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It’s Only Common Sense: Pricing PCBs? It’s All in Their Heads

Let’s talk about pricing—not the math, the spreadsheets, or the cost-plus formula your finance guy loves—but the actual game: perception. With PCBs, as in every business, customers don’t buy the cheapest product; they buy what they can justify. Nobody brags about getting the cheapest PCB; they brag about getting the best deal. They don’t say, “Look how little I paid.” They say, “Here’s why I went with these guys. They’re reliable, AS9100 certified, and their engineering team saved my design from disaster.” If you’re trying to win jobs by being the lowest bidder, you’re not competing; you’re commoditizing yourself. Once you do that, good luck climbing back up the value ladder. You’re no longer a partner; you’re a line item on a spreadsheet.

Price Is a Story
Smart shops understand that pricing isn’t just a number. It says something about who you are, what you deliver, and how much you believe in your own work. When you lead with price, you’re saying, “Please pick me.” When you lead with value, you’re saying, “Here’s why we’re the best choice.” Your story must be tight, and you must be confident, because if you’re not sold on your price—if you hesitate, discount, stammer, or dodge—the buyer smells it like blood in the water. Confidence sells. Uncertainty kills. I’ve seen too many board shops panic at a whiff of a price objection. They fold like a cheap lawn chair. “We can knock 10% off,” they blurt out, before the customer finishes the sentence. You just told them your value was negotiable, and they were right to doubt you.

Anchoring Works. Use It
Price anchoring isn’t simply a fancy MBA term. It’s sales psychology 101. You show the most expensive option first, even if you know they probably won’t take it, because it sets the stage and makes every other option look more reasonable. Let’s say that your premium rush job—a 24-hour turnaround, full testing, high-layer count—is $10,000. That’s your anchor. Suddenly, your standard five-day $4,800 option doesn’t look expensive. It looks like a deal. Same boards, different perceptions. You’re not manipulating; you’re educating and showing the spectrum of value. You’re helping the buyer understand what goes into the work and what they get for the money.

Discounts Aren’t Always Deals
Let’s tackle the discount trap. I’m not saying you can never offer a discount, but there’s a big difference between a planned incentive and a panic drop. Here’s the danger: discounting becomes a habit, and soon, your customers expect it. They ask for one even when they’re ready to buy. You’ve trained them to wait until you blink. Instead, build such a strong value case that the results, not the discount, are the reason they say ‘yes’. Say it with me: “Here’s why it’s worth every penny.” Not, “Here’s 10% off.” Say it again if necessary. Tape it to your monitor.

Scarcity and Urgency Still Work
We’re wired to react to scarcity and urgency. “Only two slots left this month” gets attention. “Lead times are tightening fast; we can hold this slot for 24 hours,” stirs action. This isn’t trickery; it’s clarity. If your production schedule is tight, say it. If your quote is only valid for five days, stick to it. That’s not pressure; it’s professional. It shows you run an actual operation, not a flea market. Urgency works when it’s real, and scarcity works when it’s earned, so don’t fake it, but don’t hide it either.

Frame Around Value, Not Cost
Nobody cares what your material costs are or is losing sleep over your laminate pricing, your copper weight, or what you paid for ENIG. They care about the results—if their boards arrive on time, pass inspection, and make their product work. So, stop framing price around your cost structure. Instead, frame it around their outcomes. What happens if they choose the wrong supplier? What’s the cost of late delivery, bad impedance, or poor solder mask registration? You’re not selling PCBs. You’re selling certainty, and that’s worth paying for.

I once had a shop owner tell a client, “We’re not the cheapest because we don’t play guessing games with your deadlines.” That customer was a repeat client for years. That’s value framing, and it works.

Own Your Price or It Will Own You
PCB buyers talk to a lot of suppliers. Most sound the same and try to “sharpen their pencils.” If you want to stand out, don’t sharpen; stand firm. Say, “Here’s our price and why it makes sense.” Back it up with testimonials, delivery stats, and a sales engineer who knows what impedance is. Confidence builds trust, and trust makes price make sense. So, stop racing to the bottom. There’s nothing down there but regret, low margins, and sleepless nights.

Pricing is a trust game. It’s about being clear, credible, and confident. If your pricing feels like a panic button, fix your pitch, not your price. Your customers don’t need another bargain; they need a partner who gets it right the first time. So, write your price like it means something, say it like you believe it, and deliver it like a pro.

It’s only common sense.

Dan Beaulieu is president of D.B. Management Group.