Pricing your products and services can be tough.
Set prices too high, and you miss out on valuable sales. Set them too low, and you miss out on valuable revenue. Thankfully, pricing doesn’t have to be a sacrifice or a shot in the dark. There are dozens of pricing models and strategies that can help you better understand how to set the right prices for your audience and revenue goals.
That’s why we’ve created this guide.
If only pricing was as simple as its definition — there’s a lot that goes into the process.
Pricing strategies account for many of your business factors, like revenue goals, marketing objectives, target audience, brand positioning, and product attributes. They’re also influenced by external factors like consumer demand, competitor pricing, and overall market and economic trends.
It’s not uncommon for entrepreneurs and business owners to skim over pricing. They often look at the cost of their products (COGS), consider their competitor’s rates, and tweak their own selling price by a few dollars. While your COGS and competitors are important, they shouldn’t be at the centre of your pricing strategy.
The best pricing strategy maximizes your profit and revenue.
Before we talk about pricing strategies, let’s review an important pricing concept that will apply regardless of what strategies you use.

Price Elasticity of Demand

Price elasticity of demand is used to determine how a change in price affects consumer demand.
If consumers still purchase a product despite a price increase (such as cigarettes and fuel) that product is considered inelastic.
On the other hand, elastic products suffer from pricing fluctuations (such as cable TV and movie tickets).
You can calculate price elasticity using the formula:
% Change in Quantity ÷ % Change in Price = Price Elasticity of Demand
The concept of price elasticity helps you understand whether your product or service is sensitive to price fluctuations. Ideally, you want your product to be inelastic — so that demand remains stable if prices do fluctuate.
Now, let’s cover some common pricing strategies. As we do so, it’s important to note that these aren’t necessarily standalone strategies — many can be combined when setting prices for your products and services.
Now, let’s dive into the descriptions of each pricing strategy — many of which are included in the template below — so you can learn about what makes each of them unique.

1. Competition-Based Pricing Strategy

Competition-based pricing is also known as competitive pricing. This pricing strategy focuses on the existing market rate (or going rate) for a company’s product or service; it doesn’t take into account the cost of their product or consumer demand.
Instead, a competition-based pricing strategy uses the competitors’ prices as a benchmark. Businesses who compete in a highly saturated space may choose this strategy since a slight price difference may be the deciding factor for customers.
With competition-based pricing, you can price your products slightly below your competition, the same as your competition, or slightly above your competition. For example, if you sold software, and your competitors’ prices ranged from 19.99 € per month to 39.99 € per month, you’d choose a price between those two values.
Whichever price you choose, competitive pricing is one way to stay on top of the competition and keep your pricing dynamic.

Competition-Based Pricing Strategy in Marketing

Consumers are primarily looking for the best value which isn’t always the same as the lowest price. Pricing your products and services competitively in the market can put your brand in a better position to win a customer’s business. Competitive pricing works especially well when your business offers something the competition doesn’t — like exceptional customer service, a generous return policy, or access to exclusive loyalty benefits.

2. Cost-Plus Pricing Strategy

A cost-plus pricing strategy focuses solely on the cost of producing your product or service, or your COGS. It’s also known as markup pricing since businesses who use this strategy “markup” their products based on how much they’d like to profit.
To apply the cost-plus method, add a fixed percentage to your product production cost. For example, let’s say you sold shoes. The shoes cost 25 € to make, and you want to make a 25 € profit on each sale. You’d set a price of 50 €, which is a markup of 100%.
Cost-plus pricing is typically used by retailers who sell physical products. This strategy isn’t the best fit for service-based or SaaS companies as their products typically offer far greater value than the cost to create them.

Cost-Plus Pricing Strategy in Marketing

Cost-plus pricing works well when the competition is pricing using the same model. It won’t help you attract new customers if your competition is working to acquire customers rather than growing profits. Before executing this strategy, complete a pricing analysis that includes your closest competitors to make sure this strategy will help you meet your goals.

