website to include pricing?

Hello everyone,

We are currently overhauling our website and I like to find out what your opinion is when pricing is included in a website or not.
This would be for portrait photo sessions and various print sizes.

We have never included pricing before and we are questioning if it would be beneficial to include pricing information.

Will it be perceived as less professional to include the price information, or are we doing ourself a disfavour by not including it?:confused:

About half of our work is black & white and our aim is to focus on this market better in the future.
We use medium format mostly but could start using our 4x5 as well.

Your input would be greatly appreciated.

Marcus

In addition to asking us, I would try to ask some existing customers. I would also look at your competitions websites and look at the people contacting you. If too many people are calling you expecting Wal-Mart pricing and you can’t help them then prices on your website will help stop that. If your prices are lower than everyone else’s then publishing your prices will help bring in more sales. If your prices are higher than everyone else’s, you will want to be sure and mention what your customers get for those prices. Of course, it is always good to mention what your customers get for their money, and things like why you are better than Wal-Mart. Also, if your prices are higher than everyone else’s you will drive away all the bargain hunters, but you may attract more wealthy people if your work is unique enough. (the people that will be proud to say they got a portrait from such and such the most expensive in town).

Cheers,
Mark

Thank you Mark for your input. We definately do not wish to cater to the Wal-Mart crowd.

Since we do not wish to fish at the bottom of the barrel, it might be worth a try to include pricing.
Most of our customers are mid to higher income earners so this could define our position more clearly.

Marcus

If you're selling fine art prints, yes put pricing. People want to know what its going to cost when they buy something. Art is no different than anything else, it costs money and people need to know how much.

If you're selling stock photos, then pricing varies by use, so you don't normally put prices for that. My site sells both so I have prices for prints listed and it tells people to email for stock prices.

I think each shoot is different or can be. Such as the amount of people you are photographing, studio vs location, distance to the shoot if on location, do they want a stylist to do hair and makeup, etc., and should be priced accordingly. If you are offering the same type of image to whom ever, with no changes to set or lighting, maybe putting pricing on the site is all right. I do not put prices on my site, but I a commercial photographer, although I shoot quite a few corporate portraits. Again I price after factoring in the logistics of the shoot and how the image is going to be used. An image used for public relations is usually going to cost less than one used on an annual report. We still get calls from the average Joe or someone looking for a general photographer, simply because we are on the web and in the phone book. Part of doing photography for money usually involves educating your clients or potential clients why it cost what it does. Some folks think photography is easy and can be done by anyone with a camera and should cost next to nothing. By getting them on the phone you at least get the chance to tell them why your service might be better. Good luck.

I highly recommend giving a general idea of your price range and/or what a typical client spends, just to weed out those who are nowhere near your target market. My website says that sessions start at $375, and 8x10 fiber prints start at $175.

Personally, I like to be sure people are completely sold on me as a photographer as well as my work before they start comparing prices. When it comes down to it, I am the only person who can provide my portraits, so I'm not competing with other photographers based on price.

- CJ

It is not only about the images on a website, but also about the information that explains the product in detail and how it is different from the rest. Something we could do a much better job on our website.
Also at what level of quality the product is perceived by the consumer.

I had to think of my father, who many years ago, worked in a high-end oriental carpet store to supplement the income for his young family.
The oriental carpet store had two piles of carpets that were identical in quality and size. Both came from the same carpet producer. Carpet pile two was twice as much money as pile one.
He always pointed out the fine quality of the less expensive carpets, but much to his surprise, no one wanted to purchase any of the lower priced carpets.
The carpets that cost twice as much sold out very fast. Hardly anyone purchased the less expensive carpets.
In the end, the store doubled the price of the carpets that did not sell of pile one and behold, they became an instant hit with the customers.

Great advice from you all. it is much appreciated.

Marcus