How much?” If your standard response to that question is “Check DM,” you might be sabotaging your own sales.
Consumers today value transparency and speed above almost everything else. During an insightful session of the Afternoon Show on August 10, Richmond Asare, a marketing and branding strategist unpacked the hidden costs of poor customer feedback loops and the outdated “DM for price” culture that is quietly driving customers straight into the arms of competitors.
In the age of instant reviews and hyper-connected consumers, treating customer service as an afterthought is a luxury no business can afford.
Yet, every day, promising ventures bleed loyal customers simply because they refuse to display their price tags and take days to reply to a simple DM. Concealing prices creates immediate friction.
According to Richmond, modern buyers view hidden prices as a red flag indicating unpredictability, overpricing, or a lack of transparency.
As a suggestion, he encourages entrepreneurs to display prices clearly, as it weeds out unqualified browsers and pre-qualifies buyers who are ready to purchase, saving both parties time.
He raises further concerns that leaving customer messages unread or replying days later signals unreliability. In a competitive market, the brand that replies first usually wins the sale.
Richmond also mentions that many small business owners take negative feedback personally, reacting defensively or ignoring complaints altogether.
To fix this, he recommends a shift in mindset. Poor or critical feedback is free market research. Publicly and politely addressing a misstep builds massive trust with onlookers who are watching how business owners handle pressure.
At the end of the day, running a successful small business isn’t just about having a great product. Rather, it is about removing every single barrier between the customer and the checkout button.
The question every business owner needs to ask themselves now is simple: Are your daily habits driving customers in, or are you the one turning them away?
By Gideon Agyemang
