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| Posted on 2/17/08 at 10:07 AM | |
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While I tend to agree that I much prefer to see the prices for items when shopping online, consider the "flip sides" to the issues of a price quoter system that shows the customers prices online. 1) It can be as you already know a complicated tool to construct. There are MANY variables to include and if some are incorrect...so will the end price. Keeping it up to date is also as hard to do. 2) If the quote is for "custom" printing, can you really be sure that ALL of the variables will be shown to the customer, or will you have a long list of disclaimers that it does not include, may be subject to....etc. Most people don't read that part and get upset after you tell them when the real price differs from the "quoted" price. 3) Will your online quoter be used as a "sales tool" against you by your competition who may go online to show potential customers that your prices are not "inline" with the market area. Since the customer may not be aware of the options, variables and other such stuff we all take for granted you may be driving customers away from your company...not helping them. 4) If this is going to be used in conjunction with an online store that includes hundreds of garments that on your site, are you really prepared to keep up with all the price changes that take place? I can tell you as a person who has over 2500 products online just keeping prices up to date is becoming a full time job....especially lately with the economy forcing wholesale prices to increase rapidly and not to mention the cost of shipping lately. You may consider as an alternative to a price quote system a simple quote request form, where a person will provide the contact information, then select from a list of choices, add the details or other such requirements as it pertains to them. Then have the form emailed to your sales staff where a person can review the information, properly put together a quote and then contact the potential customer directly and make a more direct inquiry as to the needs of the client and maybe offer alternatives or options the customer may not have known about. Its more personable, and it routes out the chances of having your price structure used by your competition....plus it helps to ensure that the customers who do use it are more likely to actually do business with you and not waste your time. ...just my 2-cents. ____________________  www.calibratedsps.com - Screen Printing Equipment - Supplies - Online Store Providing 7-Days A Week Toll Free Customer Support For Every Product Sold Printers Forums Equipment Classifieds Tutorials Employment Listings 
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