Starting a laundry business comes with its set of questions, especially when it comes to pricing your services right. How can you tailor your pricing strategy to cover costs, beat the competition, and still appeal to your target market?
This article will answer just that.
Key Takeaways
The location and the economic situation of your customers matter in the pricing of your services.
It’s better to avoid a price war; focus on delivering quality laundry instead.
Minus the big laundry franchises, the average price for Wash-Dry-Fold services in the Philippines is around P27/kg or P45/load.
You might be wondering, “How should I price my services? Is this the sweet spot or should I aim higher or lower?”
Price List Sample
Below are sample prices you can use:
How Do You Price Your Laundry Services?
Pricing your laundry service boils down to several factors, tailored to your area and the type of customers you aim to serve. Here’s a simple breakdown to help you iron out your pricing strategy:
Margin Matters: Your price should comfortably cover your costs and leave you with a decent margin. Run sample computations to come up with an estimated operating cost, then work your way back to finding a margin that works for you.
Competitor Check: Scope out your rivals, see what they charge, and gauge how the market reacts to their pricing. Are customers happy to pay at that price? Additionally, just because you’ve checked your competitors doesn’t mean you should imitate their prices.
Your price should reflect your brand. Do you want to be known as the budget-friendly option? Or maybe you fancy being the “high-end” laundry shop with higher price tags?
Avoid the Price War Pitfall: Engaging in a price war is a race to the bottom and it’s better to steer clear of it! Remember, quality wins over price every time.
For example, if people are willing to pay at a rate of P27/kg, why should you drop yours to P25/kg? A mere P2/kg difference in price could mean a significant boost in laundry quality, and who wouldn’t pay extra for cleaner, fresher clothes?
Inflation Implications: With inflation, the price of goods including your laundry supplies will increase. If customers get too used to low costs, hiking them later might ruffle some feathers.
Not All Laundry is Created Equal: A one-price-fits-all model will backfire. Some items like jeans, comforters, or curtains hog more space, weight, and detergent, and therefore should command a higher price.
Special Services: Offering Wash-Dry-Press? Since pressing is labor-intensive, it should have separate costs. Any other special service like dry cleaning or custom laundry instructions (think ball gown) should have a separate – and more premium – pricing scheme.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, a well-thought-out pricing strategy that considers cost, quality, and market acceptance is your ticket to making your laundry business a success. So, take a thorough look at all these aspects, and set a price that makes sense for you and your customers.
