How the customer sees it
Imagine you are looking for a plumber or a hairdresser. You open three websites: two show prices, the third says “individual pricing, please call”. Which one do you call? Most people call the one where they know in advance what they are getting into. A price you keep secret does not protect the customer from a shock, it just sends them to a competitor who wrote theirs down.
And there is a bit of trust in it too: visible prices say “I have nothing to hide, no invoice of mine will surprise you”. That is exactly what people want to hear from a tradesman and from a salon alike.
Three worries and how much truth is in them
“The competition will undercut me.” The competition will find out your prices anyway, all they have to do is call and ask as a customer. A hidden price list does not protect you from competitors, it only drives customers away. And anyone who chooses purely on the lowest price would not have bought from you anyway; losing them does not hurt.
“Every job is different.” True, and yet the price can still be indicated. The customer does not need an invoice in advance. They need to know whether we are talking hundreds, thousands or tens of thousands. A range is enough for that.
“Prices tie my hands.” An indicative price list ties nothing; for a non-standard job you can always quote individually. Just say so honestly on the website: “Prices are indicative, I will give you an exact price after seeing the job.”
A price you keep secret does not protect the customer from a shock. It just sends them to a competitor who wrote theirs down.
How to do a price list when you cannot give an exact figure
A from-to range. “Tap replacement: CZK 800 to 1,500.” It covers the usual cases and the customer knows what to expect.
Typical jobs with a price. Three to five examples of what you do most often: “complete parquet sanding, three-room flat, from CZK X”. Works brilliantly for the trades.
Hourly rate + call-out fee. When you really cannot promise the scope, write your hourly rate and the travel charge. Even that is a hundred times better than “call us”.
For services with a fixed menu (salons, cafés) it is clear: the complete price list goes on the website. Fewer “how much is colouring” questions, more bookings from clients who have already made up their minds.
When not to put a price list on your website
Honestly: almost never. The exceptions are fields where the price is made up of many unknowns (large construction jobs, bespoke projects), but even there at least a line like “jobs usually start from CZK X” helps the customer get an idea. A completely empty “prices on request” page is a wasted opportunity.
By the way, that is exactly why I have a complete price list with final prices on my own website. I know first-hand that it works: people get in touch already decided and do not have to ask about the price. And how to recognise a fair website offer is something I wrote up in the article 7 things to check before you order a website.