[thelist] re:site price help

[Oliver Lineham]

At 19:23 17/07/00 -0700, you wrote:

>Can someone explain to me why members of the web community do not want to 
>discuss the prices that they charge for their skills? I have noticed on 
>numerous occassions when anyone posts a question about a price including 
>myself that the response is often nil or one suggestion that is so airy 
>fairy it doesn't answer the question anyway.

two big reasons.

1.  It's kinda illegal  -  not that I think discussion on thelist about 
pricing would land anyone in trouble.  Competitors discussing prices is 
seen as anticompetitive behaviour, and is illegal in the US, New Zealand, 
Australia, Britain (I think?) and probably throughout europe.   Basically 
if we are all talking about our prices, the market price might be held 
artificially high - not good for the customer!

2.  It's kinda sensitive.  The same reason why store owners don't blatently 
walk into each other's shops with a clipboard noting down the 
prices.  (They do spy, but do it secretly).  If you are vying for the same 
customers as I, and you know what I am charging, you can undercut 
me.  Which means I might have to lower my prices, and earn less money than 
I might otherwise - not good for me!

Of course, I'm in New Zealand.  I know of only a couple of other people 
reading this who are even in the same country.  But overseas, I imagine the 
concern would be greater.

</ol>

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