Bad for Business: Outdated Pricing Online

Sales pricing listed online. Above Promotions Company. Tampa, FL. 2012

If you follow this blog or our social media pages, you know that the book, “Because You’re Small: Effective Marketing Strategies for Immediate Implementation” will be released in major bookstores online on 10/11/12. The book not only has ways to help your business or non-profit today, but it addresses removing excuses for not providing or doing the basics in business “because you’re small.” Today’s topic is one of the basics business owners cannot afford to get wrong.

Recently, I was looking online in the Tampa Bay area for security alarm installation companies for automobiles. After conducting a few searches on Google, Yelp and even Facebook, I ended up with several tabs open in my internet browser so I could begin my research. As I went from site-to-site, I noticed many had prices listed on them, yet the website had not been updated in over a year. This made me realize that this process would be a long one. Not only would I be reviewing the businesses for location, service, expertise and price, but if they’re organized. Appearances are everything in business and people can determine these five things just by looking on your website.

In the end I was able to locate a business to install a new system, but along the way this whole pricing issue concerned me. I wanted to gauge the sentiments of other small business owners so I turned to my fellow Localshops1.com business members. I posed the following questions:

• Do you include prices on your website?
• If so, how often do you update it?
• If a potential customer calls regarding your pricing on the site and it has changed, how do you inform them of this or do you honor the pricing?

Here are a few of the responses:

“On the e-commerce portion of our site for retail products we list pricing but on the service portion we do not list pricing. Too many variables when it comes to service, installation, maintenance, etc. As far as the pricing on the e-commerce, I update whenever we get pricing updates from our suppliers. Now on the flip side of that, if I have not updated and we had a price increase I would eat the increase and honor the web price, even though our site info page states prices are subject to change, etc, etc. Looks like bait and switch when you advertise one price.” – Lisa Burns, Ponds by the Backyard Getaway.

“We list prices on our website. If prices went up and we forgot to update, we would definitely honor the price listed.” – Ester Venouziou, Localshops1.com

During the discussion, I also mentioned that after speaking to a couple of alarm businesses that day, I leaned away from those who had not updated their prices, even if the difference was nominal. Perhaps it is the marketing professional in me, but to not maintain items customers see, means there are other items unseen not being maintained. However, perhaps this isn’t the feeling of the public as I received a different response from Terry Foster of the Yellow House Event Venue. She stated, “No have not done that…Moved on because their prices had not been updated…not a turn off for me. Many business owners rely on their website person to do the updates and we all know how that goes sometimes…but no it would not discourage me if I really wanted the item.”

As mentioned above, image is everything and the appearance of bait and switch leaves a bad taste in the eyes of many consumers.

Although this topic of pricing may seem as though it is a small marketing issue (experts are cringing at using the word “small”) that could be easily corrected, depending on what state or country you reside in, the item or how your business handles not honoring the price, you may find yourself in legal hot water. Since each area has its own laws, I encourage you to be sure you are familiar with the consumer protection laws in your state. The laws can be lengthy and seem outdated, but they are still the terms used to govern your business. (And you thought you wouldn’t need a lawyer for your business, right?)

Bottom line is that you could be legally held to honor the pricing on top of facing public scrutiny and embarrassment if you choose not to provide a posted price to a customer. In the least you can assume someone will turn to social media to bad mouth you.

So how do you feel now about posting prices on your site? Ready to stay on top of updating your webpage now?

Would love to hear your thoughts on today’s post. They may be used for a future article.

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Ebony T. Grimsley is the Creative Director and Owner of Above Promotions Company. She is also the recent author of “Because You’re Small: Effective Marketing Strategies for Immediate Implementation.” To find out how to purchase the book, please visit http://www.abovepromotions.com.

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Above Promotions is a full service publicity, marketing and promotions company, founded with the purpose to serve an array of clients that are looking to expand their presence in the marketplace. From a local to international market, Above Promotions Company can provide the exposure that goes above your expectations. Visit http://www.abovepromotions.com today.

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Business Banning Instagram!

Four Barrel Instagram Ban. Image Courtesy of TechCrunch. Above Promotions Company Tampa, FL 2012

At first glance of the Huffington Post headline, “Four Barrel, San Francisco Coffee Shop, Bans Instagram Photos, ‘Hipster Topics'”, many of you probably thought the same thing,”What business is crazy enough to ban a customer from uploading a picture to Instagram at their business?”

