“We will answer in direct”: why entrepreneurs do not publish prices and is it effective

Miscellaneous / by admin / April 03, 2023

Sometimes it can work.

Probably, every Internet user has faced such a situation. You find a store with interesting goods on social networks. Trying to figure out if the thing you like fits your budget. But there is no cost under any post: the entrepreneur asks to clarify prices in personal messages. At the same time, under each entry there are dozens of questions about the cost, and for each store they post: “Answered in direct.”

Judging by the same social networks, the situation is annoying. It is no coincidence that there are many memes on this topic.

Despite all this, many brands continue to hide their prices. Then maybe it's effective? Let's figure it out.

Why entrepreneurs hide prices

The reasons may be different, and some of them have some basis.

To wind up comments

Ribbons social networks now algorithmic, that is, first users are shown popular content. He's also included in the recommendations. The popularity of a post is influenced by saves, reposts, as well as likes and comments.

Therefore, the business is guided by the following logic: if you write the price right away, then the interested person will simply place an order. The lack of cost creates some activity in the comments, because many people do not go to PM, but ask questions under the post. At the same time, this creates the illusion of excitement around the product for other users: there are so many interested, maybe I need it.

instagram viewer

To engage the client in a selling dialogue

Some business owners and marketers they believe that if the client has reached personal messages, then he is already “warm” and can be persuaded to buy. In addition, a person enters the store’s database and then you can “squeeze” him - write that the product is running out, ask why he thinks for so long, and so on.

This is also common in offline sales. For example, fitness clubs often do not write the price of subscriptions on the site, but ask you to call or leave a phone number to contact you. So they collect a database of contacts. And then the person who just wanted to know the price gets spammed.

Also, the desire to first draw the client into the dialogue may be due to the high price of the product, which scares off customers. The conversation allows you to work with objections and reveal the value of the product.

To hide information from competitors

Some businessmen are afraid that their colleagues will peep at their prices and take away customers due to dumping.

To get away from taxes

Many businesses in social networks operate completely illegally or according to a gray scheme. If they post prices, the IRS can figure them out. approximate earnings and ask them to the fullest extent. And if there is no price, there is no problem. (Spoiler: this is not entirely true, the tax authorities periodically make test purchases. And nothing prevents them from writing in a personal.)

To reduce negative feedback

People often resent the cost of a particular commodity. But they don’t go to a conditional Gucci or Chanel boutique to say that “these rags suck”, “the red price is five rubles for them” and you can sew it yourself in 3 minutes. And in the comments on social networks, users do this quite often. So businessmen just take care of their nerves - theirs and the SMM specialist.

To give the buyer an individual price

Perhaps, after such a subtitle, one wants to be indignant: “Yeah, it means that the seller looks through the accounts and sells the goods more expensive to those who look richer!” There are probably such cases. But here we are talking more about complex goods and services. For example, a businessman makes stools according to the wishes of the customer. Furniture can be of different shapes, sizes, from different tree, with inlay or engraving - there are a lot of options. And the cost of each item will vary. Therefore, it is simply impossible to write a price right away.

How effective is this strategy?

There are no global statistics on this. Therefore, it is better to find out from those who have at least some data on this issue - from the entrepreneurs themselves. They agree that most often this is an unreasonable measure.

Inna Anisimova

General Director of the PR Partner communication agency.

If we are talking about a product that does not have the so-called customization - in fact, the product is unchanged and its cost too, then the answers in the style of "wrote in direct" are negative. Some sellers believe that this can cause a stir or "fill the price". But such secrecy scares off real buyers. Chatting in messengers is not always convenient, why complicate things? Do not play with subscribers or site visitors in the game "What are you ready for for the purchase?"

The seller hiding the price of his goods looks suspicious in the background competitors, which write the cost directly below the products, says entrepreneur Dina Cadiz.

Dina Cadiz

Fitness trainer, sports nutritionist.

I myself several times abandoned the idea of acquiring the right thing, because I did not see its price. A kind of cat in a bag. Yes, I definitely need this product. But I do not want and will not waste time on solving puzzles. I'll go shopping where I don't have to make extra gestures. Perhaps the thing will cost more, but I won’t know about it, because I was “answered in direct”, and I was too lazy to look there.

Very often, this approach puts an end to impulsive spending. To be honest, many of us tend to shop on emotions: sad, joyful, bored... I saw a bright jar of face cream and it pounded in my head: “I want it! Want! Want!". You start looking for a price, but there is none. You ask a question in the comments. Time is running. When the cost nevertheless becomes known, emotions have already been released and you don’t really need this jar. For the client, maybe this is good - he saved money, but for the seller - not so much.

As an entrepreneur, I always indicate the cost of my products under the selling posts. And clients really appreciate it. And they often tell me about it. They evaluate the service offered, see numbers nearby and decide to purchase almost immediately.

When the price can still be left out

Sometimes you just need to enter into a dialogue with the client in order to deal took place.

Inna Anisimova

Specifying a price is not always appropriate. This is especially true for the B2B sector with a high average check and a complex pricing system. You can simulate a constructor or a counter to form a package yourself. But, for example, in the field of marketing services it often happens that the client himself does not know what kind of promotion it suits him what PR tools are effective in his market, so the price list for his services can only confuse.

Here the sales algorithm is as follows: the customer leaves a request on the site, the manager receives the necessary information to form the price (by phone, mail or in person), then plunges into market research and prepares a detailed offer, sometimes in three versions, and “defends” his ideas. In this case, the client receives an individual approach with a detailed study of a suitable set of services. For example, one company monitors mentions for a month, while another asks to upload five competitors over the past five years. It cannot cost the same.

This can also work if it's not entirely obvious what makes up the high price. Upon contact, you can explain to the client what he pays for and what options he has.

Victoria Shekhireva

Head of the SMM department of the Galstuki.pro agency, freelancer.

For example, let's take our client, the organizer of children's parties. The check is above average, but the quality is appropriate, there are a lot of competitive advantages.

It is not always clear to people what the cost of the service depends on, there are many variables. You can choose the theme of the holiday, the number of animators, cake, photo zone and much more. The event is shaped like a constructor. Therefore, the company does not write the cost on social networks. Instead, they are asked to leave contacts and offer customers to call, come on a tour. They justify every ruble invested in the holiday, show that this is not an empty extra charge. There is a whole sales department trained to promote this particular service.

That is, the company realized that the main argument, because of which orders leave, is expensive. Therefore, tremendous work has been done with the staff, people who are able to talk about the benefits and work with this objection have been hired.

But all this only works when you have good salespeople on your team who know how to work with negativity. Otherwise, you risk losing a lot of time and some customers.