3. Dynamic Pricing Strategy

Dynamic pricing is also known as surge pricing, demand pricing, or time-based pricing. It’s a flexible pricing strategy where prices fluctuate based on market and customer demand.
Hotels, airlines, event venues, and utility companies use dynamic pricing by applying algorithms that consider competitor pricing, demand, and other factors. These algorithms allow companies to shift prices to match when and what the customer is willing to pay at the exact moment they’re ready to make a purchase.

Dynamic Pricing Strategy in Marketing

Dynamic pricing can help keep your marketing plans on track. Your team can plan for promotions in advance and configure the pricing algorithm you use to launch the promotion price at the perfect time. You can even A/B test dynamic pricing in real-time to maximize your profits.

4. Freemium Pricing Strategy

A combination of the words “free” and “premium,” freemium pricing is when companies offer a basic version of their product hoping that users will eventually pay to upgrade or access more features. Unlike cost-plus, freemium is a pricing strategy commonly used by SaaS and other software companies. They choose this strategy because free trials and limited memberships offer a peek into a software’s full functionality — and also build trust with a potential customer before purchase.
With freemium, a company’s prices must be a function of the perceived value of their products. For example, companies that offer a free version of their software can’t ask users to pay 100 € to transition to the paid version. Prices must present a low barrier to entry and grow incrementally as customers are offered more features and benefits.

Freemium Pricing Strategy in Marketing

Freemium pricing may not make your business a lot of money on the initial acquisition of a customer, but it gives you access to the customer which is just as valuable. With access to their email inboxes, phone number, and any other contact information you gather in exchange for the free product, you can nurture the customer into a brand loyal advocate with a worthwhile LTV.

5. High-Low Pricing Strategy

A high-low pricing strategy is when a company initially sells a product at a high price but lowers that price when the product drops in novelty or relevance. Discounts, clearance sections, and year-end sales are examples of high-low pricing in action — hence the reason why this strategy may also be called a discount pricing strategy.
High-low pricing is commonly used by retail firms who sell seasonal items or products that change often, such as clothing, decor, and furniture. What makes a high/low pricing strategy appealing to sellers? Consumers enjoy anticipating sales and discounts, hence why Black Friday and other universal discount days are so popular.

High-Low Pricing Strategy in Marketing

If you want to keep the foot traffic steady in your stores year-round, a high-low pricing strategy can help. By evaluating the popularity of your products during particular periods throughout the year, you can leverage low pricing to increase sales during traditionally slow months.

6. Hourly Pricing Strategy

Hourly pricing, also known as rate-based pricing, is commonly used by consultants, freelancers, contractors, and other individuals or laborers who provide business services. Hourly pricing is essentially trading time for money. Some clients are hesitant to honour this pricing strategy as it can reward labor instead of efficiency.

Hourly Pricing Strategy in Marketing

If your business thrives on quick, high-volume projects, hourly pricing can be just the incentive for customers to work with you. By breaking down your prices into hourly chunks, customers can make the decision to work with you based on a low price point rather than finding room in their budget for an expensive project-based commitment.

7. Skimming Pricing Strategy

A skimming pricing strategy is when companies charge the highest possible price for a new product and then lower the price over time as the product becomes less and less popular. Skimming is different from high-low pricing in that prices are lowered gradually over time.
Technology products, such as DVD players, video game consoles, and smartphones, are typically priced using this strategy as they become less relevant over time. A skimming pricing strategy helps recover sunk costs and sell products well beyond their novelty, but the strategy can also annoy consumers who bought at full price and attract competitors who recognize the “fake” pricing margin as prices are lowered.

Skimming Pricing Strategy in Marketing

Skimming pricing strategy can work well if you sell products that have products with varying life cycle lengths. One product may come in and out of popularity quickly so you have a short time to skim your profits in the beginning stages of the life cycle. On the flip side, a product that has a longer life cycle can stay at a higher price for more time. You’ll be able to maintain your marketing efforts for each product more effectively without constantly adjusting your pricing across every product you sell.

