Pricing Strategy and Management
Pricing Considerations Objectives: Enhance brand image Provide customer value Obtain an adequate ROI Maximize profits Maintain price stability in an industry or market
Factors Affecting Pricing  Internal Factors Costs Product, Strategy Pricing Decisions External Factors Competitors Customers
Pricing Considerations Factors Effecting Pricing: Demand sets price ceiling Cost sets price floor Consumer value perceptions Consumer price sensitivity Government regulations
Pricing Considerations Factors Effecting Pricing: Product/Service differentiation Organization’s financial goals Stage of Product Life Cycle Marketing Channel margin impact Prices of other products in mix
Pricing Considerations Price as Indicator of Value Value = Perceived Benefits/Price Value may be linked to meeting expectations of consumer Price may shape the consumer’s perceptions of value Price may affect consumer’s perception of prestige
Customer Considerations PRICE SENSITIVITY Product categories are not uniformly responsive to prices -- some are more sensitive to price levels than others Customers also may respond differently than one another to price levels Price sensitivity (price elasticity) reflects how purchase behavior changes with changes in price
Pricing Considerations PRICE SENSITIVITY Price Quantity  Demanded per Period A.  Inelastic Demand -  Demand hardly changes with a small change in price P 2 P 1 Q 1 Q 2 Price Quantity  Demanded per Period P  2 P  1 Q  1 Q  2 B.  Elastic Demand - Demand changes greatly with a small change in price
Product-Based Pricing Approaches Product Line Pricing Setting price steps between product line items i.e. $299, $399 Optional-Product Pricing Pricing optional or accessory products sold with the main product *** i.e. car options Captive-Product Pricing Pricing products that must be used with the main  Product***i.e. Razor Blades, Film, Software By-Product Pricing Pricing low-value by-products to get rid of them ***i.e.  Lumber Mills, Zoos Product-Bundle Pricing Pricing bundles Of products sold together ***i.e. season tickets, computer makers Source: Prentice Hall
Cost Considerations Recall that costs may depend on the production level Total Costs Sum of the Fixed and Variable Costs for a Given  Level of Production Fixed Costs (Overhead) Costs that  don’t vary with sales or  production levels. Executive Salaries Rent  Variable Costs Costs that  do  vary directly with the  level of production. Raw materials
Cost Based Pricing Strategies Full Cost Strategies Variable Cost Strategies New-Offering Strategies Competitive Bidding
Full Cost Strategies Markup Pricing Break-even Pricing ROR Pricing Cost Based Pricing Strategies
Variable Cost Strategies Stimulate Demand Shift Demand Cost Based Pricing Strategies
Cost-Based Pricing Approaches Cost-Plus Pricing  - Adds a standard mark up to the cost of the product Useful when there are a great many products or demand is hard to forecast Simple to implement  Breakeven or Target Profit Pricing  - Price is set to meet a specific profit target Also takes consumer demand into account
Cost-Based Pricing COST-PLUS Minimizes price competition Perceived fairness for both buyers and sellers Sellers are more certain about costs than  demand
Pricing Strategies Competitive Bidding Demand is Known & Constant Marketing Mix Variables Uncontrollable Sophisticated Mathematical Models Calculate Profit Levels Calculate Probability of Winning at Different Price Levels
New-Offering Strategies Skimming Penetration Intermediate Cost Based Pricing Strategies
New Product Intro Strategies Capture “cream” –  less price sensitive buyers High Profit Margin –  sacrifice volume Invite Competitors, Short-term Profits   Sell Whole Market –  no “elite” market High Volume – sacrifice profit margin Keep Competition Out – E.O.S. INTENT FOCUS RESULT SKIMMING   PENETRATION
Skimming Strategy Price High Initially Reduce Over Time Inelastic Demand - Buyers Price Range Unique Offering New Product Intro Strategies
Skimming Strategy Production or Marketing Costs Unknown Limited Capacity to Deliver Realistic Perceived Value New Product Intro Strategies
Penetration Strategy Price Low Initially Elastic Demand Offering Not Unique Competition Entering Quickly New Product Intro Strategies
Penetration Strategy No Distinct Price Segments Volume Increases Dramatically Impact Costs Objective - Large Market Share New Product Intro Strategies
Intermediate Strategy More Prevalent Less Dramatic New Product Intro Strategies
