Does being more expensive mean better quality and results? Many people believe that when an item or service costs more it must mean that it's because the quality or service is better. Some times, that is true. I admit I am a name brand shopper,
particularly when it comes to food and groceries. I'm sorry but in my opinion, my Haggen-Dazs ice cream tastes way better than any other national or store brand out there. And I like my Bounty pper towels and Quilted Northern toilet tissue a lot better than those other supposed leading brands.
And when it comes to service providers there is a certain satellite TV company that I much prefer over its competitor and those cable companies. I pay more for my dry cleaning because the cheap guys ruined a couple of my suits. So yes, there are times when the cost does mean better quality and results.
But this is not always the case. Take home staging for example. I don't know of a single stager who will disclose their pricing strategy, myself included. Our course instructors advised us to develop our pricing based on how much money we need to make to support ourselves. Using this strategy, it is quite easy to see why there would be such a variance in the pricing strategy of home staging companies.
There are times when you are paying for the name attached to the staging company. Think Los Angeles based Meridith Baer and Matthew Finlason for example. Extremely talented, highly reputable and respected. You pay for that. But at the same time, these people are staging for the uber rich, not your average home seller.
Some staging companies carry their own inventory so they have warehouse and storage overhead costs such as rent or a mortgage, insurance and so forth. Some have employees so they have payroll taxes and costs. Some may have an office outside the home. All of that has to be included in the pricing. But not all staging companies have these expenses.
Many staging companies consist of only the stager him or herself, such as my case. On occassion I hire extra help but for the most part, it's just me. I do not have a family to provide for nor do I have a spouse or significant other helping to support me. I do not live beyond my means so I do not have excessive bills and expenses. But I do have to support myself for today, tomorrow and the future. 
I still have to be able to put food on the table, gas in the car, save for rainy days and retirement. So based on the strategy I was taught to develop my pricing strategy upon, my costs may not be as high as others.
So when Pro Staged Homes submits a bid to a prospective client that comes in lower than some others, does that mean that my work is not as good as my competitors? That I am using cheap furniture and accessories? Absolutely not. Don't get me wrong, my prices are not the cheapest, but I am also not the most expensive. I pride myself on the service and quality I provide and every one of my clients will tell you I go above and beyond what is expected. In the home staging business, word-of-mouth and referrals are the biggest form of advertising and source of work.
You still need to use caution when hiring a stager, or for any business or person for that matter. There are those who give you a low bid and their portfolio will show you why their bid is so low. When hiring a professional home stager be sure to get their statistics and portfolio results because those two items will tell you exactly what you're getting for your money.
PROVEN RESULTS IN PRICED RIGHT-STAGED HOMES SALES!
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