitors and market saturation. Examples of market pricing include the automotive industry, smartphones, and streaming services. When to use market pricing Use market pricing when your product is comparable to your competitors’ products. This gives you an accurate price point to work with. You’ll have to position your product as having superior value to remain competitive. Find the right pricing model for your product Your ideal pricing model is dependent on the type of product you’re selling, what your customers are willing to pay, and what value your product offers. Choose the right pricing model to ensure sales success. The basis for a good pricing strategy and pricing model is research. https://www.surveymonkey.com/market-research/resources/pricing-models/ AAt What is a Pricing Strategy? A pricing strategy is an approach taken by businesses to decide how much to charge for their goods and services. The interaction between margin, price, and selling level is given specific consideration while pricing products. Therefore, it’s important and complicated to design a proper pricing plan that ensures business success. The price is a component that affects a company’s revenue significantly. It forms the key variable in the company’s financial modeling and affects its income, profits, and investments in the long term. Price reflects the idea of a business and shows its behavior towards competitors and the value it gives customers. Key Takeaways Pricing strategy involves changing and adjusting the price of goods and services in response to market factors. Research, Market conditions, consumers’ willingness to pay, competition, trade margins, expenditures incurred, etc., are all considered while developing a pricing strategy. Setting a price varies from pricing strategy. It employs factors that are not taken into consideration while setting a price. There are a variety of pricing strategies available. Price skimming, Pricing for market penetration, premium pricing, economy pricing, bundle pricing, value-based Pricing, and dynamic Pricing are a few of them. Price determination involves assessing the business and competitors’ goals and consumer preferences. Pricing Strategy Explained Pricing strategy in marketing, in simple terms, is adjusting prices according to market determinants. Price is the value one assigns to a good or service which they determine by research. A pricing strategy considers market conditions, consumer willingness to pay, competition, trade margins, costs incurred, etc. Pricing involves setting a price for ownership and usage of goods. Pricing is about making decisions. It starts with assessing the business requirements and the goals it aims to achieve. The next step is market research and evaluation of the level of competition. After that, an effective pricing strategy will help the business stand up. The final research stage involves speaking with the target audience—the consumers—about their views regarding the brand, product, or service. Setting a price varies from pricing strategy. It employs factors that are not taken into consideration while selecting a price. For example, the approach considers the timing of the market, the seasonality of demand, and the customer’s preferences and purchasing patterns in addition to the analysis of the products available in the market. However, the strategy is most beneficial when consumers are heterogeneous (varying tastes and preferences). And when demand variability and uncertainty are high, especially with stable production levels (a chance to reap greater profits). Types The following are a few pricing strategies that businesses adopt:1. Cost-Plus Pricing Strategy One way to price a product is to add a fixed percentage to the manufacturing costs for each unit. This pricing technique is known as “cost plus” or “markup pricing.” As a seller, you would calculate the fixed and variable expenses incurred in making your goods and then apply the markup percentage to that cost. This approach is popular since it’s simple to defend and almost always results in a level playing field for all participants. 2. Competitor-Based Pricing Strategy Competitive pricing is the practice of setting your product or service prices based on the pricing of your competitors in your market or niche rather than on your company’s costs or desired profit margins. Sometimes this means just raising your prices, but you also can offer better terms of payment as an alternative. 3. Value-Based Pricing Strategy The method of determining your rates, known as value pricing, considers how much your customers value what you provide and adjusts your prices accordingly. You must employ a marketing mix to retain sales and deliver more value to your clients in the face of increased competition or a recession. Due to the perceived worth of the product or service, buyers flock to this price strategy over the competition. Customers don’t care how much it costs a corporation to manufacture a product; what matters is that the client believes they are getting a good deal when they buy it. 4. Loss Leader Pricing Strategy Loss leader pricing is a marketing strategy where one or more retail goods are chosen and sold below cost – at a loss to the retailer – to entice customers. Loss leads are items offered at deeply discounted rates to draw customers into the business. 5. Penetration Pricing Strategy The penetration pricing strategy aims to draw customers by providing products and services at lower costs than rivals. This tactic can take attention away from competing firms and lead to long-term contracts by promoting brand recognition and loyalty. However, in the long run, brand recognition may lead to higher earnings and help small businesses stand out from the crowd. 