Customer Considerations PRICE AWARENESS Mindless Shopping : Average time between arriving and departing from product category is 12 seconds In 85% of purchases only the chosen brand was handled, and 90% of shoppers inspected only one size 21% could not offer a price estimate when asked Only 50% were able to state correct price 93% did know relative price (i.e., higher, lower or the same as other brands in category) Source: Dickson and Sawyer (1990)
Customer Considerations REFERENCE PRICES Consumers do not evaluate price absolutely, but rather relative to a convenient quantity for comparison   Context Matters! Two kinds of reference prices External reference price Internal reference price
Customer Considerations REFERENCE PRICES External Reference Prices List prices/sale prices Other products on the shelf or convenient for comparison
Customer Considerations REFERENCE PRICES Internal Reference Prices One that is recorded in consumer’s memory Memory of price may not be accurate If brand is frequently promoted, consumers tend to lower their internal reference point consumers have a notion of “fair price” acquisition utility - economic benefit of the product transaction utility - getting a good deal Asymmetric response to price changes
Customer Considerations PRICE AS A SIGNAL Price not only has the traditional economic role of negatively affecting demand but also offers the customer information about product quality When is price used as a signal? When there is little information about product quality available Primarily for experience or credence goods
Customer Considerations VALUE PRICING Cost-Based Pricing Value-Based Pricing Source: Prentice Hall Product Cost Price Value Customers Customer Value Price Cost Product
General Price Adjustment Strategies Adjusting Prices for Psychological Effect. Price Used as a Signal Temporarily Reducing Prices to Increase Short-Run Sales. i.e. Loss Leaders, Special-Events Adjusting Prices to Account for the  Geographic Location of Customers. i.e. FOB-Origin, Uniform-Delivered,  Zone Pricing, Basing-Point, &  Freight-Absorption. Adjusting Prices for International  Markets. Price Depends on Costs, Consumers, Economic Conditions & Other Factors.  Psychological Pricing Promotional Pricing Geographical Pricing International Pricing Source: Prentice Hall

Pricing

  • 1.
  • 2.
    Pricing Considerations Objectives:Enhance brand image Provide customer value Obtain an adequate ROI Maximize profits Maintain price stability in an industry or market
  • 3.
    Factors Affecting Pricing Internal Factors Costs Product, Strategy Pricing Decisions External Factors Competitors Customers
  • 4.
    Pricing Considerations FactorsEffecting Pricing: Demand sets price ceiling Cost sets price floor Consumer value perceptions Consumer price sensitivity Government regulations
  • 5.
    Pricing Considerations FactorsEffecting Pricing: Product/Service differentiation Organization’s financial goals Stage of Product Life Cycle Marketing Channel margin impact Prices of other products in mix
  • 6.
    Pricing Considerations Priceas Indicator of Value Value = Perceived Benefits/Price Value may be linked to meeting expectations of consumer Price may shape the consumer’s perceptions of value Price may affect consumer’s perception of prestige
  • 7.
    Customer Considerations PRICESENSITIVITY Product categories are not uniformly responsive to prices -- some are more sensitive to price levels than others Customers also may respond differently than one another to price levels Price sensitivity (price elasticity) reflects how purchase behavior changes with changes in price
  • 8.
    Pricing Considerations PRICESENSITIVITY Price Quantity Demanded per Period A. Inelastic Demand - Demand hardly changes with a small change in price P 2 P 1 Q 1 Q 2 Price Quantity Demanded per Period P  2 P  1 Q  1 Q  2 B. Elastic Demand - Demand changes greatly with a small change in price
  • 9.
    Product-Based Pricing ApproachesProduct Line Pricing Setting price steps between product line items i.e. $299, $399 Optional-Product Pricing Pricing optional or accessory products sold with the main product *** i.e. car options Captive-Product Pricing Pricing products that must be used with the main Product***i.e. Razor Blades, Film, Software By-Product Pricing Pricing low-value by-products to get rid of them ***i.e. Lumber Mills, Zoos Product-Bundle Pricing Pricing bundles Of products sold together ***i.e. season tickets, computer makers Source: Prentice Hall
  • 10.
    Cost Considerations Recallthat costs may depend on the production level Total Costs Sum of the Fixed and Variable Costs for a Given Level of Production Fixed Costs (Overhead) Costs that don’t vary with sales or production levels. Executive Salaries Rent Variable Costs Costs that do vary directly with the level of production. Raw materials
  • 11.
