The Problem with Low Tint Prices

pierce8468 · January 7, 2011

For anyone who is, or is thinking about their own shop and plans on this practice to get the work in. Let me give you the reasons why you should rethink it.

I understand your mindset, and that you will offer the low prices to get em in, and then raise your prices when you build a descent client base. However, it's not just that simple to do. For starters it's not very easy to just raise prices. for one you will have the reputation of being the cheap shop and people will come to you for that. if you raise your prices they will no longer come.

Reason #2. You are only going to attract a certain type of clientèle. You will attract the people who just want the lowest price. We are now back to what I said about raising your prices. You will be stuck with these people!

Reason #3.. You will also find people nit picking your work, as they would have at the higher priced shops. So you have to offer the same quality work that the other guys are getting more money for. But again your only getting the cheap people who don't want to pay good money.

Reason #4. You have to do more work to make the same money. Now I know your thinking that is your plan, but there is more to think about. When it gets slow, and it always does. Your making xx less per car, this means you make --- less per week, per month... Now when it comes time to pay your bills you end up needing more cars to come in to make ends meet. Where as if you charged more, you would not need as many cars to make that happen.

Reason #5 Your idea is to get tons of work because you will have a great reputation and the low prices. And you don't care if you have to work harder to make that happen. The other shops will only be forced to lower their prices if this where to actually happen. Trust me they will do this! Now you no longer have the lowest price, and you certainly can not raise your prices now.

Reason #6 There will be another person after you to do this same damn thing, but he will be even lower than you.

Reason #7 The two above this destroy the tint prices in your entire area. Example A Florida Example B California. Also every other major market. Look at the cell phone industry. Prices are just getting lower and lower, because they are competing for the customers

Reason #8 Now that the tint prices have been lowered all across the board. You are then forced to do something to set yourself apart from other shops. What this ultimately ends up meaning, is that you now have to work even harder to make the same money. You don't need to be a financial wiz to know that your not supposed to work harder to make the same money or possibly and very likely make less..

Now this comes from a person who has worked for the low price shops and the high end shops. I have seen this practice from both sides of the fence. I have also even pushed a former employer to raise his prices. Because his reputation and client base would allow it. ( he was not one of the low priced shops to begin with) He was afraid to do it at first, because he was afraid to lose a customer. Once I explained that if he lost one but got the higher price on 9 other cars he was still ahead of the game. well, he called me the following week and told me how he did 4 less cars that week, then the week prior. yet he made $1000 more than he had made the week prior. ( He has a busy shop. Thats how it came to an extra $1000) So you cant take this with a grain of salt, or you can take it as wise advice. That decision is solely up to you!

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TintDude · January 7, 2011

Featured thread.

January 7, 2011

good words of advice :whattodo

January 7, 2011

justn8 · January 7, 2011

Great thread! Working harder for less is always a great deal for everyone except who it really counts for, yourself. Charge more, do quality work for respectable customers, and if you still have free time left over, diversify!

coast2coasttinting · January 7, 2011

great post every new tinter on here should really read this one :dunno

Tint Wife · January 7, 2011

Very good advice Pierce, I wish more people got it :dunno

coast2coasttinting · January 7, 2011

the only thing i can say about competing with the low ballers is this. I do keep a line film which i will not name. Due to it's cheap nature. I only use it when someone wants a really really cheap job done, and i only give them a 1 yr warranty even though the film is supose to be a 3 yr. I do not advertize this film. Also i do not recommend this film. I only keep it for the occasional cheap azz that i just can't get to pay for something of better quaility.

micro-edge · January 7, 2011

Really great advice there! :dunno

TintJunkie · January 7, 2011

Its a never ending battle/story with the low ballers. I get calls all the time by "shoppers" who tell me Im x amount higher than the next guy. With auto, I never negotiate...EVER! Customers think that I should be surprised that Im $60-$80 more. Maybe it would be different if I did more retail auto, but right now, I just dont care if Im higher. I always tell the customer they are more than welcome to go to the other guy, and dont bother to tell them why I am higher...only b/c for a customer to make the "your higher" statement tells me there is no reason to try and convince them why I am higher.