6. Everyday Low Pricing Strategy Retailers use “everyday low pricing” to maintain perpetually low prices for their items rather than special promotions or sales. As a result, the daily low pricing strategy aims to optimize sales by always giving the lowest prices on the market and anticipating huge sales volumes. 7. Economy Pricing Strategy Economy pricing aims to get the most price-conscious customers to purchase the product. Because they don’t have to pay for additional promotion or marketing expenditures, businesses may price their products according to their manufacturing value. 8. Premium Pricing Strategy Businesses that charge premium prices do so because they have a specific product or brand that no one else can match. Suppose you have a significant competitive edge and know you can charge a higher price without being undercut by a product of comparable quality. In that case, you should consider using this technique. 9. Skimming Pricing Strategy Price skimming is a dynamic pricing strategy businesses use to increase sales of new goods and services. Price skimming is a strategy usually employed at a new product’s debut. This strategy aims to maximize income to the greatest extent possible when customer interest in the product is strong, and your company faces low competition. 10. High-Low Pricing Strategy High-low pricing is a strategy where a business focuses on marketing campaigns to entice customers to make purchases. For example, a company charges a high price for a product and then lowers the cost through promotions, markdowns, or clearance sales. A product’s pricing fluctuates between “high” and “low” in a certain amount of time with this method. 11. Dynamic Pricing Strategy Dynamic pricing involves charging variable costs depending on who or when you purchase your goods or service. Flexibility in pricing is one of this technique’s essential features, which considers supply and demand. While dynamic pricing is widespread in e-commerce and transportation, it isn’t appropriate for all businesses. The greatest dangers lay in implementing variable prices with price-sensitive products and services. Examples Take a look at these examples to get a better idea: What Are Some Pricing Strategy Examples? 1. Cost-Plus Pricing Strategy Example In “cost-plus pricing,” businesses can charge a higher price for their goods or services than they pay to create or deliver them. Profit margins can vary from company to company based on production cost. For example, a company that sells sunglasses and wants to use the cost-plus approach to price their product may come up with the following: Expenses incurred in the manufacture of goods: To get to a total production cost of $357.00, the corporation adds its $220.10 in material expenses, $56.15 in labor costs, and $80.75 in allocated overhead. The price per unit: The next step is to divide the total cost of manufacturing by the amount of product produced. They made 20 pairs of sunglasses in this case. $357.00 divided by 20 equals $17.85. The expense of selling: Using a 30% markup, the sunglasses company may multiply the unit price by 1 x.30 to come up with $23.21. Based on this figure, a pair of sunglasses will set you back $23.50. Thus, $23.50 is the amount of a pair of sunglasses after implementing the cost-plus pricing strategy. 2. Competitor-Based Pricing Strategy Example In competitive pricing, a product’s price is established by its competitors’ prices. Amazon’s price of popular items serves as a real-world illustration. The retail behemoth gathers competitive pricing knowledge and uses it to provide the lowest price on the market at any given moment. Before making a purchase, most people use the internet to compare prices. As a result, internet retailers keep tabs on each other’s prices to stay on top of the market. However, not everyone wants to be known as the most affordable. Take a look at the Fitbit. Source Next, look at a similar business that offers wearable tech and is also available on Amazon. Source Fitbit, being a well-known brand, can demand a higher price in this instance. Consumers are ready to spend far more for a famous brand than they would for a lesser-known one. 3. Value-Based Pricing Strategy Example Value-based pricing is a pricing strategy based on how valuable a consumer believes the product or service is. When it comes to pricing, Apple’s strategy revolves around the customer. In this case, the brand name is more important than the product itself. Source Initially, their pricing mirrored the simplicity of their products and the ease with which customers could use them. Over the years, this was an exercise in gaining market share and establishing a devoted consumer base. To do this, they created an operating system that was easy to use, putting it ahead of the competition. Apple goods now account for most personal computers, cellphones, smartwatches, MP3 players, and other electronic devices in the United States. Essentially, Apple has given up market research to build and retain brand loyalty, and its revenues have reflected this shift in strategy. 4. Loss Leader Pricing Strategy Example Using a pricing strategy known as “loss leader pricing,” a company tries to entice new consumers by offering items at a discount below what it costs to make them. Microsoft released their Xbox gaming console with a relatively low-profit margin to compete with Sony Playstation’s established players. This strategy compelled customers to buy the console since it was so inexpensively accessible. Source However, this was not the end of the story, as the console was pointless without any games to play. Microsoft used its pricing strategy to compensate for the losses it incurred when selling consoles by raising the prices of its games. 