Updated
Price increase message to customer
A price increase message to customer works when it lands early and answers the questions before they're asked: how much, from when, why, and what about orders already placed. The trap is the surprise. A customer who first learns the new price from an invoice feels tricked, even if the increase is fair. This page has messages for a first notice a month ahead, a reminder before the date, holding confirmed orders at the old price, a note for regulars, a distributor price list update, a pre-order window and a reply to pushback, plus four in Bahasa Malaysia.
Tap any green message to copy it.
When to send it
Tell customers before the price changes, never on the invoice. A month ahead suits most shops. Distributors and trade customers need longer, because they have their own customers and price lists to update. Send one notice early, then one reminder about a week before the date. Message regulars one by one rather than in a broadcast, since they're the ones most likely to leave.
1. First notice, a month ahead
Use as the main announcement.
2. Percentage increase across a range
Use when many items change and listing them would be too long.
3. Reminder, one week before
Use to prompt orders before the cutoff.
4. Confirmed orders held at the old price
Use for customers with open or recurring orders.
5. To a regular
Use for long-time customers. Personal, and they hear it first.
6. To a distributor or reseller
Use when they need time to update their own prices.
7. Reply to pushback
Use when a customer says the new price is too high.
8. Service or monthly rate change
Use for retainers, tuition, cleaning, maintenance and other recurring fees.
In Bahasa Malaysia
Notis awal
Peringatan seminggu sebelum
Pelanggan tetap
Pengedar
What not to send
- A new price with no start date. Customers will argue it applies from whenever suits them.
- A long apology. It signals you're unsure the increase is fair, and invites haggling.
- The increase announced in a busy group first. Regulars should hear it from you directly, not alongside strangers.
- A different price for whoever complains loudest. Word travels between customers, especially resellers.
Stop typing these by hand
Cupbots runs on your own WhatsApp number. It takes orders, sends invoices with a pay-link and answers "any update?" in the chats you already use, so messages like these go out on time without you.
Get it set up for you →FAQ
How do you tell customers about a price increase?
Send a short message with the new price or percentage, the date it starts, the main reason in one line, and what happens to orders already placed. Send it at least two to four weeks ahead for retail customers, and longer for trade customers who quote your price to their own buyers.
Do I need to explain why prices are going up?
Give one honest reason, such as a supplier increase, higher delivery costs or a change in tax. Don't write a paragraph. A long explanation sounds like an apology, and invites the customer to argue with each point. Customers accept a clear reason far more easily than none at all.
Should existing orders keep the old price?
Yes, for anything confirmed or paid before the effective date. Changing the price on an order you already accepted is the fastest way to lose a regular. Say it in the first message, so customers don't need to ask, and set a cutoff date for orders at the old price.
How do I reply when a customer complains about the new price?
Acknowledge it, restate the reason once, and offer something within your margin: a smaller pack, a bulk price, or one last order at the old rate before the cutoff. Don't cut the increase for one customer quietly. Others will hear about it.
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