8. Penetration Pricing Strategy

Contrasted with skimming pricing, a penetration pricing strategy is when companies enter the market with an extremely low price, effectively drawing attention (and revenue) away from higher-priced competitors. Penetration pricing isn’t sustainable in the long run, however, and is typically applied for a short time.
This pricing method works best for brand new businesses looking for customers or for businesses that are breaking into an existing, competitive market. The strategy is all about disruption and temporary loss … and hoping that your initial customers stick around as you eventually raise prices.
(Another tangential strategy is loss leader pricing, where retailers attract customers with intentionally low-priced items in hopes that they’ll buy other, higher-priced products, too. This is precisely how stores like Target get you — and me.)

Penetration Pricing Strategy in Marketing

Penetration pricing has similar implications as freemium pricing — the money won’t come in overnight. But with enough value and a great product or service, you could continue to make money and scale your business as you increase prices. One tip for this pricing strategy is to market the value of the products you sell and let price be a secondary point.

9. Premium Pricing Strategy

Also known as prestige pricing and luxury pricing, a premium pricing strategy is when companies price their products high to present the image that their products are high-value, luxury, or premium. Prestige pricing focuses on the perceived value of a product rather than the actual value or production cost.
Prestige pricing is a direct function of brand awareness and brand perception. Brands that apply this pricing method are known for providing value and status through their products — which is why they’re priced higher than other competitors. Fashion and technology are often priced using this strategy because they can be marketed as luxurious, exclusive, and rare.

Premium Pricing Strategy in Marketing

Premium pricing is quite dependent upon the perception of your product within the market. There are a few ways to market your product in order to influence a premium perception of it including using influencers, controlling supply, and driving up demand.

10. Project-Based Pricing Strategy

A project-based pricing strategy is the opposite of hourly pricing — this approach charges a flat fee per project instead of a direct exchange of money for time. It is also used by consultants, freelancers, contractors, and other individuals or labourers who provide business services.
Project-based pricing may be estimated based on the value of the project deliverables. Those who choose this pricing strategy may also create a flat fee from the estimated time of the project.

Project-Based Pricing Strategy in Marketing

Leading with the benefits a customer will derive from working with your business on a project can make project-based pricing more appealing. Although the cost of the project may be steep, the one-time investment can be worth it. Your clients will know that they’ll be able to work with you until the project is completed rather than until their allotted hours are depleted.

11. Value-Based Pricing Strategy

A value-based pricing strategy is when companies price their products or services based on what the customer is willing to pay. Even if it can charge more for a product, the company decides to set its prices based on customer interest and data.
If used accurately, value-based pricing can boost your customer sentiment and loyalty. It can also help you prioritize your customers in other facets of your business, like marketing and service.
On the flip side, value-based pricing requires you to constantly be in tune with your various customer profiles and buyer personas and possibly vary your prices based on those differences.

Value-Based Pricing Strategy in Marketing

Marketing to your customers should always lead with value, so having a value-based pricing model should help strengthen the demand for your products and services. Just be sure that your audiences are distinct enough in what they’re willing to pay for — you don’t want to run into trouble by charging more or less based on off-limits criteria.

12. Bundle Pricing Strategy

A bundle pricing strategy is when you offer (or “bundle”) two or more complementary products or services together and sell them for a single price. You may choose to sell your bundled products or services only as part of a bundle, or sell them as both components of bundles and individual products.
This is a great way to add value through your offerings to customers who are willing to pay extra upfront for more than one product. It can also help you get your customers hooked on more than one of your products faster.

Bundle Pricing Strategy in Marketing

Marketing bundle deals can help you sell more products than you would otherwise sell individually. It’s a smart way to upsell and cross-sell your offerings in a way that is beneficial for the customer and your revenue goals.

13. Psychological Pricing Strategy

Psychological pricing is what it sounds like — it targets human psychology to boost your sales.
For example, according to the “9-digit effect”, even though a product that costs 99.99 € is essentially 100 euros, customers may see this as a good deal simply because of the “9” in the price.
Another way to use psychological pricing would be to place a more expensive item directly next to (either, in-store or online) the one you’re most focused on selling. Or offer a “buy one, get one 50% off (or free)” deal that makes customers feel as though the circumstances are too good to pass up on.
And lastly, changing the font, size, and color of your pricing information on and around your products has also been proven, in various instances, to boost sales.

