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Pricing Methods - Price Penetration

Price penetration is where a business tries to increase market share by offering a low initial price. Loss leaders work in a similar way to price penetration.

Increase market share

Increase market share

  • When these goods or services enter the market, a business can attract customers from established competitors.
    • Price penetration was used by Apple when they entered the market for activity trackers by launching the Apple Watch. The Apple Watch competed with products by businesses like Fitbit.
Lower short-term profits

Lower short-term profits

  • In the short term, price penetration can lead to lower average profits than would be earned with a higher price.
  • However, market share may be more important for the long-term profitability of a business.
Loss leaders

Loss leaders

  • Loss leaders are products or services that are sold by a business at a price where the business makes a loss (average revenue < average cost).
  • Loss leaders can attract new customers or sell to existing customers, in the hope that they make extra (incidental) purchases.
    • Dollar Shave Club offered to deliver a razor and new razor blades to your house for $1 every month. This was loss making, but it attracted customers who bought extra products.
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