Apparently the Four Barrel coffee shop in San Francisco posted a sign at their door as seen above. Would you be bold enough to do so? After you read the article, you’ll see it was a publicity stunt. Well played Four Barrel. Well played. But really? Would you be as bold to tell people you didn’t want them to share images or spread your business on social media? What you will read next, may shock you, but many of you are doing that now.

No you don’t have a sign posted on your building, but you’re not taking advantage of the foot traffic in your establishment. Why not encourage people as they are at your restaurant or in your store to share a photo of something they like online? Here’s a tip. Keep it tight under your marketing hat. If your customers knew we were sharing this, it would be gimmicky to them.

Here’s the tip. Let’s say you have a restaurant. You have people who are relaxed and enjoying themselves and are probably even playing on their cell phones in between laughs. Having a waiter to say, “Doesn’t this appetizer look great? I bet you know someone who would love to be here eating this with you right now.” or “Doesn’t that just look great. That’s a Twitter picture for sure.” Or if you have a boutique. Have a customer unsure of which outfit to purchase? Tell them they should post it on Facebook and see if their friends can help them to decide. Then offer them a bottle of water and good conversation while they await their response. In the least, even if they do not respond right away or can’t make a decision, their friends will have learned about your shop.

Now both tips can really only work if you have quality items that are in demand. If your food looks like it was in a garbage can or the dress is of poor quality or ill-fitted, this will just backfire. So you won’t be able to do it with every customer. However, you get the drift. Find ways you and your employees can encourage the use of social media to customers while at your establishment.

Doing this can be tricky and if done wrong could be annoying or obnoxious. So seek an expert to help integrate these practices into your sales process and customer experience.

Do you do any of these suggestive sharing statements now? Or do you have a more obvious social media marketing tactic (i.e. discount for checking in, etc)? If so, share with us.

 

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Above Promotions is a full service publicity, marketing and promotions company, founded with the purpose to serve an array of clients that are looking to expand their presence in the marketplace. From a local to international market, Above Promotions Company can provide the exposure that goes above your expectations. Visit http://www.abovepromotions.com today.

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Because You’re Small: Effective Marketing Strategies for Immediate Implementation

 

Because You’re Small: Effective Marketing Strategies for Immediate Implementation. 2012

 

Over the next few weeks, well probably months, you will hear about the book Because You’re Small: Effective Marketing Strategies for Immediate Implementation written by Above Promotions Company’s Creative Director, Ebony Grimsley. The book is scheduled to release on August 28, 2012 via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBookstore as well as other online stores. These are exciting days at Above Promotions Company!

So what is Because You’re Small all about? Glad you asked!

Because You’re Small takes a hard look at removing excuses from small businesses and non-profit organizations and replaces them with free to low-cost tools and proven techniques for immediate implementation. Much of it is written in the voice of these blogs and gets right to the point.

Although a few of the tips within the book will seem familiar if you follow this blog regularly, however, there are many more which were reserved just for this book. There are tools contained within that will help you immediately begin the road to improving your marketing strategy. One business owner  who was able to read it before the official release date started using the tips within hours of completing the book!

If you have enjoyed this blog and learned anything from it, you haven’t seen anything yet! This book is a must-have-tool for your business or non-profit organization.

To be kept up-to-date on workshops, supplemental materials and the book release, please visit the Because You’re Small blog at http://becauseyouresmall.wordpress.com.

 

Please help to spread the word by sharing this post!

 

Any words of advice for the new author, Ebony Grimsley? Share them here.

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Ebony T. Grimsley is the owner of Above Promotions, a publicity, marketing and promotions company in Tampa and the author of the 2012 book titled, “Because You’re Small: Effective Marketing Strategies for Immediate Implementation”. Her instinctive business sense and passion for assisting others in achieving their dreams creates a perfect match for success for all of her clients and attendees at conferences and seminars.

She has been featured on MSNBC.com, the Retail Customer Experience, Mainstreet and other publications, panels, the emcee for events as well as appears as a monthly guest on WEAL in North Carolina. Invited to speak on entertainment industry topics, marketing strategies, crisis communication issues, leadership and organizational techniques and professional journalism, Ebony has educated those in the business and entertainment communities, locally and across the nation. Her expertise is well-respected in her field and her direct candor welcomed by all.

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Above Promotions is a full service publicity, marketing and promotions company, founded with the purpose to serve an array of clients that are looking to expand their presence in the marketplace. From a local to international market, Above Promotions Company can provide the exposure that goes above your expectations. Visit http://www.abovepromotions.com today.

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