Shifted Market Pricing Strategy, the Ultimate Guide

What is Shifted Market Pricing strategy?

It is a pricing strategy businesses use to stay competitive in the market. In this pricing strategy, businesses shift the pricing of their products or services in response to the changing market conditions.

The main goal of shifted market pricing strategy is to align the pricing of your products or services with the changing demand and supply dynamics in the market.

In simple terms, shifted market pricing is a dynamic pricing strategy that considers various market factors such as competition, consumer behavior, and demand and adjusts the prices of products or services accordingly.

Shifted market pricing strategy helps businesses remain competitive, retain their customer base, and increase profitability.

 

What Are Pricing Strategies?

A pricing strategy is a systematic approach to setting prices for products or services. A pricing strategy considers various factors, such as the cost of production, market demand, competition, and consumer behavior, and sets the prices accordingly.

The main goal of a pricing strategy is to achieve a balance between profitability and market share.

There are various pricing strategies that businesses can use. Some of the most popular pricing strategies include cost-plus, value-based, penetration, skimming, and dynamic pricing.

Is pricing strategy really important for my business?

Yes, every business needs a pricing strategy to remain competitive. A pricing strategy helps businesses set the right prices for their products or services, attract customers, and increase profitability.

With a pricing strategy, businesses may avoid setting prices that are too high or too low, which can negatively impact their revenue and market share.

What are the pros and cons of shifted market pricing strategy?

A shifted market pricing strategy involves setting prices for goods and services that are higher or lower than the market average. This strategy can have both pros and cons, which I will outline below:

Pros:

1. Competitive advantage: A company using this strategy can gain a competitive advantage by setting prices lower than competitors or higher for a premium product or service. This can help the company attract price-sensitive customers or those willing to pay more for a premium product.
2. Increased revenue: By setting prices higher than the market average, a company can increase its revenue per sale, assuming demand remains constant. This can result in increased profits if the company can maintain sales volumes.
3. Flexibility: This strategy provides flexibility in pricing, allowing a company to adjust prices up or down as needed. This can help a company respond quickly to changing market conditions.

Cons:

1. Risk of losing customers: If a company sets its prices higher than the market average, it may risk losing price-sensitive customers to competitors offering lower prices. Similarly, if the company sets its prices too low, it may not be able to cover its costs or may sacrifice profit margins.
2. Perception of quality: Setting prices significantly below the market average may lead customers to perceive the product or service as lower quality. Setting prices significantly higher than the market average may lead customers to perceive the product or service as overly expensive or not worth the price.
3. Difficult to implement: Implementing a shifted market pricing strategy can be complex and requires a detailed understanding of the market and competitors. It can also require significant resources to monitor and adjust prices based on market conditions continually.

In summary, a shifted market pricing strategy can have benefits in terms of competitiveness, revenue, and flexibility. Still, it also carries risks, such as losing customers and negatively affecting perceived product quality.

As with any pricing strategy, it is important to carefully consider the pros and cons and determine whether this strategy is appropriate for a specific business and market.

When to adopt shifted market pricing strategy?

Companies adopt shifted market pricing strategies in certain situations to help a business gain a competitive advantage and increase revenue. 

Here are some reasons why and when a business might consider using a shifted market pricing strategy:

1. Differentiation: When a business wants to differentiate itself from its competitors, a shifted market pricing strategy can be used to set prices higher or lower than the market average. This can help the business stand out and attract customers looking for a unique or premium product or service.
2. Cost advantage: When a business has a cost advantage over its competitors, it can set prices lower than the market average while maintaining profitability. This can help the business attract price-sensitive customers and gain market share.
3. Elastic demand: When demand for a product or service is elastic, meaning that price significantly impacts the number of products or services sold, a business can use a shifted market pricing strategy to increase revenue. By setting prices higher than the market average, the business can capture a larger share of the revenue from customers willing to pay more for the product or service.
4. Seasonal demand: When demand for a product or service is seasonal, a business can use a shifted market pricing strategy to adjust prices up or down depending on the time of year. For example, a hotel may offer lower prices during the off-season to attract customers and higher prices during the peak season to capture more revenue.
5. New product launch: When a business launches a new product or service, a shifted market pricing strategy can generate interest and attract customers. By setting prices lower than the market average during the launch period, the business can encourage customers to try the product or service and generate buzz.

