Discounts

I have never been a big advocate of offering general product or service discounts. Discounting tends to not only devalue a product or service but can also get a customer wondering where the bottom price point exits. Discounting to resellers or for volume purchases is a different matter. What I’m referring to are discounts to lure customers to make a buying decision.

So I was in a bit of a quandary as I prepared for exhibiting at a trade show earlier this month. I wanted to lure people to our products and to entice them to place orders at the show, but without offering any discounts. My solution was brilliant and helped me to exceed my sales goals for the show. It was a simple solution.

The lamps we make and sell tend be be bulky and consequently are costly to ship. Depending upon the distance and the specific product, shipping charges within the United States can vary from $7.00 to over $30.00. The customer pays whatever UPS charges us. So my decision was to waive shipping fees for any order placed at the show.

A prominent sign announced the deal, and I mentioned the savings to everyone I spoke with. It worked, as we came back with a pocket-full of orders! We were able to offer a good deal without discounting product pricing in the eyes of our customers.

Will Limkemann
Siqua Group Limited