Price on request: why visitors then lose interest

‘Price on request’ feels safe when you’re selling bespoke products. But for a visitor, it usually means: first providing their details, waiting for a phone call and hoping it fits within their budget. That’s why many people drop out before you even realise they’ve visited your website.

You don’t need to iron out every possible scenario in advance to display prices on your website. A good online price guide shows what a standard version costs based on dimensions and options. Simply state honestly anything you can only assess on site.

Why do visitors drop out when they see ‘price on request’?

A visitor just browsing isn’t looking for a sales pitch yet. They first want an answer to one simple question: can I roughly afford this? When it comes to a veranda, window frame, floor or extension, this isn’t mere curiosity, but a way of ruling out options.

If you immediately ask for their name, address, telephone number and email address at that stage, you’re asking for a lot before you’ve given anything in return. For many people, a contact form without a price feels like an obligation. They know they might receive a call afterwards, whilst they may simply be comparing options or discussing it with their partner.

This makes ‘price on request’ an unintended barrier. Not just for people who are solely after the lowest price, but particularly for visitors who are seriously exploring what’s possible.

Visitors often don’t think: ‘This company must have a good reason for not quoting a price.’ Instead, they tend to think:

• ‘I’m not sure if this fits my budget.
• I don’t want to be phoned just yet.
• I might be able to get a quick estimate from another provider.
• I’ll come back later.

The latter happens less often than you’d hope. Anyone who clicks away usually has no reason to come back.

Why do customers want a price estimate on your website first?

Calculating bespoke prices is part of your daily routine. For your customer, however, it’s often a major purchase they have little experience with. They may well know that a larger canopy costs more than a smaller one, but not how much of a difference a glass roof, side wall or installation makes.

A price estimate on your website helps them set the right expectations. They can see how their choices affect the total cost. As a result, a subsequent discussion no longer begins with shock at the price, but with the finished product they can picture.

Take a conservatory company as an example. Someone is looking for a conservatory four metres wide and three metres deep. They’re torn between clear glass and polycarbonate, might want a side wall, and are wondering whether lighting still fits within their budget.

If you simply state ‘price on request’, at best they’ll send a brief message: “How much does a conservatory cost roughly?” Then the questioning begins. What size? What type of roof? What colour? Is installation required? Before you can draw up a useful quote, you’ll have exchanged several messages.

If, on the other hand, you let him choose the dimensions, roof type, colour and extra options, he can see straight away how the price changes. The enquiry that comes in afterwards already contains all the choices that are relevant to your quote. That saves time for both parties.

A configurator with real-time price calculation makes this process possible step by step. The customer puts together their own order, and you receive an enquiry with the selected sizes, options and calculated price.

How can you provide an online price estimate without any risk?

The concern behind ‘price on request’ is understandable. Perhaps the access route is difficult, extra foundations are needed, or it turns out during the site survey that a wall isn’t square. You can’t always assess these things from a screen.

But that’s no reason to keep every price hidden. It is, however, a reason to be clear about the basis for your quote. You decide which elements to include in the calculation and which will only be finalised after a site visit.

A useful price estimate usually consists of the following components:

• The price is based on the visitor’s measurements and choices.
• The key options are clearly listed in the price breakdown.
• Special circumstances, such as additional groundwork, a non-standard connection or difficult access, are assessed separately.
• You explain when a site survey or a visit is required.

This way, you don’t gloss over exceptions, but you do make the standard situation immediately clear. That’s fairer than a general ‘from’ price that says little about what the customer actually wants.

With Klantly, the price is calculated based on your own pricing rules. These can use price ranges for dimensions and fixed options, such as materials or roof type. When the enquiry is submitted, the price is recalculated using those same rules. So whatever the customer saw is included in the quote.

Displaying prices on the website also filters enquiries

Some business owners fear that visible prices will only attract price-sensitive customers. In practice, something else happens: visitors self-qualify.

Anyone who finds the price too high will drop out before you have to spend time phoning, calculating and following up. Those who carry on already have a better idea of which price range they fall into. This doesn’t make the enquiry any less valuable; on the contrary, it makes it more specific.

What’s more, you don’t need to put your entire range online all at once. Start with a single product whose price depends mainly on a limited number of choices. Think of size, material, colour and a few popular extras. Save details that only become clear on site for the consultation.

This is often more pleasant for the visitor too. A form with thirty questions is counterproductive. A short process highlighting the options that actually determine the price provides clarity more quickly.

What do you do once someone has seen the price?

A price estimate isn’t the end of the story. It’s the start of a better conversation. The customer already has a design in mind, so you no longer need to start from scratch asking what they mean.

So, once you’ve received an enquiry, let them know straight away that you’ve received it. Check the chosen design and discuss the points you still need to assess. You can then send a professional quote that the customer can open and accept online. With quotes in Klantly, you can also see when a customer first opens the quote link, allowing you to follow up more effectively.

‘Price on request’ is therefore not necessarily a safe option. In fact, it can cause interested visitors to leave without further engagement. Provide a useful indication of the price, highlight any exceptions and explain what the next step is to obtain a final price.

Would you like to find out, with no obligation, how Klantly can help your business display prices online and receive complete enquiries? Get started for free.