Psychological Pricing Strategy in Marketing

Psychological pricing strategy requires an intimate understanding of your target market to yield the best results. If your customers are inclined to discounts and coupons, appealing to this desire through your marketing can help this product meet their psychological need to save money. If paying for quality is important to your audience, having the lowest price on the shelf might not help you reach your sales goals. Regardless of the motivations your customers have for paying a certain price for a product, your pricing and marketing should appeal to those motivations.

14. Geographic Pricing Strategy

Geographic pricing is when products or services are priced differently depending on geographical location or market.
This strategy may be used if a customer from another country is making a purchase or if there are disparities in factors like the economy or wages (from the location in which you’re selling a good to the location of the person it is being sold to).

Geographic Pricing Strategy in Marketing

Marketing a geographically priced product or service is easy thanks to paid social media advertising. Segmenting by zip code, city, or even region can be accomplished at a low cost with accurate results. Even as specific customers travel or permanently move, your pricing model will remain the same which helps you maintain your marketing costs.
Like we said above, these strategies aren’t necessarily meant to stand alone. We encourage you to mix and match these methods as needed.
Now, let’s discuss how to apply these strategies to different businesses and industries.

Pricing Models Based on Industry or Business

Not every pricing strategy is applicable to every business. Some strategies are better suited for physical products whereas others work best for SaaS companies. Here are examples of some common pricing models based on industry and business.

Product Pricing Model

Unlike digital products or services, physical products incur hard costs (like shipping, production, and storage) that can influence pricing. A product pricing strategy should consider these costs and set a price that maximizes profit, supports research and development, and stands up against competitors.
• We recommend these pricing strategies when pricing physical products: cost-plus pricing, competitive pricing, prestige pricing, and value-based pricing.

Digital Product Pricing Model

Digital products, like software, online courses, and digital books, require a different approach to pricing because there’s no tangible offering or unit economics (production cost) involved. Instead, prices should reflect your brand, industry, and overall value of your product.

• We recommend using these pricing strategies when pricing digital products: competition-based pricing, freemium pricing, and value-based pricing.

Restaurant Pricing Model

Restaurant pricing is unique in that physical costs, overhead costs, and service costs are all involved. You must also consider your customer base, overall market trends for your location and cuisine, and the cost of food — as all of these can fluctuate.

• We recommend using these pricing strategies when pricing at restaurants: cost-plus pricing, premium pricing, and value-based pricing.

Event Pricing Model

Events can’t be accurately measured by production cost (not unlike the digital products we discussed above). Instead, event value is determined by the cost of marketing and organizing the event as well as the speakers, entertainers, networking, and the overall experience — and the ticket prices should reflect these factors.

• We recommend using these pricing strategies when pricing live events: competition-based pricing, dynamic pricing, and value-based pricing.

Services Pricing Model

Business services can be hard to price due to their intangibility and lack of direct production cost. Much of the service value comes from the service provider’s ability to deliver and the assumed caliber of their work. Freelancers and contractors, in particular, must adhere to a services pricing strategy.

• We recommend using these pricing strategies when pricing services: hourly pricing, project-based pricing, and value-based pricing.

Nonprofit Pricing Model

Nonprofits need pricing strategies, too — a pricing strategy can help nonprofits optimize all processes so they’re successful over an extended period of time.
A nonprofit pricing strategy should consider current spending and expenses, the breakeven number for their operation, ideal profit margin, and how the strategy will be communicated to volunteers, licensees, and anyone else who needs to be informed. A nonprofit pricing strategy is unique because it often calls for a combination of elements that come from a few pricing strategies.

• We recommend using these pricing strategies when pricing nonprofits: competitive pricing, cost-plus pricing, demand pricing, and hourly pricing.

Education Pricing Model

Education encompasses a wide range of costs that are important to consider depending on the level of education, private or public education, and education program/ discipline.
Specific costs to consider in an education pricing strategy are tuition, scholarships, additional fees (labs, books, housing, meals, etc.). Other important factors to note are competition among similar schools, demand (number of student applications), number and costs of professors/ teachers, and attendance rates.