Generally, a shifted market pricing strategy should be used cautiously, as it can be difficult to implement and may carry risks. It is important to consider the market, competition, and customer demand carefully before adopting this strategy.

How does a shifted market pricing strategy work for your business?

Implementing a shifted market pricing strategy for your business involves setting prices that are intentionally different from the prevailing market prices. Here are some steps to consider when using this strategy:

1. Analyze the market: Before implementing a shifted market pricing strategy, it’s important to analyze the market to understand the prevailing prices and the competition. This will help you identify areas where you can differentiate your business by setting prices higher or lower than the market average.
2. Determine your pricing goals: Consider your business goals and what you want to achieve with your pricing strategy. For example, you can increase revenue, gain market share, or attract a different customer segment. Your pricing strategy should align with your overall business goals.
3. Identify your cost structure: Understand and determine your break-even point. This will help you determine how much you can adjust your prices while maintaining profitability.
4. Set your prices: Based on your market analysis, pricing goals, and cost structure, set your prices. If you’re setting prices higher than the market average, communicate the value proposition of your products or services to justify the higher price. If you’re setting prices lower than the market average, be prepared to compete on price and communicate the value proposition of your products or services to attract price-sensitive customers.
5. Monitor and adjust your prices: Continually monitor your prices and adjust them as needed based on market conditions and customer demand. This will help you stay competitive and ensure you achieve your pricing goals.

When implementing a shifted market pricing strategy, it’s important to communicate the reasons for your pricing decisions to your customers. This will help them understand the value proposition of your products or services and why you’re setting prices higher or lower than the market average.

By carefully analyzing the market and aligning your pricing strategy with your business goals, you can effectively implement a shifted market pricing strategy that works for your business.

What are the major approaches to pricing strategy?

Pricing your product or service is one of the most important factors that determine the success of your business. It can make or break a company, depending on how it’s determined.

There are three major approaches to pricing strategy: cost-based pricing, competition-based pricing, and value-based pricing. In this section, we’ll explore these three approaches and their advantages and disadvantages.

1. Cost-Based Pricing

Also known as cost-plus pricing, it is a pricing strategy that calculates the cost of producing a product or service and adds a markup to that cost to determine the final price.

This markup is usually a percentage of the cost, which represents the profit margin. For example, if a product costs $100 to produce and the markup is 50%, the final price will be $150.

The advantage of cost-based pricing is that it’s easy to calculate and provides a guaranteed profit margin. It’s a straightforward approach that’s easy to understand and implement.

Cost-based pricing also provides a sense of security for your company, as it ensures that your business will make a profit on each sale.

However, there are some disadvantages to cost-based pricing. One of the main issues is that it doesn’t take into account the value of the product to the customer. It also doesn’t consider the prices of similar products in the market.

If the company’s costs are too high, it may have to price its products higher than the competition, which could result in lost sales and customers.

2. Competition-Based Pricing

Competition-based pricing, as the name suggests, is a pricing strategy that takes into account the prices of similar products in the market.

This approach involves setting a price that’s similar to the competition’s price. The goal is to match the competition’s price or offer a lower price to gain a competitive advantage and market share.

The advantage of competition-based pricing is that it takes into account the prices of similar products in the market. It’s a useful approach for companies that are entering a new market and don’t have a good understanding of the pricing dynamics.

It also ensures that the price is competitive, which can help to increase sales. However, there are some disadvantages to competition-based pricing.

It doesn’t consider the value of the product to the customer, which can result in the company underpricing its products.

It also doesn’t consider the costs of the company, which could result in the company losing money on each sale if the costs are higher than the competition.

