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Setting retail prices and margins that hold up

Work out a retail price from provider cost, gateway fees and the time you spend on support.

Illustration of a rising graph used to plan prices and marginsPricing

Start from your real cost

Your cost for a service is the provider price plus the share of the gateway fee for the top-up that paid for it. Write both down for each service you plan to sell: airtime, data bundles, electricity, cable TV.

Expect thin margins on airtime

Airtime and data margins are usually small, and customers compare prices. Bill payments and convenience often matter more than a few naira. Price for the customer you want to keep, not the lowest number in the market.

Price in the time you spend on support

Every failed or delayed transaction takes time to investigate. If you price so low that one support conversation wipes out a day’s margin, the business will not hold up as volume grows.

Review prices regularly

Provider prices and gateway fees change. Nova lets you update retail prices in the admin console. Set a reminder to review your price list and margins every month, and after any provider notice.

These articles provide general guidance. Confirm the costs, compatibility and requirements for your own setup before you commit.

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