5. Penetration Pricing Strategy Example Businesses use penetration pricing to lure customers into trying out a new product or service by first providing it at a cheaper cost. Regarding penetration price, Netflix is a textbook case in point. Many customers have expressed dissatisfaction with Netflix due to rising membership costs or the expiration of their free trial period. Source Nevertheless, despite the occasional complaints, people are satisfied with paying the increased membership fees in exchange for the never-ending supply of high-quality media content. The first quarter of 2022 saw Netflix reach a global audience of around 221.64 million paying customers. Other OTT platforms are using penetration pricing to recruit new consumers, like Netflix. 6. Everyday Low Pricing Strategy Example Everyday low pricing strategy allows firms, brands, and retailers to provide continuously lowpriced items. As a result of its everyday low-price approach, Walmart Inc. has become a significant player in the retail industry. Instead of giving low prices only during sales, the giant store gives inexpensive pricing to customers all year round. Source Following its inception, the company pursued this strategy and established itself as the retailer that consistently provides customers with the lowest costs. Despite the low-profit margins, the shop will profit because of the large amount of merchandise it sells. This pricing approach helped Walmart establish itself as a well-known, low-priced corporation. Walmart has over 10,500 stores and clubs in 24 countries under 46 banners. 7. Economy Pricing Strategy Example An “economy pricing” approach relies on reduced item prices due to decreased production costs. Source Up & Up diapers, a 124-count pack, retail for $15.99 at Target under the Target brand name. A 104-count package of Pampers costs $27.49. Using fewer diapers saves you more than $11. Source The Up & Up diapers represent Target’s economy pricing. Target doesn’t need to account for this production expense because it doesn’t market its diapers. Up and Up is less expensive than Pampers, which might influence customers’ purchase decisions when they visit the store. 8. Premium Pricing Strategy Example Premium pricing is a technique that involves pricing your goods more than your direct competitors. The marketing strategy of the 7 Ps develops a successful marketing strategy that appeals to your target audience. Salesforce has a great heritage with premium pricing because it is one of the few SaaS companies that has effectively implemented price skimming into its overall strategy. Here is a peek at the price information. Source There is little denying that Salesforce’s “Unlimited” subscription is a premium choice. Prospects can tell the difference between this more expensive choice and the “Essentials” plan, which has a similar name but a far lower price tag. It’s a smart move by Salesforce to provide a free trial for all plans, even the premium ones. In addition to free trials, premium pricing also benefits from creating brand equity through free trials. 9. Skimming Pricing Strategy Example Price skimming is a pricing strategy in which businesses initially charge a high price for their product or service while gradually lowering the price to attract a more price-sensitive market segment. Price skimming can apply to a wide range of well-known items. Many electronic goods employ a price-skimming technique during the early stages of a product’s lifecycle. The device’s price then reduces once competitors develop rival goods, such as the Samsung Galaxy, to maintain their competitive edge. Source Regarding mobile phones, Samsung employs a pricing approach known as price skimming. The pricing is chosen to maximize revenue when significant demand for a new product release exists. After the initial frenzy and excitement dies down, Samsung lowers the price to make the product more accessible to a broader range of customers. In the beginning, Samsung used price skimming to steal market share and attention from their key competitors. For example, Samsung’s Galaxy phones were priced to grab market share away from Apple’s popular iPhone. 10. High-Low Pricing Strategy Example When a new product enters the market, it’s common to see high-low pricing applied. Smartphones are almost always launched at a high price point, then gradually drop as the anticipation subsides. This is true for both flagship and mid-range phones. Although Apple was the first company to adopt this method of pricing smartphones, it is now used by many manufacturers, including Samsung, Google, Huawei, and others. When you don’t have any previous sales data on which to base price decisions, using high-low pricing is an effective pricing and marketing strategy. The objective of most retailers is to maximize profits. Therefore, it’s logical to begin your pricing plan with increasing gross profit. 