    Cost Based PricingStrategies Full Cost Strategies Variable Cost Strategies New-Offering Strategies Competitive Bidding
  • 12.
    Full Cost StrategiesMarkup Pricing Break-even Pricing ROR Pricing Cost Based Pricing Strategies
  • 13.
    Variable Cost StrategiesStimulate Demand Shift Demand Cost Based Pricing Strategies
  • 14.
    Cost-Based Pricing ApproachesCost-Plus Pricing - Adds a standard mark up to the cost of the product Useful when there are a great many products or demand is hard to forecast Simple to implement Breakeven or Target Profit Pricing - Price is set to meet a specific profit target Also takes consumer demand into account
  • 15.
    Cost-Based Pricing COST-PLUSMinimizes price competition Perceived fairness for both buyers and sellers Sellers are more certain about costs than demand
  • 16.
    Pricing Strategies CompetitiveBidding Demand is Known & Constant Marketing Mix Variables Uncontrollable Sophisticated Mathematical Models Calculate Profit Levels Calculate Probability of Winning at Different Price Levels
  • 17.
    New-Offering Strategies SkimmingPenetration Intermediate Cost Based Pricing Strategies
  • 18.
    New Product IntroStrategies Capture “cream” – less price sensitive buyers High Profit Margin – sacrifice volume Invite Competitors, Short-term Profits Sell Whole Market – no “elite” market High Volume – sacrifice profit margin Keep Competition Out – E.O.S. INTENT FOCUS RESULT SKIMMING PENETRATION
  • 19.
    Skimming Strategy PriceHigh Initially Reduce Over Time Inelastic Demand - Buyers Price Range Unique Offering New Product Intro Strategies
  • 20.
    Skimming Strategy Productionor Marketing Costs Unknown Limited Capacity to Deliver Realistic Perceived Value New Product Intro Strategies
  • 21.
    Penetration Strategy PriceLow Initially Elastic Demand Offering Not Unique Competition Entering Quickly New Product Intro Strategies
  • 22.
    Penetration Strategy NoDistinct Price Segments Volume Increases Dramatically Impact Costs Objective - Large Market Share New Product Intro Strategies
  • 23.
    Intermediate Strategy MorePrevalent Less Dramatic New Product Intro Strategies
  • 24.
    Customer Considerations PRICEAWARENESS Mindless Shopping : Average time between arriving and departing from product category is 12 seconds In 85% of purchases only the chosen brand was handled, and 90% of shoppers inspected only one size 21% could not offer a price estimate when asked Only 50% were able to state correct price 93% did know relative price (i.e., higher, lower or the same as other brands in category) Source: Dickson and Sawyer (1990)
  • 25.
    Customer Considerations REFERENCEPRICES Consumers do not evaluate price absolutely, but rather relative to a convenient quantity for comparison Context Matters! Two kinds of reference prices External reference price Internal reference price
  • 26.
    Customer Considerations REFERENCEPRICES External Reference Prices List prices/sale prices Other products on the shelf or convenient for comparison
  • 27.
    Customer Considerations REFERENCEPRICES Internal Reference Prices One that is recorded in consumer’s memory Memory of price may not be accurate If brand is frequently promoted, consumers tend to lower their internal reference point consumers have a notion of “fair price” acquisition utility - economic benefit of the product transaction utility - getting a good deal Asymmetric response to price changes
  • 28.
    Customer Considerations PRICEAS A SIGNAL Price not only has the traditional economic role of negatively affecting demand but also offers the customer information about product quality When is price used as a signal? When there is little information about product quality available Primarily for experience or credence goods
  • 29.
    Customer Considerations VALUEPRICING Cost-Based Pricing Value-Based Pricing Source: Prentice Hall Product Cost Price Value Customers Customer Value Price Cost Product
  • 30.
    General Price AdjustmentStrategies Adjusting Prices for Psychological Effect. Price Used as a Signal Temporarily Reducing Prices to Increase Short-Run Sales. i.e. Loss Leaders, Special-Events Adjusting Prices to Account for the Geographic Location of Customers. i.e. FOB-Origin, Uniform-Delivered, Zone Pricing, Basing-Point, & Freight-Absorption. Adjusting Prices for International Markets. Price Depends on Costs, Consumers, Economic Conditions & Other Factors. Psychological Pricing Promotional Pricing Geographical Pricing International Pricing Source: Prentice Hall