Hi Everyone,

I just wondered if anyone had any thoughts about posting your pricing on your company website?

Thanks,

I'm not an authority on the subject, but as far as I know, there are two schools of thought on this.

Many people believe that it's best not to post pricing online because you want to get your foot in the door with potential clients before scaring them away with your prices. In fact, a lot of people would say that you shouldn't even disclose pricing on the phone--that you should wait until you meet the potential client in person.

Others believe that it's best to be up front. They believe that if your services are too expensive for a potential client, there's no point in wasting everyone's time talking about other aspects of the project when you're never going to be able to make the deal.

A middle ground would be to leave prices off your website, but to be up front about them on email or the telephone when you're contacted by a potential client. If I were to start a business, I think that this is what I'd do.

But I'm curious what everyone else thinks...

Thanks Jennifer
Yes, those two schools of thought have been rolling around in my head for a while too. Would love feedback from others as well.

Hi Kimberly:

I read your post on pricing your services on the website. As an interior designer, there are several reasons why this is not good practice. First, most people do not know the amount of work a designer has to do and therefore do not know the costs involved. A designer must explain to the client the amount of work and hours involved before they can arrive at a number. Posting your fees on the site without proper explanation will only scare potential clients away.

Secondly, other designers - especially hungry, up and coming new designers - will see your fees on the site and may undercut your price. Many will undervalue their work just so they can get experience and a portfolio started. This will start a downward spiral which designers should never enter.

Thirdly, even if this isn't widely acknowledged, designers do charge different fees for different clients. Sometimes a specific client and project is so attractive, that a designer will lower their fees in order to land that project - this usually applies only to projects that will attract plenty of press, such as a not-for-profit community center.

What to charge is such a sensitive topic but the best way to approach it is really to talk face to face with your client. You can go a long way in calming down their fears and enlightening them on the process of design.

Wow Alexia,

Thank you so much for your detailed response. You have given me much to think about. It is true most people do not know all of the bacground work we have to do and may be scared off by our hourly rates.

Thanks again

Hi Kimberly, I wouldn’t advise pricing on your web site. Each project is entirely different and they can do price comparison without even calling you on the phone, you would never know if you had a potential client or not.

Lori
Top Notch Interior Concepts, LLC

So true Lori

thank you for your feed back

I don't list prices on my website because as others have stated, it can scare away potential clients as well as make other decorators/designers try to undercut. One of the first questions I'm asked when they do contact me by phone and/or email IS price however. (sigh!...sad but true).

I'd really like to have other pricing options besides hourly, which is what I currently do, but found that if I only charged a percentage, I made little to no money for all the hours I'd put in on a project. Most of my projects to date have been redesign with a few new things added. Also, in our area (upper Midwest) people are just more familiar paying hourly rates as opposed to a rather "uncertain" percentage idea. They wonder "based on what, how much does that ordinarily come to?" and other questions such as these.

I arrived at my hourly rate by more or less comparing my work to other service-oriented businesses in our area. That way it looks comparable to what customers are used to paying hourly, even though my services are entirely different than say boat repair, auto mechanic, house painter, etc.

So far, I've been pretty happy with the results of this decision...and so have my customers After five years as a decorator (Sheffield grad) I've sorta been able to assess a prospective project and give at least a ball park figure on what it might cost. From there, and the client's "proposed" budget, we usually come to some agreement for the project. My ultimate goal is make my customers happy and of course to end up with a profit for me


Connie Nikiforoff Designs

I would recommend not show to show prices or quote on the phone. Instead get in front of the client and prove the value of your services.

Some people love to see prices and some don't. I will do a trail and see which one drives more traffic over a certain period of time. Then you decide.