How Much??

by 16 replies
18
One thing that annoys me when it comes to online products is when the seller makes you click on "buy" or "add to cart" before telling you the price. This is something that, as far as I know, is only done with IM products. I wouldn't go as far as to say it's unethical, because no one is forcing me to buy anything or even misleading me. I just feel that it's a vital piece of information that I should have before making a decision.

Think about it, though. When you buy something in a store, you expect there to be a price tag on it. In a grocery store, it may not be a major issue because your best guess and the actual price probably won't vary a whole lot. If you're looking at designer clothing or electronics, however, it's a different story. Is that leather jacket on sale for $79 or is it going to be $499?

I understand the psychology of making the potential customer put the item in the shopping cart before revealing the price. That way, there's already a (sort of) commitment to buy it. I'm not sure how effective it is, though. It's easy enough to click away without finishing the purchase. In some cases, it's also likely that the prospect will be reluctant to click the "buy" button and never even find out the price. I've done that many times.

As I'm typing this, it occurs to me that Amazon does something similar with some products -the old "price too low to reveal" gimmick. So it's not just IM. Nevertheless, it's not my favorite tactic. One thing for certain is that if it works, marketers will do it, and I can't blame them for that. But does it?
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  • Banned
    I've closed a lot more websites that didn't show the price than I have clicked buy to find out what the price is, so it doesn't work on me. I want to see the price on the sales page.
    • [1] reply
    • Here, Here!

      So true for me, too. Just tell me the price already. It's not like I'm not going to find out anyway. IMHO, trying to find the price makes me think MORE about the price and LESS about the product/service and the benefits I can get from use of said product or service. Once you do find it, it's like, what was the product again?

      Ron
      • [1] reply
  • I have to say this reallyannoys me too. I always scan down to the end of a sales page in order to see the price cos if it is more money than I am prepared to pay then I do not want to waste my time reading.

    It can be very frustrasting not to see a final price at the bottom.

    Tiptopcat
  • It doesn't work on me either. Whenever I see things like that all I can think is "Well it must be too much money if they aren't up front about the price" and then I just stay away from it.

    I think Amazon is a little different though. They seem to actually have decent prices when you add to cart. Still annoying though.
  • I agree. I'd usually just exit the page if a price isn't shown. I'm one of those guys who are reluctant to click the "Buy Now" button.
    • [1] reply
    • Looks like the feeling is unanimous! Down with the no price quote in the sales page!:p Sometimes I'll look if I'm real curious that day... but mostly I figure if they don't tell the price, it's more than I want to pay!
      Suellen
  • Glad to see others feel the same way. I wonder if the people who do this have tested it, or if they just assume it's an effective tactic.
  • Most of the time those prices are quoted at the lower part of page.But If it is not shown at the right place then its annoying indeed.A smart internet marketer always should include their product price in their sales page.
    • [1] reply
    • I have come across this very rarely. I think it's in the interests of the seller, to advise the price before you waste any more time. In fact, I think it's quite insulting to force someone to have to click to a payment page before he/she knows the price.
      I'm extremely unlikely to buy, as I've already started to distrust the vendor.

      This is even more annoying when you don't get the product's price until you've sat through a 20 minute video before you know the price (and 15 minutes of the video was history, background and other annoying drivel).

      Alan
  • no price on the sales, no click on the buy button

    simple
    • [1] reply
    • I agree with you all here. If there is no price, I won't click on the buy button.

      I also hate "enterprise" type web sites where the price of the software isn't listed and they say to contact them. I KNOW it is going to be too pricey when that happens.
  • definetly a sales tactic, but it seems to be only effective with people are new to internet marketing and making money online.
  • This a back to the basics sales tactic, that has been used for many years. It why most sales pitches don't disclose the price until the pitch is over. This can be very annoying but all a part of the "game" to be played.
    Learn the rules and then learn the cost of learning.
    • [1] reply
    • They do the same thing with video presentations sometimes, holding off on the price underneath until you watch the entire (or most of the) video.

      If the price isn't on the page, many times I won't sit through the video - or I'll turn it on then pause it, wait a while (do other things) and come back. Once it's loaded, I can skip ahead sometimes to see what the buy info is.

      Sorry - I just don't have 2 hrs every time to sit around and watch a "webinar" that is thinly disguised as a product pitch.
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    How Much??

    One thing that annoys me when it comes to online products is when the seller makes you click on "buy" or "add to cart" before telling you the price. This is something that, as far as I know, is only done with IM products. I wouldn't go as far as to say it's unethical, because no one is forcing me to buy anything or even misleading me. I just feel that it's a vital piece of information that I should have before making a decision. Think about it, though. When you buy something in a store, you expect there to be a price tag on it. In a grocery store, it may not be a major issue because your best guess and the actual price probably won't vary a whole lot. If you're looking at designer clothing or electronics, however, it's a different story. Is that leather jacket on sale for $79 or is it going to be $499?