What is The Pricing Conundrum?

Pricing is one of the most significant decisions an entrepreneur or manager can make for their business. And as consumers, prices have dramatic effects on our buying decisions, personal finances, and our enjoyment of our purchases.

Pricing is an endlessly fascinating subject, an amalgamation of consumer psychology, microeconomics & marketing which throws up new phenomena, serious outcomes, and unintended consequences week in and week out. There’s always something new and interesting to look at and learn from.

In The Pricing Conundrum, I am leaning on my two-plus decades of academic research expertise and consulting experience to look into pricing matters from different industries using my own unique perspective.

In each occasional email, I will cover one or more pricing issues. My take on pricing stories in the news, and my interpretation & assessment of academic pricing research, and what it means for managers and consumers is fair game. From time to time, I will post a detailed discussion about one particular pricing concept or phenomenon. There will also be detailed case studies of pricing decisions that illustrate best practice or lessons from pricing decisions gone wrong, and discussions and explanations of pricing tools.

If you’re a consultant or manager, I want to contribute to your professional pricing acumen. For entrepreneurs, I want to help you navigate the consequential pricing decisions you have to make to launch new products and services and grow your customer base. If you are a consumer, I want to help you make smarter, more informed shopping decisions.

Why subscribe to The Pricing Conundrum?

Subscribe now to receive occasional emails about pricing strategy and psychological pricing by marketing professor and pricing expert, Utpal Dholakia, through the newsletter and website. You will also get advance access to Utpal’s new books and articles on pricing issues. Subscription to most of the content here is free; paid subscriptions are also available if you want to support the author.

The Newsletter is Free. Paid Subscribers Get Some Extras

Subscription to the newsletter is free. The paid subscription includes subscriber-only posts from time to time, and access to a five-year archive of price case studies, analysis, educational content, and the community.

The paid version of the subscription is priced at $7 a month, or $50 annually. Every annual subscriber will also receive PDF versions of my books, How to Price Effectively: A Guide for Managers & Entrepreneurs, and Priced to Influence, Sell & Satisfy.

FAQs

How can I read an update on The Pricing Conundrum?

You can read an update for subscribers sent by email, or on the website. If you click through from the email, you will be automatically logged into the site. The entire archive is available to paid subscribers.

Can I forward the emails you send me?

You are welcome to share the emails and free posts with your colleagues and friends, and with anyone who may benefit from this information. I appreciate your interest and support.

Subscribe to The Pricing Conundrum

Providing insight into pricing concepts and strategy, best practices, case studies, & academic pricing research from a variety of industries.

People

Marketing professor at Rice University & independent consultant. Writes about marketing and consumers.