Pricing DecisionOrganizations producing goods and services need to set the price for their product. Setting the price for an organization's product is one of the most important decisions a manager faces. It is one of the most crucial and difficult decisions a firm's manager has to make. Pricing is a profit planning exercise. Cost is one of the major considerations in price determination of the product. It is one of the three major factors which influence ricing decision. The two other factors are customers and competitors.
Customer: In a situation where the product has many substitutes, customers decide the price. That is, the demand of customers are the paramount importance in setting the price of the product. In such a situation, the firm should try to deliver the value, in the form of product and/or service, at the target cost so that a reasonable profit can be earned. Similarly, under competitive condition, price is determined by market forces and an individual firm or an individual customer can not influence the price.
Competitors: When there are only few players in the market, competitors usually, react to the price changes and, therefore, pricing decisions are influenced by the possible reaction of competitors. As such management must keep watchful eye on the firm's competitors. That is, knowledge of competitors' strategy is essential for pricing decision in an oligopoly situation.
Cost: Cost is the third major factor. Its role in price setting varies widely among industries. Some industries determine price by market forces and in some industries, managers set prices a on the basis of production costs. Firms want to charge a price that covers its costs like production costs, distribution costs and costs relate with selling the product and also including a fair return for its effort.
Objectives Of Pricing Policy
Formulation of pricing policy begins with the classification of the basic objectives of the firm. Pricing objectives have to be in conformity with overall organizational objectives. In most of the situation, profit maximization is the main objective of price policy, but it is only one objective. Following may be other objectives of pricing policy in an organization:
1. Pricing the goods based on reasonable costs.
2. Increase the market share or growth rate at the expense of immediate profits.
3. Avoid adverse public reaction consequent on charging high price.
4. Ethical consideration not to reap high profit.
5. Immediate survival of the firm.
6. Charge reasonable price so as to have good relations with government and public at large.
7. Maximization of prestige of the firm rather than profit, and
8. To safeguard against the emergence of new producers in same line.
Although its importance varies from firm to firm, pricing is one of the tools that a firm has at its disposal in its attempt to reach the stated objectives.
