On Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:52:58 -0500, "Karl Townsend"
wrote:

I'm curious, how do you think a small business should do it?

My costs are up SHARPLY. I feel if I just raise prices 25% my customers
will bolt. I'm thinking of ways to disguise part of the increase and not
chase everybody away. In my case, I used to give oversize packaging; buy a
10# peck, you get 12# of apples. I also used to be very fussy on grading out
ANY defect.

My plan, at this point, is to reduce the package size, let minor defects go,
and only raise prices slightly, just under 10%.

Every other small business is in the same boat. For my 2 cents, I think
we're looking at serious inflation after the fall elections. Ag products
just seem to be getting hit first. (been to the grocery lately?)

Karl

I would try the honest, up front way first. Tell people that
fuel, fertilizer, packaging... prices are up and you need to
charge more, you wish you didn't need too, but you would
like to stay in business.

Offer a bit better price on "culls" and let people know that
they are imperfect apples, but perfectly edible. They just
aren't pretty.

See how it goes...

--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI/Zone 5b
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