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How Do Retail Stores Determine Product Costs?

Author: Jack Sullivan
by Jack Sullivan
Posted: Jan 15, 2016

Retail store owners want to make a profit on their products which means that they have to know how to price the items so that customers will purchase them but they make money over and above what it costs them to sell the product.

Market pricing is an important part of the sales process to ensure that items are not too high or too low in price because issues develop with either extreme. If you price an item too high than customers will go somewhere else where they can get the same product for less; however, if you mark it too low then the business will suffer because it isn’t making a profit which leads to decreased revenue and eventual closing of the doors.

The right balance is best determined by individuals in marketing who have taken the time to perform their due diligence in product comparison, geographical sales data and purchase quantity. Techniques and methods can vary on how to gather and organize this information but the results should be an understandable plan that determines how much of the product the company should carry, how to market to their target demographic and the appropriate cost.

In addition to the above considerations, it is important to look at the details and ensure that all costs are evaluated when establishing the baseline price. For example, when you place a product out for the customer there is the need to have the right display, advertising information and pricing labels on the product. This last detail is one of the first things that customers look for when they are window shopping or trying to price compare between different stores.

Online shopping requires less cost investment to some degree because everything is listed in the inventory with the visual image and specifications provided. There is no special background or layout that is required and prices are clearly marked on the screen; however, when it comes to in-store advertising the shop pricing labels and display become major factors in drawing the customer to the product. When looking for the right labels it is necessary to buy from a vendor that specializes in these items and works to provide businesses the best price possible on a bulk quantity purchase level. This concept is applicable to those who need hangers, shelves or other repetitive items to be used at their location. The lower you can keep these costs without sacrificing quality then the better your overall price can be for the consumer to pay. The business makes a higher profit margin and can put that money back into the company to purchase more items, enhance the location or use it for other company needs.

Pricing is not just a matter of opinion and should not be accomplished without the right background research and informational data. Companies that just put a number on the pricing labels are sure to learn the hard way that customers won’t pay what they are asking or don’t believe the product is of good quality because it is too low in price. It is always easier to transition from high to low because customers rarely accept price hikes so if you start too low and then try to correct, you may lose customers due to unmet expectations. Running a business is a challenge so make sure you have the right team and expert players working on your side.

About the Author

If you are looking for Printer Ribbons Suppliers, then the author of this article recommends POSPaper.com.

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Author: Jack Sullivan

Jack Sullivan

Member since: Sep 08, 2015
Published articles: 14

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