Finding competitor pricing

[Giles]

Hi all,
Im doing some market reaseach for a proposed new software package for a niche here in New Zealand. What im wanting to know is what is the best way to find out competitor pricing?

Im guessing just an email or phone call pretending to be a purchaser. Problem is New Zealand is a small place, with only max 500 or so customers for this product, and im guessing they'll want to know which clinic I represent before asking questions.

Any one "been there, done that" and have some tip/tricks/guidance?

Thanks a lot

 

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[djs13]

When I'm thinking about a business idea and I need to find answers I just e-mail them and pretend to be a potential customer. Or when I really want some information I tell them I'm doing a school report. It's not exactly ethical, but the info you find is extremely helpful.

 

[Giles]

I think I will have to do just that - pose as a customer and hope they don't ask too many questions.

Don't think the school project trick will work for this niche & my age.

 

[fanocks2003]

Hi all,
Im doing some market reaseach for a proposed new software package for a niche here in New Zealand. What im wanting to know is what is the best way to find out competitor pricing?

Im guessing just an email or phone call pretending to be a purchaser. Problem is New Zealand is a small place, with only max 500 or so customers for this product, and im guessing they'll want to know which clinic I represent before asking questions.

Any one "been there, done that" and have some tip/tricks/guidance?

Thanks a lot

Focus less on price and more on quality.

 

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[dkt91]

Im guessing just an email or phone call pretending to be a purchaser. Problem is New Zealand is a small place, with only max 500 or so customers for this product, and im guessing they'll want to know which clinic I represent before asking questions.

Any one "been there, done that" and have some tip/tricks/guidance?

I can agree to what djs13 said. Just send them an email or phone them and pretend to be a potential customer. In most cases they won't ask too many questions. But let your email look authentic, though.

Even if everything goes wrong you can get another chance anytime because if you contact them by email you stay more or less anonymous. You have nothing to lose - just go for it

But also take into account what fanocks said. The price alone won't help you too much - you always need the price AND quality.


Good luck!

 

[White8]

I do it fairly often to keep track of what the competition is doing in the area. As others have mentioned, make the email address look authentic as well as use a good story that doesn't reveal much... perhaps you are an investor from Australia looking to purchase a business and plan to upgrade the software.

Also, if you call, be sure to use a phone that doesn't have caller ID that will give you away. I had someone call me the other day posing as a customer but their caller ID showed that they were a competitor. I gave them a real line of BS and then called them the next day from my cell phone and got all the information they wanted from me from them.

 

[Giles]

Well I just got off the phone to the first competitor:

Is it usual to feel bad about this?:huh2: We spoke for 15mins and I got all the info I wanted. He mentioned prices and commented "please keep this all confidential", when thats all I really wanted. He is really keen to meet for a demonstration (software product) etc etc
I feel guilty for wasting his time/getting his hopes up for a potential $10,000+ sale.

Now I got to get him off my back.

I guess its just business... :coffee:

 

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[fanocks2003]

Well I just got off the phone to the first competitor:

Is it usual to feel bad about this?:huh2: We spoke for 15mins and I got all the info I wanted. He mentioned prices and commented "please keep this all confidential", when thats all I really wanted. He is really keen to meet for a demonstration (software product) etc etc
I feel guilty for wasting his time/getting his hopes up for a potential $10,000+ sale.

Now I got to get him off my back.

I guess its just business... :coffee:

If you feel bad about it, then it may not be the route for you. I think this obsession with lowest price is bad all around. Yes, it may benefit the customer in the short run, but what happens when your business or your competitors business goes bankrupt as a result of doing so? What is the benefit to the customer when your business or your competitors business need to cut down on quality because you guys can't afford it. Then, is the customer still benefitting? No.

Just think about being a cheapskate in the food business just because you want to be the cheapest guy in town. I shudder. In order to do that and get high quality with it, you need to be very sharp in business. Few entrepreneurs are. I think being the cheapest and delivering the best quality at the same time is an oxymoron, because you need an insanely hugh turnover of goods and services.

I know I am of track here in regards to your post Giles. But I think that low prices and doing things that makes you feel bad is not the right route. Doing business should be fun, not boring or frightening. I don't understand that mentality. If you can't look yourself in the mirror after doing certain things, then don't do them. Our intuition is smarter than our minds many times.

Raise your prices instead an give more added value. That makes everyone a winner. Except for the loser competitors who will continue lowering their prices because they think people are morons (which they aren't).

 

[Giles]

Thanks for the feedback :eusa_clap:

But please note - this has nothing to do with lowering prices. Im conducting market research to decide whether the proposed business is viable, and to do this I must know what sort of prices I can sell the software for (hence asking competitors).

We will actually be priced higher, to reflect the superior quality we are offering.

 

[fanocks2003]

Thanks for the feedback :eusa_clap:

But please note - this has nothing to do with lowering prices. Im conducting market research to decide whether the proposed business is viable, and to do this I must know what sort of prices I can sell the software for (hence asking competitors).

We will actually be priced higher, to reflect the superior quality we are offering.

Shouldn't you be asking actual potential customers about price options?

 

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