There is no right or wrong here since it is really dependent on the products you sell, if you’re doing “custom” products, using an interactive website that showcases photographs of your work and provides details about what sets you apart from the competition. Do you specialize in fondant or gourmet baked goods that are made to order? Here are the advantages to displaying your prices online.
Advantages of displaying your prices online
Eliminates negotiating. Just like a brick and mortar bakery displays their prices, your website is your suedo brick and mortar location, so displaying products with pricing eliminates any questions about what the customer is getting for their money, since you will have a photo of what they are purchasing next to the price.
Eliminates tire-kickers. Making your prices public means customers won’t waste your time.
Putting your prices on the site will eliminate the shock factor of some proposals. For example, intricately decorated cookies or cakes may come with an expensive price tag and rightly so, you can explain the work involved in creating these products.
Although these advantages exist in favor of public pricing, there are also some disadvantages to displaying your prices publicly.
Disadvantages of displaying your prices online
Less flexibility. When publishing a price for a five layer wedding cake design, you lock yourself into that price. You get into a situation where you need to explain to your customer that what they are requesting falls outside of the bounds of your prices, and you’ll need to explain why.
Cheap services. Usually (but not always) people who publish their prices are using that as a selling point, because they are less expensive than their competition. You do not want to position yourself as a “cheap” bakery.
Temptation to keep your prices the same. If your prices are printed in brochures or published on your site, you’ve got a couple more reasons to keep your rates where they are instead of constantly striving to earn more or adjusting to market changes.
Every project is different. Whether you’re a customer baker, cake designer, or dessert caterer, your projects will all be different and should be treated and priced accordingly.
Ultimately, most bakers choose to keep their prices private and quote per job, and for most bakers that’s probably the right decision. However, not all bakers are the same. You need to weigh the pros and cons to figure out whether or not to tell the world what you charge. If you do decide to display your prices use a disclaimer like, “All prices subject to change without notice or something along that line.”
