How to Reply When a Customer Asks "How Much?"
"How much?" is the most expensive message in Ghanaian business. Sending just the price loses sales. How to reply so the conversation moves toward payment, with scripts.
A customer messages: "How much?"
Your staff reply: "GH₵ 350."
Silence. The customer never replies, and nobody messages them again.
This happens thousands of times a day across Ghana. It's one of the most expensive conversations in business, because you paid for that enquiry with advertising, content or time, and a three-word reply threw it away.
Why the bare price fails
When you send only the price, the customer has nothing to weigh it against. They don't know the quality, delivery, payment options or why yours is worth it. So they compare on price alone, often with a cheaper seller, and leave.
You also end the conversation. There's nothing for them to reply to.
The structure of a good reply
- Greet them by name. It's personal and warm.
- Give the price. Don't dodge it; that feels evasive.
- Add value. One or two things that make it worth the price.
- Remove a fear. Delivery, payment on delivery, guarantee.
- Ask an easy question. Something that keeps the conversation moving toward the sale.
Examples
Fashion:
Hi Abena, thanks for asking! This dress is GH₵ 350. It's fully lined, so it's not see-through, and comes in sizes 8 to 18. We deliver in Accra the same day, and you can pay with MoMo or when it arrives. What size do you wear?
Electronics:
Hello Kojo, the phone is GH₵ 4,800, brand new and sealed, with a 6-month warranty. You can check it before paying on delivery in Accra and Kumasi. Would you like the 128GB or 256GB version?
Services:
Hi Mrs Owusu, our home cleaning starts from GH₵ 450 for a 3-bedroom, including all materials. Our cleaners are vetted and insured. Which day works best for you this week?
Food:
Hi Yaw, the party pack is GH₵ 280 and feeds 8 to 10 people. Delivered hot to Tema by 7pm if you order before 3pm. How many people are you expecting?
Questions that move the sale
End with a question that's easy to answer and assumes interest:
- "What size do you wear?"
- "Black or brown?"
- "Should we deliver today or tomorrow?"
- "Is it for you or a gift?"
- "Where should we deliver to?"
Avoid "Are you interested?". It's easy to say no to.
When they say "it's too expensive"
Don't immediately discount. Explain value, offer alternatives, or break the price down. See how to handle price objections.
When they go quiet
Follow up, politely, with something useful: a review, a photo, an answer to a likely doubt. See follow-up messages that bring quiet customers back.
Make it a quick reply
Write the best reply for each of your main products and save them as quick replies in WhatsApp Business. Personalise the name and send. Your whole team then gives your best answer every time. See how to write a sales script your team will use.
Better still: show the price first
Many "how much?" messages can be avoided by putting prices in your adverts, captions, catalogue and product pages. People who message after seeing the price are more serious.
If you'd like reply scripts written for your business, see our WhatsApp marketing and sales scripts service.