• We recommend using these pricing strategies when pricing education: competitive pricing, cost-based pricing, and premium pricing.

Real Estate Pricing Model

Real estate encompasses home value estimates, market competition, housing demand, and cost of living. There are other factors that play a role in real estate pricing models including potential bidding wars, housing estimates and benchmarks, and seasonal shifts in the real estate market.

• We recommend using these pricing strategies when pricing real estate: competitive pricing, dynamic pricing, premium pricing, and value-based pricing.

Agency Pricing Model

Agency pricing models impact your profitability, retention rates, customer happiness, and how you market and sell your agency. When developing and evolving your agency’s pricing model, it’s important to take into consideration different ways to optimize it so you can determine the best way to boost the business’s profits.

• We recommend using these pricing strategies when pricing agencies: hourly pricing, project-based pricing, and value-based pricing.

Manufacturing Pricing Model

The manufacturing industry is complex — there are a number of moving parts and your manufacturing pricing model is no different. Consider product evolution, demand, production cost, sale price, unit sales volume, and any other costs related to your process and product. Another key part to a manufacturing pricing strategy is understanding the maximum amount the market will pay for your specific product to allow for the greatest profit.

• We recommend using these pricing strategies when pricing manufacturing: competitive pricing, cost-plus pricing, and value-based pricing.

Ecommerce Pricing Model

Ecommerce pricing models are how you determine the price at which you’ll sell your online products and what it’ll cost you to do so. Meaning, you must think about what your customers are willing to pay for your online products and what those products cost you to purchase and/or create. You might also factor in your online campaigns to promote these products as well as how easy it is for your customers to find similar products to yours on the ecommerce sites of your competitors.

• We recommend using these pricing strategies when pricing ecommerce: competitive pricing, cost-based pricing, dynamic pricing, freemium pricing, penetration pricing, and value-based pricing.

You typically conduct a pricing analysis when considering new product ideas, developing your positioning strategy, or running marketing tests. It’s also wise to run a price analysis once every year or two to evaluate your pricing against competitors and consumer expectations — doing so preemptively avoids having to wait for poor product performance.

How to Conduct a Pricing Analysis

1. Determine the true cost of your product or service.

To calculate the true cost of a product or service that you sell, you’ll want to recognize all of your expenses including both fixed and variable costs. Once you’ve determined these costs, subtract them from the price you’ve already set or plan to set for your product or service.

2. Understand how your target market and customer base respond to the pricing structure.

Surveys, focus groups, or questionnaires can be helpful in determining how the market responds to your pricing model. You’ll get a glimpse into what your target customers value and how much they’re willing to pay for the value your product or service provides.

3. Analyse the prices set by your competitors.

There are two types of competitors to consider when conducting a pricing analysis: direct and indirect.
Direct competitors are those who sell the exact same product that you sell. These types of competitors are likely to compete on price so they should be a priority to review in your pricing analysis.
Indirect competitors are those who sell alternative products that are comparable to what you sell. If a customer is looking for your product, but it’s out of stock or it’s out of their price range, they may go to an indirect competitor to get a similar product.

4. Review any legal or ethical constraints to cost and price.

There’s a fine line between competing on price and falling into legal and ethical trouble. You’ll want to have a firm understanding of price-fixing and predatory pricing while doing your pricing analysis in order to steer clear of these practices.
Analyzing your current pricing model is necessary to determine a new (and better!) pricing strategy. This applies whether you’re developing a new product, upgrading your current one, or simply repositioning your marketing strategy.
Next, let’s look at some examples of pricing strategies that you can use for your own business.

Get Your Pricing Strategy Right

Thinking about everything that goes into pricing can make your head spin: competitors, production costs, customer demand, industry needs, profit margins … the list is endless. Thankfully, you don’t have to master all of these factors at once.
Simply sit down, calculate some numbers (like your COGS and profit goals), and figure out what’s most important for your business. Start with what you need, and this will help you pinpoint the right kind of pricing strategy to use.
More than anything, though, remember pricing is an iterative process. It’s highly unlikely that you’ll set the right prices right away — it might take a couple of tries (and lots of research), and that’s OK.