3. Value-Based Pricing

Value-based pricing is a pricing strategy that takes into account the value of the product to the customer. This approach involves setting a price that’s based on the value that the product provides to the customer.

The goal is to price the product in a way that reflects its value to the customer, rather than the costs or the competition’s prices.

The advantage of value-based pricing is that it takes into account the value of the product to the customer. This approach allows companies to charge higher prices for products that provide greater value to the customer.

It also allows companies to differentiate their products from the competition and create a unique selling proposition. However, there are some disadvantages to value-based pricing.

It’s difficult to determine the value of the product to the customer, which can result in pricing that’s too high or too low. It also requires a good understanding of the customer and their needs, which can be difficult to obtain.

The Best Shifted Market Pricing Strategies

Real-time dynamic pricing:

Real-time dynamic pricing is a pricing strategy that adjusts the prices of products or services based on market demand and supply. This pricing strategy considers various market factors such as competition, consumer behavior, and demand and adjusts the prices accordingly.

Seasonal pricing:

Seasonal pricing is a pricing strategy that sets different prices for products or services based on the season. For example, retailers may offer discounts on winter clothing during the summer season to clear their inventory and attract customers.

Geographical pricing:

Geographical pricing is a pricing strategy that sets prices for products or services based on location. For example, businesses may set higher prices for their products or services in affluent areas where consumers have a higher purchasing power.

Promotional pricing:

Promotional pricing is a pricing strategy that offers customers discounts, coupons, or other incentives to encourage them to purchase. This pricing strategy is commonly used during special events or holidays.

Value-based pricing:

Value-based pricing is a pricing strategy that sets the prices of products or services based on their perceived value to the customer. This pricing strategy considers various factors, such as the customer’s willingness to pay, the product or service’s benefits, and the market’s competition.

How to implement a Shifted Market Pricing Strategy?

Creating a shifted market pricing strategy involves the following steps:

1. Analyze the market: To create a shifted market pricing strategy, businesses must analyze the market and identify the key factors that impact pricing, such as competition, consumer behavior, and demand.
2. Set pricing objectives: Once businesses have analyzed the market, they must set their pricing objectives. This involves identifying the desired profit margins, market share, and pricing strategies that align with the business goals.
3. Choose the pricing strategy: After setting the pricing objectives, businesses must choose the pricing strategy that aligns with their business goals and market conditions. This may involve selecting one or more of the shifted market pricing strategies discussed above.
4. Implement the pricing strategy: Businesses need to implement it once it has been selected. This involves setting the prices for their products or services according to the chosen pricing strategy. Businesses may also need to adjust their pricing in response to changing market conditions.
5. Monitor and adjust the pricing: After implementing the pricing strategy, businesses need to monitor its effectiveness and make adjustments as necessary. This involves analyzing sales data, customer feedback, and other market factors to determine if the pricing strategy achieves the desired results. Businesses may need to adjust their pricing strategy or change their products or services to remain competitive.
6. Communicate the pricing to customers: Businesses need to communicate their pricing. This can be done through various channels, such as advertisements, promotions, and product descriptions. Businesses can increase their sales and market share by effectively communicating their pricing to customers.

Best tools to announce pricing updates

If you’re looking to announce price updates to your customers, AnnounceKit is a good tool for the job. AnnounceKit allows you to easily create and share announcements with your audience, whether it’s through email, social media, or your website.

Click here to learn more about AnnounceKit!

Conclusion

In conclusion, shifted market pricing is a dynamic strategy that helps businesses remain competitive by aligning their pricing with changing market conditions.

Using a shifted market pricing strategy, businesses can set the right prices for their products or services at the right time, attract customers, and increase profitability.

To implement a shifted market pricing strategy, businesses need to analyze the market, set pricing objectives, choose the pricing strategy, implement the pricing, monitor and adjust the pricing, and communicate the pricing to customers.

By following these steps, your business can create an effective shifted market pricing strategy that helps them achieve their business goals.