11. Dynamic Pricing Strategy Example Uber is a significant player in the on-demand transportation industry. Your route’s traffic, peak hours, and current rider-to-driver demand are all factors in Uber’s dynamic pricing algorithm. Source Despite the complaints about unfair pricing hikes, Uber stands by its algorithm and maintains that it helps the system manage supply and demand difficulties and provides drivers with incentives to work in challenging situations. What Are Some Common Pricing Tactics? Discounts “Discount pricing” is a broad term that encompasses a variety of pricing tactics aimed at increasing demand, clearing out unsold inventory, or raising sales. Discount pricing works because customers believe they’re “getting a good deal” on a product or service. Source Dodocase provides a one-time discount for new customers’ initial purchases. The offer entices customers to buy once and keep coming back. Bundles Bundle pricing allows small businesses to sell many items at a lesser price than they would if they sold them separately. Customers believe they’re getting more for their money. When a product’s life cycle is nearing its end, many small businesses opt to use this method, especially if the product isn’t selling well. Subscription-based merchants like Dollar Shave Club have used this bundle pricing model for their own items. Psychological The commercial practice of putting prices lower than a whole number is known as psychological pricing. Buyers would read the slightly lower price and treat it as cheaper than it is. If an item costs $3.99, it is an example of psychological pricing because shoppers see it as a better deal than $4.00. Source Belleze, a furniture company, adopts this strategy for the product listings across their website: every item is priced so that it ends at .99. Freemium Two phrases are combined in freemium pricing: premium and free. It’s a pricing structure that provides free fundamental services and premium options. By delivering some services for free, this method piques the interest of potential clients. Customers must pay a fee to access the other features. It only applies to companies that provide limited free trials. MailChimp, for example, offers a free service with a restricted set of options and functionalities. It’s up to the user to decide whether or not they want to pay for the additional features. But Wait, There’s More You may have heard this phrases like this at the end of an infomercial. This phrase is effective if you’re offering your customer a gift with purchase or upgrading the size of their purchase for free. It encourages customers to buy so they don’t miss out on a good deal. It adds urgency to purchases by ensuring customers know they’re getting value for their money. Commercials that offer 2 for the price of 1 or free shipping for a limited time would benefit from using a phrase like this. For example, Granite Rock adds a second frying pan and free shipping if you order right now, adding to the urgency. https://youtu.be/cpwBM3eyRIY BOGO E-commerce businesses can use a BOGO approach with spending limits to control the average transaction size by incentivizing larger purchases, like upselling. In this strategy, the goods won’t be given away for free just because the customer hit a certain price threshold in their cart. Instead, it lets them choose between a product and a present based on the relative worth of both the thing and the gift they are receiving. Papa John’s does this with their “buy one get one” pizza deal. Coupons Companies and stores that provide discounts to their most loyal consumers use coupon marketing as a technique. Customers’ desire to save money is heightened by using coupon codes, vouchers, and other discounting methods. Coupons that provide a percentage off of a product’s original cost are the most popular. 74% of online buyers prefer “percentage off” coupons, according to a study by Blippr. Codes Code Marketing is the “SaaS free trial” applied to a broader range of goods, services, and business sectors. Code Marketing allows customers to “test before they buy,” which fosters customer confidence and reduces hassle throughout the online purchasing process. Regarding B2B, the SaaS (Software as a Service) segment was among the first to embrace a digital-first strategy. Adapting this method to internet sales was part of the plan all along. The great thing about this strategy is that consumers become accustomed to their software, so switching might not be cost-effective. Check out this example from Convert Kit. Source They are encouraged to stick with it, particularly when you consider that upgrading to the next level only costs $9 per month. Price Relativity Price Relativity is the price of a product or service in comparison to another. In the image below, which of the orange circles is bigger? Source In actuality, both circles are identical in size. Known as the Ebbinghaus illusion, the perceived size of the orange dot is dependent on what it’s compared to. Price Relativity works in the same way: a comparison is needed to determine the value image of a product. Take Nespresso, for example. Rather than forefronting the cost of its $200 machine, the company compares a single Nespresso pod to that of a coffee shop. A medium coffee at Starbucks is $3.95. A single Nespresso pod costs 35 cents. Source By highlighting its surrounding cost, Nespresso changed how a customer perceives the product’s value. Afterall, 35 cents for a cup of coffee, in comparison for $3.95, feels reasonable. Conclusion Your pricing strategy is influenced by your company’s financial data and external situations. This includes: Knowing the price of your goods or services to help you make better business decisions Maintaining a close eye on these expenses to rapidly respond to developments and keep your business profitable in the long run Your consumers, the market, and your competitors Keeping abreast of changing customer tastes and market conditions, as well as potential supply chain problems Setting accurate prices for your inventory is one of the most important things you can do to ensure continuing success in your business. It doesn’t matter if you have the best product in the world, the best team, or the most attractive storefront; if you can’t price your products efficiently and don’t have an effective pricing strategy in place, your sales will suffer. https://www.wallstreetmojo.com/pricing-strategy/AAt