You know this customer. They call, ask for a quote, and before you've even finished your explanation, they ask: "What's your best price?"
You quote. They go silent. A few days later, they're back: "I've got three other quotes. Can you beat this price?"
You shave 10% off. They go quiet again. Then: "I'm going with someone else — they came in cheaper."
You've spent hours on the job, stressed about pricing, and lost it anyway. This is the price shopper dynamic. And the solution isn't to drop your price even further. It's to stop working with these customers altogether.
What Exactly Is a Price Shopper?
A price shopper is someone whose primary decision criterion is cost, not value. When they're choosing between three quotes, the cheapest one wins, regardless of quality, timeline, guarantee, or references.
This is different from someone who's cost-conscious. A cost-conscious customer wants a fair price for good work. A price shopper wants the cheapest option, full stop.
You can usually identify them in the first interaction. They call and immediately ask about price before you've even understood what they need. They mention other quotes they're getting. They seem focused on driving you down rather than understanding what you do.
Here's the hard truth: price shoppers are not your customers. And you shouldn't pretend they are.
Why Price Shoppers Destroy Your Business
It's tempting to chase them. They represent easy leads. But the cost is enormous.
They consume your time disproportionately. A price shopper who takes three hours of your time to land a job (measuring, quoting, negotiating) that earns you £200 profit is stealing your resources. That's £67 per hour. Time spent on quality customers who accept your first quote at fair margins? Maybe £150 per hour.
They don't pay well. The customer who chose you because you're cheapest will always be looking for cheaper next time. You'll spend hours managing them, dealing with complaints about price, and eventually losing them. Then you start the cycle again with the next cheap customer.
They don't refer. Your best customers refer you to their friends because they were happy with the work and felt well treated. The customer who chose you based on price? They'll refer you to other people who want cheap work, which means more price shoppers. The referral chains get worse, not better.
They're harder to please. When the price is the main issue, expectations are lower. And when expectations are low, people notice small things and complain. The £400 job for the price shopper will feel harder than the £2,000 job for the quality customer.
They create pressure to cut corners. To maintain margins on cheap jobs, you're tempted to rush, use cheaper materials, or cut back on service. This damages your reputation more than the cheap job could ever earn you.
The Three Types of Objection You'll Face
The Upfront Price Question
"What does this cost?" asked before you've even understood the job. This is a disqualification signal. A real customer wants you to understand their needs before discussing price. A price shopper wants a number.
The Comparison Question
"I've got another quote for £400 less. Can you match it?" This signals they're shopping purely on price. A quality-conscious customer might ask why your quote is higher, and you can explain the difference. A price shopper just wants a number.
The Assumption Question
"I'm sure I can get this done cheaper elsewhere. Your price is too high." This isn't really a question — it's a statement. They're telling you they're looking for cheap, not quality. Respond differently.
How to Disqualify Price Shoppers Early
The goal is to identify these customers in the first call and move on, rather than wasting time on quotes they'll never accept.
Listen for the first question. If the first question is about price, not scope, you're probably looking at a price shopper. Politely say: "I'd love to help. But to give you an accurate price, I need to understand the job fully. When I come out for a survey, we'll talk through everything, and I'll give you a fair quote."
Don't quote on the phone. Phone quotes are the enemy of good pricing. They encourage price shopping. Instead, always say: "I'll come out and have a look, then give you a proper quote in writing." This filters out people who just want a number to shop around with.
Ask qualifying questions. "How soon do you need this done?" "Is this a one-time job or part of a larger project?" "What's most important to you — cost, speed, or quality?" Real customers answer these thoughtfully. Price shoppers get impatient.
Mention your process and guarantee. "I provide a full guarantee on my work and I'm available for follow-up issues." Price shoppers often disappear when they hear you're thorough and accountable. Quality customers appreciate it.
The builder who stopped chasing cheap quotes: A Sheffield builder was spending 40% of his time on price shoppers — quoting, negotiating, losing deals. He started disqualifying early. First question on the call: "What's your timeline?" If they seemed rush-focused and price-focused, he said he was booked. If they seemed serious, he scheduled a survey. His close rate went up from 30% to 65%, even though he saw fewer customers. His margins stayed healthy, and he spent less time managing difficult customers.
What to Say When They Push on Price
Once you've quoted, some customers will push back. Here's how to respond without caving:
If they say "I have a cheaper quote": "That's great. I'd ask what's different about their offer. Are they using the same materials? Same warranty? Same experience? If their price is genuinely lower and you'd prefer that, go with them. But if you want quality with certainty, I'm here." Then stop talking. Let them decide.
If they say "Your price is too high": "I understand cost matters. My price reflects experienced work, quality materials, and a guarantee. If you find someone cheaper, that's fine — but I'd ask what they're cutting to hit that price. I'd rather deliver great work than the cheapest work."
If they say "Can you come down?": "No. This is a fair price for the job. If the scope is smaller or you want to delay some of the work, we can adjust. But I won't discount the quality."
The key is to stop negotiating. Once you start dropping price, you've confirmed that your price was inflated. The customer will keep pushing.
Who You Should Be Chasing Instead
Instead of price shoppers, focus your effort on:
Referrals. People referred to you by happy customers come pre-sold. They already trust you. They rarely price shop.
Emergency calls. Someone with a burst pipe doesn't have time to shop on price. They need it fixed now. These are profitable, fast conversions.
Planned project customers. People planning a renovation are usually willing to pay for quality because they're planning to live with the result. They're not price shopping — they're looking for the right fit.
Business-to-business customers. Landlords, property managers, and contractors usually care more about reliability than price. They want someone who will show up, do the work right, and be available if problems arise.
These customer types close faster, pay better, refer more, and cause fewer headaches. They're worth 10x the effort compared to price shoppers.
The Confidence It Takes
Walking away from a potential customer is hard. Your instinct is to chase every lead, especially when work is slow. But a price shopper during a quiet month is still a price shopper.
The tradspeople who win are the ones who are selective about who they work with. They'd rather have three quality customers with good margins and long-term relationships than ten cheap customers with thin margins and constant stress.
Price shoppers will always exist. Your job is to be the person who doesn't need them.