A visitor considering your service has a practical question: can I afford this? A page that says only “contact us for pricing” leaves that question open. You can answer it without promising the same price for every job.
Our recommendation is to publish the most useful guidance you can keep accurate. The five options below suit different ways of working. The examples are fictional writing examples, not market rates or Green Kauri customer results.
What should a customer learn from your pricing?
Customers should learn what they would pay for, what changes the amount, and how to get a confirmed price. A number needs enough context to be useful.
“From NZD 120” says little on its own. “From NZD 120 including GST for a regular clean of a one-bedroom flat; oven cleaning priced separately” describes an offer someone can assess. Use your real scope, currency and charges.
Keep the explanation beside the price. New Zealand's Commerce Commission says pricing must be accurate and unambiguous and warns against hiding extra charges in fine print.
1. When should you show a fixed price?
Show a fixed price when customers buy a clearly defined service and you can deliver the stated work for that amount. This suits standard appointments or packages.
A tutor might advertise “NZD 60 total for a 45-minute online lesson, including preparation and a short practice sheet”. The visitor knows the duration, format and included work before booking.
Add any limits: the age group, number of participants or number of revisions. Explain optional extras and recurring charges nearby. If the package only works for a narrow situation, name that situation before the booking button.
2. When is a price range more useful?
Use a range when similar jobs vary within boundaries you can support with recent work. Explain what puts a job near the lower or upper end.
A gardener could describe a small garden tidy with easy access separately from an overgrown garden needing waste removal. Use your own completed jobs to set the figures, then state which conditions the range covers.
A very wide range needs more explanation. If one-room and whole-house jobs cost very different amounts, give each its own example. Label approximate guidance clearly and explain how the customer gets a price for their particular job.
3. When does a starting price make sense?
Use a starting price when you have an entry service customers can actually buy at that amount. Describe exactly what qualifies for it.
A photographer might offer a basic studio session with one person, a set duration and three edited images. Travel, extra images and additional people could change the amount. Explain those differences beside the starting price.
Check whether the entry option still reflects your work. If nearly every customer needs extras, a typical range may explain the service better. “From” should help someone recognise a suitable option, rather than leave them guessing what the advertised figure buys.
4. When should you publish an hourly rate?
Publish an hourly rate when time is how you charge, and explain how that time is counted. The rate alone does not tell someone the likely bill.
Say whether it applies to one person or a team, whether there is a minimum booking, and how travel or materials are charged. A two-person cleaning team needs especially clear wording about the difference between team hours and hours per person.
Explain how you estimate the time before work starts. For an uncertain repair, describe any assessment fee and how you seek approval for further work. Customers need to understand both the charging method and the next decision.
5. What if every job needs a custom quote?
Explain how you calculate a quote when a published number would be unreliable. You can still give useful guidance about the factors that determine the cost.
A fencing business could list length, material, access, ground conditions and removal of the old fence. Ask for the location, rough measurements and photos, then explain whether a site visit is needed and whether it has a fee.
Be precise about “quote” and “estimate”. The Commerce Commission describes a quote as an offer at a specified price; an estimate gives an approximate amount or range based on experience. Make clear which you are providing.
Will showing prices put customers off?
It may put some people off, particularly if their budget does not fit your service. Whether that helps your business depends on the enquiries and booked work that follow.
Give visitors the context needed to judge value: what you do, what is included, and relevant examples of completed work. Explain a premium price through the actual service, such as more preparation or a longer appointment.
Competitors can read public prices too. If your work is highly bespoke, explain the quoting process without publishing confidential arrangements. You do not need to disclose your margins or every negotiated price to help a customer decide.
Where should prices appear on the website?
Put price guidance on the relevant service page, close to the description and next step. Visitors should be able to read the offer and cost together.
A separate pricing page can help customers compare packages. Keep the important limits visible on each service page too. Use readable page text so customers can select it, enlarge it and follow links to the details.
Our guide to clear service pages covers the surrounding content. Green Kauri's small-business websites provide a starting point for a new site; our xEO optimisation service helps improve how an existing site explains its services to search engines and AI tools.
What could a clearer pricing section look like?
A useful section combines the amount, included work, limits and next action. Here is a fictional cleaning example to adapt using your own facts.
Regular one-bedroom flat clean: NZD 120 including GST per visit. Includes the kitchen surfaces, one bathroom, dusting and floors. Cleaning products are included. Oven interiors and carpet shampooing are separate services. Send your suburb and preferred frequency so we can confirm availability and whether this package suits your home.
Before publishing, ask someone unfamiliar with your business to explain the offer back to you. If they cannot tell what is included or when the cost changes, revise the wording. Check the same section on a phone.
How can you tell whether the change helps?
Compare enquiry quality, booked work and time spent explaining prices before and after the change. Enquiry volume alone cannot tell you whether the page works better.
Start with one service page. Record the date and keep notes on how many enquiries fit the service, how many become bookings, and which pricing questions remain. Use comparable periods and note changes in traffic or promotions.
A handful of visits will not establish a reliable pattern. Treat early feedback as a clue. If enquiries remain weak, work through our guide to website visitors who do not enquire before assuming the price is the problem. Review published figures whenever your offer changes.
What else should you know about website pricing?
These answers cover common decisions about publishing and maintaining service prices.
Should every service have an exact price?
No. Publish an exact price when the included work is defined and you can deliver it for that amount. For variable work, give a realistic range or explain the factors behind a quote. Customers still need to know what information to send and what happens next.
Is a starting price enough on its own?
A starting price needs a description of the service available at that amount. State the included work, limits, currency and tax treatment, and explain extras nearby. If most customers need a different package, give them guidance about that option too so they can assess the likely cost.
Does publishing prices guarantee more enquiries?
No. Showing prices may change who contacts you, but it does not guarantee more enquiries or sales. Track whether enquiries fit your service and whether they lead to bookings. Compare similar periods, consider changes in visitor numbers, and ask customers which details helped or confused them.
How often should you check website prices?
Check website prices whenever your rates, packages, taxes or included work change. Assign someone to update every place the offer appears, including service pages, pricing pages and downloadable documents. A regular review can catch inconsistencies, but important changes should be reflected as soon as they take effect.