With so much competition and consumers looking at all options to bag a bargain, it’s no wonder people turn to the likes of GrabOne, TreatMe and Groupon for offers. Why wouldn’t you? But as a merchant have you worked out the real cost of discounting and the impact it has on your business? Daily deal websites charge a fee of approximately 15-20% of the sale price and stipulate that the offer presented must be at least 50% off the original sale price.
It’s easy to think by offering a discount you’ll bring in the customers and they’ll leave happy because they haven’t paid full price, but discounts cost money.
For example
So by reducing your price by just 10% on a margin of 40%, you have to increase sales by 33% - that’s a big ask in a competitive market, especially when you add a fee onto that.
Discounting can also have an impact on your reputation as highlighted in a recent article, when an Auckland pizzeria refused to accept a customer’s GrabOne voucher. All these aspects impact your bottom line.
Bartercard is not a discount service and while there are fees associated with being a member of the network, it’s a mere 7.5% in comparison. Bartercard allows members to grow sales by 10% or more within the first 12 months of becoming a member and we can prove it (Dot Loves Data, 2011) – no discounts are required!
So do your sums. Does it add up to offer discounts both from a profit and customer perspective? Ask yourself this – are your customers loyal or are they just hunting for the next deal?
As a merchant, are you wanting more customers or have excess capacity you want to utilise? Contact Bartercard now to discuss how we can help.
