Should I give a discount on the software and how to do it correctly

Once in one of the southern republics of the USSR, a tourist from central Russia went to the bazaar. There he saw a marvelous carpet, asked for the price and paid without paying bargaining. I took the carpet and went to the exit.
- And to bargain ?! Shouted the discouraged salesman after him. Then he ran after him - Give me my goods, I do not need your money!

This case clearly shows the collision of two systems of thinking.
If anyone does not remember, then in Soviet times prices were written directly on the product, and any change was approved at the level of the Council of Ministers (this was the kind of stability at the time). Therefore, the buyer's readiness to agree with the named price (or not to agree and leave) is understandable. And besides, he saw the trade itself as a routine process that needs to be completed quickly.
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For the eastern seller, trade is not a boring obligation, but a fascinating process. The main highlight of which is a dialogue with the buyer. It is a dialogue, not a monologue like "see what a melon, pure honey." And the essential part of this dialogue is “work with objections”.



“Something your watermelons are immature,” says the buyer.
No, he does not consider watermelons bad, this is a ritual introduction.
- My watermelons? - the seller pretends to be outraged, - yes, these are the best watermelons in this market!
And so, for about twenty minutes, then everyone is dissatisfied with the conversation.

Under these conditions, the price is just a certain initial benchmark, which weakly correlates with the amount of money that can be paid in the end.

And now let's see what this beautiful art of trade has degenerated into.

Option 1. Egyptian tourist.



On the penny goods are set huge prices. Suddenly someone will buy without bargaining ... And those who do not want to waste money can get a huge discount.

Here the price is the limit of the impudence of the seller, having little in common with reality.

Option 2. Russian market.



Our modern pricing perfectly describes the phrase that I myself had heard from one saleswoman. In response to my question “how much do the apples cost,” she answered “a hundred rubles a kilogram, but if you take it , I will give it for seventy”.

That is, the high price has no connection with reality at all. It is as if it is intended to inform the buyer how lucky it is that in front of him is not a miser, but a kind seller who will gladly lower prices.

What does the buyer see in this situation? That the seller would like to receive big money, but he needs to sell the goods so much that he is ready to accept less.

And in what cases the goods need to be sold for any money? We all know two main reasons - the poor quality of the goods and the need for money .


How should the buyer react? Does he want to buy a product in the quality of which (indirectly, through a high discount) even the seller himself does not believe. And if he wants to buy goods from a demonstrating need of the seller?

This is a rhetorical question, you say ... Apparently not for everyone.

Yesterday I opened a competitor site. The first screen did not report what kind of product it is, what its functionality and capabilities are.
No, the entire first screen was occupied by two offers of discounts. One is 25% (and indefinite!), The other as much as 50%.

The first association - WELL PLEASE BUY FROM US, POHAAAAALUYSTA !!! The second is that this company seems to urgently need money.



Let's see what has been done wrong and how not to get into a similar situation.

1. Only a very well-known company, whose products are known to everyone, can talk about “head-on” discounts on the first page. If the market leader makes a discount, then this can be found an explanation, for example, low season. And then potential buyers decide to buy until it has risen in price.

2. The discount should not be indefinite. A perpetual discount is already a price. Permanent discount raises questions about the adequacy of the one who came up with the price. The worst option is when prices and discounts are raised at the same time.

3. If the discount is given not for a certain time period, but by the result of the fulfillment of certain conditions, then these conditions should not be easily circumvented. The same competitor offered a discount of 25% to anyone who has time to test and buy in one week. On the one hand, everything is logical - speed bonus. On the other hand, it is completely unclear what prevents you from registering for one email, testing for three months, registering for another and getting a discount. As a result, the discount does not motivate and only reduces the income of the seller.

4. Discount must have an explanation. Otherwise, the buyer himself thinks up the answer "we have very bad money, buy at least for anything." It is better to honestly write that low season, sales are few. Usually it is wrapped in beautiful words "while others rest, you have the opportunity to save."

5. Be careful when offering quantity discounts. Buyers can decide that it is for you, even that amount is the ultimate dream. Competitors, for example, offered a 50% discount for buying only 50 licenses.

Roman Trakhtenberg with his book “Do you want to become a star?” Said that if an artist agrees to reduce his fees under the influence of circumstances, then he can go back to the ranks of well-paid stars very hard.
The same applies to discounts. It is easy to start mindlessly reducing prices - buyers will get used to it and no one will give a real price.

Good luck to your business!

Andrey Ignatov