I've HAD IT. (Seraph Snaps, long post)

[Merriweather]

Never apologize for your prices. Go on the concept that you are better, therefore of course you cost more. Don't be drawn into price discussions with SCs, simply tell them "these are the prices for work of my quality" and leave it at that. Treat price as a non-issue. Mercedes doesn't apologize for costing more than Kia. Tiffany's doesn't apologize for being too expensive for most budgets. Heck, Loreal cosmetics went from a little known brand to a best selling one by admitting they cost more, and making it a positive thing with the phrase "because you're worth it". Go after the type of customer who brags about how much they spend on things, not about how much they save.

[rose_metal_nz]

Good Lord that was a polite rant
Agreed tho - you provide a quality service, you charge accordingly.
I think the best point you probably made was about it being a filter. If only there was a way to auto-magically block anyone whose messages contain phrases like "budget of <$100"

[Dips]

I get, on average, at least eight to ten orders a week. I'm only one person, and I have a family. If my prices were any lower, it'd increase, and I'd be unable to keep up with the demand

That right there is the crux. More business isn't necessarily a good thing. We've gotten the argument that if we cut our prices in half we'd get twice the customers.

OK. But we'd also get nearly twice the work to support those customers. For the same amount of money. Why would we want to do that?

[EricKei]

Tldr; My prices are the as high as they are in order to discourage people who think that $40 will buy more than a custom banner from contacting me in the first place. Today's experience suggest that my prices are not high ENOUGH. Thanks for the heads-up!

Fixed that for ya ::

We got the same thing back at AccountingFirm -- the rate for tech support was nearly $200/hr, and the CPA's rate WAS that much or more...We got a few complaints about the price, but it did tend to cut down on the need for future collections calls, shall we say...? We still had plenty of those to deal with. Sadly, paying our rate was STILL cheaper than the per-call rate from SoftwareMaker if it was a quick-fix problem (their rate was $X per call, we charged per quarter-hour)

[Silvercat]

You're a much nicer person than I am. Which is probably just as well.

[fireheart]

That reply of yours didn't seem sucky or nasty at all. It seemed more like you really did put them in their place. While they are the clients, you still do have a right to run your business the way you want to.

One question: any chance of seeing a website you designed?

[Clover]

That's probably one of the most articulate, polite rants I've ever seen.

I totally feel you on this one-how many times, while I was taking art commissions and doing pony trotters (I can't right now since the laptop I'm using isn't capable of handling photoshop, should have a new one soon though) did I have someone note me asking "Well, can't you do this a bit more cheaply?" or "Well can you just color this in and add these characters for me, it can't be that hard" or, my favorite, "Wtf do you mean I have to pay for it?! It's not real work, you're just drawing!" GALKDJFLKDJFLKJW. My responses usually consist of "I can't lower the price any more than I already have, additional characters and/or coloring costs extra, and if it's not real work then why can't you do it your own darn self?!

Gah. Some people shouldn't be allowed in society, much less on the internet.

[mhkohne]

I'm suspecting that instead of lowering your rates, you might want to raise them.

Remember, what matters is what it's worth to the customer, NOT what it costs you to make it that is important. Make sure youncharge something like what it's worth!

[MystyGlyttyr]

@Taurine & Jay, I agree wholeheartedly, but I'm just quoting Eddie Riggs himself. ...and most of his quotes are either too perverse, too obscene, or too wordy to fit in the slot.

Regardless, yes. I've actually had people ask me to do food displays for them and they'll "pay for all the food". Well of course you will, but do you realize it's gonna take me at LEAST four hours to set this up right down to the exact specifications, and that's for a relatively small platter, not to mention the cutting, shaping, cooking, etc.? I only volunteer at the animal shelter!

[csquared]

If you start doing web sites for $40.00, sign me up! I have cash in hand.

In the mean time, I am saving up. I am hoping to have enough in the budget to hire you this year.

[Seraph]

One question: any chance of seeing a website you designed?

PM'd you, for in case you really simply must destroy your corneas.

I'm suspecting that instead of lowering your rates, you might want to raise them.

Honestly? I've been considering doing this, even though I just raised my rates about six months ago.

In the mean time, I am saving up. I am hoping to have enough in the budget to hire you this year.

/blushes ><

[spark]

As far as I'm concerned your line about supply and demand is enough all by itself! I mean come ON. If your prices were really highway robbery nobody would be paying them, that simple! If you're busy, you're charging enough. If you're super busy and over-worked then raise them! Srsly! I'm already considering another price bump myself when I just raised things a month and a bit ago, just because I'm so busy. (I probably won't for another few months, but I'm going to eventually.)

[emax4]

Is there any harm to simply checking out their initial email, then determining if they'll be blocked based on their initial offering? Instead of replying and telling them they might be better elsewhere, don't even reply and block them. Is there harm in that? If they were really serious instead of just trying to lowball you, they would spend a lot more and already have the know-how on the cost.

You may read this and think, "but I might lose business!!" By not replying to an insulting offer AND blocking them, you're eliminating the headaches associated with negotiating over such a small price, having them rage out at you after your advice for them, and you're ending it before it escalates.

[Der Cute]

forty ? 4 x 10? .4x 100?
What?
Ok. Since I'm Web-Ignert, what WOULD 40 get? Lets say I have 40 bucks. I want a face/frontpage. I want a title, and a menu of about/contact/our products. Would 40 pay for that?

[Draper Mel]

When I go to a website for a business and it's obviously a template or a cheap design, it lowers my opinion of them. Nowadays, you have to have a web presence and it's really to your benefit not to do it half assed.