“Should we have prices on the website?” is possibly the most debated question for local businesses.
The arguments for prices:
- Customers want to know before they get in touch
- Filters out wrong-fit customers early
- Builds trust through transparency
- Sets you apart from competitors who hide
The arguments against:
- Prices vary too much per job
- Competitors see and copy
- Customers react negatively without context
- We want to talk to the customer first
Both sides have a point. But there are wrong answers — and “hide all prices without explanation” is often one of them.
One thing to keep in mind in Sweden: the Consumer Agency’s Price Information Act (1991:601) requires traders to inform consumers of the price of goods and services — in shops and in marketing. That doesn’t mean an exact price always has to be on the website, but for standardised consumer services price information is required by law. To read the law itself: konsumentverket.se. This article is about strategy, not regulatory compliance — but it’s worth knowing that the rock-bottom “no price information at all” isn’t always allowed for B2C.
Here’s pragmatic guidance industry by industry.
When you should publish prices
Simple services with stable prices
Hairdressers: “Men’s cut 450 SEK”, “Women’s cut from 650 SEK”. Works directly. Customers want to know.
Cafés/restaurants: Menu with prices online. Standard.
Nail salons: “Manicure 350 SEK”, “Gel polish 450 SEK”. Works.
Standardised services: Vehicle inspection, tyre change, etc. Fixed prices, publish them.
Services with clear ranges
Tradespeople: “Emergency callout 850 SEK + labour 850 SEK/h”. Clear.
Cleaning firms: “Home cleaning from 35 SEK/m² after RUT”. Clear.
Dentists: “Standard examination 1,200 SEK (600 SEK after dental subsidy)”. Clear. (Note: actual dental subsidy amounts are adjusted by Försäkringskassan, so use example prices or refer customers to forsakringskassan.se for the current subsidy.)
For these industries, price transparency is almost always a plus.
It’s less about whether to publish a price and more about how. Studies of e-commerce conversion have long shown that visible price is one of the strongest single trust signals — the Baymard Institute places price absence among the top 5 reasons visitors leave without converting. That reasoning also applies to local service businesses.
When you can choose not to publish
Genuinely complex services where price varies dramatically
Law: Price per case can vary from a few thousand to hundreds of thousands depending on complexity. Publishing “from 1,500 SEK” can give the wrong impression.
B2B consulting: Custom solutions where price is a function of scope + time + complexity.
Renovation firms (larger jobs): Entirely project-dependent.
For these: be transparent about why you don’t publish a price. Not hiding — explaining.
Example:
“Pricing for legal services varies based on case type and complexity. We always do a free first consultation where we discuss scope and give a concrete quote before we begin. For standardised services (contract review, simple registrations) there are fixed prices from 2,500 SEK.”
This is honest + gives the customer a sense of range.
The worst choice: hide without explanation
What never works well: no price information at all + no explanation why.
It signals either:
- “It’s so expensive you have to ask us”
- “We have no idea what to charge”
- “We adjust the price based on what the customer seems willing to pay”
None of this is good for trust.
How to publish prices smartly
1. Use “from-prices” where exact price varies. “From 450 SEK” is more concrete than “contact for price”.
2. Explain what affects price. “Price varies based on hair length and need for extra colouring.”
3. Show price in context. Not just “1,800 SEK” but “1,800 SEK for standard service (2-3 hours)”.
4. Include RUT/ROT/insurance affiliation where relevant. “1,800 SEK — 900 SEK after RUT.”
5. Use standard prices + ‘Custom’. For businesses with both standardised and custom services — show standard prices, plus “Larger or special needs: contact for a quote”.
6. Update prices in time. One of the most common complaints in reviews: “The website said 450 SEK but I had to pay 550 SEK.” If you’ve raised the price in store you also have to do it on the website, the GBP menu, the Bokadirekt profile and the Instagram bio link. Inconsistent prices are worse than hidden prices — it damages trust immediately.
Industry-specific nuances in Sweden
RUT and ROT services (cleaning, trades, gardening): Show both the full price and the price after the deduction. The customer thinks in cost after the deduction — that’s where the purchase decision happens. “1,200 SEK → 600 SEK after RUT” is much stronger than “1,200 SEK (RUT-eligible)”.
Services with VAT differences: Some customer segments (businesses) think exclusive of VAT, others (consumers) think inclusive of VAT. Write which applies. For B2C services: always inclusive of VAT per the Consumer Agency.
Services with strong seasonality: If price varies between low and high season, say so. “Summer prices from X, winter prices from Y.” Showing only the low-season price without caveats creates disappointed customers.
Booking sites (Bokadirekt, Boka.se): Many hairdressers and salons use these as their de facto price list. Then it’s often enough that the website links there instead of duplicating. But keep them in sync — if prices differ between the website and Bokadirekt it triggers mistrust.
Price vs value question
A common worry: “People react to the price without understanding the value.”
That’s partly true. But it’s also often the opposite — people react more to the lack of price than to the price itself. Absence creates assumption. Assumption is often worse than reality.
Better to be transparent + explain the value than to hide + hope for a call.
The practical first step
For your website today:
- List your main services. Which have stable prices? Which vary?
- For stable: Publish the price or from-price.
- For variable: Write a range + explanation.
- For complex: Explain why not + offer a free quote.
- Never: Hide without explanation.
The change takes hours. Effect on conversion: often noticeable within 30 days.
When competitors use price against you
Common worry: “If we publish a price the competitor will beat us on price.”
In practice: the competitor already knows what you charge — they’ve either called and got a quote, or heard from customers. Price information on a public website doesn’t change the competitor’s negotiating position against you.
What you can do is deliberately communicate value alongside price to shift the comparison from pure price to value + price. If your competitor shows only “Cut 450 SEK” and you show “Cut 550 SEK — 60 min with personal consultation, hair wash and styling included” — then you’re no longer in the same comparison. That’s how premium positioning combines with price transparency.
Hiding the price to protect yourself from price competition is almost always an illusion of control. Showing the price and explaining the value is the actual strategy.
Want to go deeper? Read Service page that sells or The website that actually creates customers.