Pricing deserves more consideration than it usually gets. A very typical strategy is to take the cost of the product/service and add the margin you want, but tempering that by having a look around at what the competition is charging and adjusting your margin to be competitive. Well, you can do that but you may be losing out on the opportunity to use pricing in a powerful strategic way by setting pricing objectives which support your marketing objectives. If rapid sales growth is a marketing objective, then premium pricing (in most situations) will not be conducive to that. If your positioning is 'the ultimate in luxury', then discount pricing will not be conducive to that. Nickels and Burk Wood (Marketing - relationships, quality, value (1997), Worth) set out five types of pricing objectives. Which one comes closest to describing what you are trying to do? Can you use pricing to support your business objectives?
| SOME EXAMPLES QUOTED FROM NICKELS AND BURK WOOD.... |
PRICING OBJECTIVE |
Pricing for Positioning....
"...you can position each product in your line by linking its price to a particular level of quality. Kodak does this with its Funtime, Gold, and Royal Gold films." |
Pricing for Positioning
* Discount Image
* Luxury Image
* Position Products in a Line |
Pricing for Sales Growth...
"...Pacific Telesis Group wanted to accelerate sales growth of its integrated services digital network (ISDN) telephone lines, which send voice and digital information faster than standard telephone lines. After initially charging $24.50 per month for ISDN, the company sought broader market acceptance by cutting the price to less than $20 per month." |
Pricing for Sales Growth
* Sales Increase
* Market Share
* Start new Customer Relationships
* Deepen Current Customer Relationships |
Pricing for Competitive Advantage
"...Schwartz Bookshops in Milwaukee responded to competition from Barnes and Noble and other giant bookstores. Schwartz discounted top-selling hardcover books by 40 percent, top paperbacks by 30%, a special group of 100 books by 20%, and a changing category of books by 10% |
Pricing for Competitive Advantage
* Discourage New Entrants
* Influence Competitive Pricing
* Meet, Beat Rivals' Prices |
Pricing for Profit...
"Rubbermaid, for example, sets its prices to achieve a target of a 13.5 percent return on the assets used in its business." |
Pricing for Profit
* Gross Profit Margin
* Return on Investment
* Return on Assets
* Return on Sales |
Pricing for Social Goals...
"At most times the Whitney Museum of American Art, in New York City, charges a $10 entry fee, but it periodically offers free admission. The free nights introduce the museum's art to the community and attract people who might not otherwise come."
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Pricing for Social Goals
* Recoup Cost of Civic, Social Services
* Cover Costs
* Raise Money for Causes |