How to Raise Taxidermy Prices Without Losing Customers
Material costs have risen 25% since 2020 - forms, tannery fees, chemicals, wire, glass eyes. If you haven't raised your prices to match, you're absorbing that cost out of your own pocket. That's not sustainable, and most taxidermists know it. The hard part isn't deciding to raise prices. The hard part is telling customers without losing the ones you worked hard to build.
Shops that communicate price increases proactively retain 85% of affected customers. The ones that get quietly slapped with a higher price at pickup without warning are the ones who complain, leave, and tell their friends.
TL;DR
- Shops that communicate price increases proactively retain 85% of affected customers.
- Mid-August to September 1st is ideal for most deer-focused shops.
- Material costs have risen 25% since 2020 - forms, tannery fees, chemicals, wire, glass eyes.
- Spend 30 minutes checking your nearest competitors' pricing.
- If you're already at the top of the local range, a modest 10-15% increase is easier to justify than jumping 30%.
- Here's a tactic worth considering: announce the new pricing effective January 1st of the next year, but offer to lock in current pricing for any work booked before November 1st with a deposit.
Timing: When to Announce a Price Increase
The optimal time to announce a price increase is in the off-season, not during deer season. Mid-August to September 1st is ideal for most deer-focused shops. That gives you time to communicate before hunters are actively booking, and it creates a natural opportunity to drive pre-season deposits at your current rate.
Here's a tactic worth considering: announce the new pricing effective January 1st of the next year, but offer to lock in current pricing for any work booked before November 1st with a deposit. You're incentivizing early booking AND preparing customers for the change - all in the same communication.
Avoid announcing price increases in the middle of your busiest intake window. Customers who come in stressed during gun week aren't in the right mindset to process the news calmly. You want them focused on their deer, not mentally comparing your new rates to the shop across town.
How Much to Raise: Knowing the Ceiling
Before you decide on a number, know your local market. Spend 30 minutes checking your nearest competitors' pricing. Call them if you have to. If you're already at the top of the local range, a modest 10-15% increase is easier to justify than jumping 30%.
If you've been significantly underpricing (a very common problem - see the taxidermy pricing calculator to check your actual costs), you may need to make a larger adjustment. The right approach there is phasing it in over two seasons rather than one jump. A 15% increase this year followed by another 10% next year is easier for customers to absorb than 25% at once.
Early pre-season pricing announcements generate deposits before the increase takes effect. That cash flow benefit is real - take advantage of it.
How to Communicate: The Right Framing
The framing of your price increase message matters enormously. Don't apologize. Don't get defensive. Frame it around what it means for quality and your own sustainability.
Here's a sample message for past customers:
"Hi [name], I'm writing to let you know that my prices for the upcoming deer season are increasing by [X]%. Tannery costs and form prices have climbed steadily over the past few years, and this increase keeps my quality of materials and turnaround time where you expect it. Any work booked and deposited before [date] is locked at this season's current pricing."
That's it. Direct, honest, and offers something of value. You're not asking for sympathy - you're running a business, and they understand that.
For social media, post a one-time announcement that's factual and confident. Don't post about it multiple times. One clear announcement is professional. Multiple apologetic posts look uncertain.
Who to Notify First
Notify your best repeat customers first, before making a public announcement. A personal message - even a text - to your top 20-30 customers creates goodwill and gives them the chance to book before the announcement goes out broadly.
This is one area where a taxidermy shop repeat customer strategy pays off directly. Customers who feel valued and personally informed are far more likely to book than those who see a generic social media post.
Handling Pushback
Some customers will push back. A small number may leave. Accept this as a cost of running a sustainable business.
For customers who call to complain, stay calm and explain the reasoning once. Don't negotiate your way back to your old price - it signals that your new price wasn't real and invites further pressure. If they leave, they leave. Customers who can't accept a reasonable price increase based on real cost changes aren't your best customers.
The harder reality is that the customers most likely to complain about a 10-15% price increase are usually among your most time-consuming and least profitable. The hunters who value quality work - the ones who refer their friends - generally understand that good work costs more than it did three years ago.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I raise my taxidermy prices?
The best window is August through September, before hunters start actively booking for deer season. This gives you time to communicate the increase before the season rush, and it creates a natural opportunity to offer a deposit incentive at current pricing. Avoid announcing increases during gun season intake when customers are already managing the stress of the field. If you're implementing a large increase, consider phasing it over two seasons - a 15% increase this year followed by 10% next year is easier for customers to accept than a 25% jump at once.
How do I communicate a price increase to existing taxidermy customers?
Be direct and confident, not apologetic. Send a message to past customers before making a public announcement. Frame the increase around the real cause - rising material, tannery, and overhead costs - and offer a concrete benefit such as locking in current pricing for work booked with a deposit by a specific date. Personal messages to your best repeat customers first, before a broader social media announcement, builds goodwill and incentivizes early booking. Don't over-explain or post multiple times about it. One clear, honest communication is all you need.
How much can I raise taxidermy prices before customers go to competitors?
This depends entirely on your local market. Research what competitors are charging before deciding on a number. If you're already at the top of the local range, a 10-15% increase is easier to justify than 20-30%. If you've been significantly underpricing, you may need a larger correction - which is best phased over two seasons. Most hunters who value quality work accept reasonable price increases tied to material cost increases. The customers who leave over a 10-15% price adjustment represent a small percentage of your base and tend to be the most price-sensitive segment anyway.
How does this apply to solo taxidermy shops?
The principles in this guide apply to solo shops just as they do to larger operations, though the scale differs. A single-person shop may have lower absolute volume but faces the same documentation, compliance, and customer communication requirements. The practical advice here scales down to any shop size.
What is the most common mistake taxidermists make with taxidermy shop pricing increase guide?
The most common mistake is treating taxidermy shop pricing increase guide as an afterthought rather than building it into the standard workflow from the start. Shops that encounter problems in this area typically did not establish clear processes before season, which means every situation becomes a one-off decision rather than a standard response.
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- Elk Season Taxidermy Management Guide: Western Shop Operations
- Regional Taxidermy Tannery Guide: Find the Best Tannery for Your Shop
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Sources
- National Taxidermists Association (NTA)
- US Fish & Wildlife Service
- Small Business Administration (SBA)
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