DIRECT ANSWER
Publish a price when it accurately describes something a customer can buy. When the work varies, explain the starting scope, a supported range or the information required for a quote. Our recommendation is to make the buying conditions clear without presenting an estimate as a commitment.
Start with the scope behind the number
A price without a defined deliverable leaves an unanswered question: what does that amount cover? Before deciding what belongs on the website, write down the service, quantity or duration, material exclusions and circumstances that change the amount.
If the same deliverable has an approved fixed price, state both together. If the work cannot be priced until the business reviews the customer's situation, explain that review. Do not manufacture a range simply to fill a pricing section.
This is an SIS content framework. It does not establish that publishing a price will increase inquiries or that every business should publish the same level of detail.
Choose the format your facts support
| Format | Use it when | Explain alongside it |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed price | A defined scope has an approved price | Included work, quantity, exclusions and applicable conditions |
| Starting price | A real base scope is available at that amount | What the base covers and which additions change the total |
| Supported range | The business has an approved basis for both endpoints | Which scopes the endpoints describe and what remains outside the range |
| Custom quote | Material requirements must be reviewed first | What you need to know and how the quote is developed |
These are publishing choices, not a ranking system. One service may use fixed pricing while another requires a quote.
Choose a pricing format
Use the table above: start at the first row whose condition your approved facts support. If none apply, explain how the quote is developed.
Make the variable understandable
For custom work, replace a vague “prices vary” statement with the actual variables your business uses. These could include quantity, selected scope or conditions identified during a review, but only publish variables that genuinely apply.
Explain what the customer can prepare before contacting you. If a visit, document review or consultation is required, say whether it is part of the quote process and disclose any approved charge. Do not invent turnaround promises or describe an estimate as a final price.
The service-page guide shows where this explanation belongs alongside fit, exclusions and next steps.
Keep the page and inquiry consistent
Read the pricing explanation, button and destination as one sequence. A button labeled “Request a quote” should lead to the information needed for that request. It should not unexpectedly demand payment or detailed client onboarding.
When the visitor needs to calculate a defined quantity, a calculator may help. If the inputs cannot support a reliable output, use a short explanation or intake instead. Compare assessments, forms and calculators before adding a tool.
Keep the service page, pricing page and relevant customer answers aligned when an approved price changes. Our content-maintenance guide provides a practical record for that work.
Make the next conversation useful
Bring the deliverable, approved pricing basis and exclusions together before rewriting the page. If those facts are unresolved, resolve them inside the business first. Website copy cannot turn an undefined offer into a dependable quote.
At So It Sticks, we use the approved offer to plan the customer path. Tell us which pricing questions your website needs to answer.
Sources and method
The pricing matrix is SIS editorial guidance, not an externally measured finding. No third-party pricing or conversion statistic is claimed. Further guidance on choosing customer questions is in Which Customer Questions Belong on My Website?.