"Nice place but way overpriced." "£90 for that? No thanks." "Good work, but you'll pay for it."

Price complaints are unlike every other negative review, and most businesses reply to them exactly wrong. They apologise. They get defensive about costs. They offer a discount in the reply. All three make things worse.

Here's the reframe that fixes it: a price complaint is not a complaint about your business. It's a mismatch between what you charge and what that particular person expected to pay. Those are different problems and they need different replies.

Who is actually reading this reply

Think about who reads a review that says "too expensive."

Bargain hunters read it and cross you off. Fine — they were never going to be good customers, and losing them costs you nothing.

But the customer you actually want reads it too. They're looking for reassurance that the higher price buys something real. Your reply is the only chance you get to tell them what that is.

A price complaint is a free opportunity to explain your value to every future customer who was wondering the same thing.

Which means the correct reply doesn't defend the price. It justifies it — calmly, factually, without a hint of apology.

The four-part structure

Thank them, genuinely. No sarcasm, no "we're sorry you felt that way."
Acknowledge that you're not the cheapest. Own it directly. Trying to argue that you're actually good value sounds weak; stating plainly that you cost more sounds confident.
Explain what the price buys — concretely. Not "quality" and "service." Specifics: the material, the appointment length, the guarantee, the qualification, the provenance.
Close warmly, with no discount. Never offer money off in a public reply to a price complaint. You've just told everyone your prices are negotiable if they complain publicly.

12 examples

1. Restaurant, "overpriced"

Thanks for coming in and for the honest feedback. We're not the cheapest kitchen in the area and we've made that choice deliberately — the fish comes off the day boats and the bread is made here each morning, and both cost more than the alternatives. It won't be for everyone, and that's fair enough.

2. Salon, "expensive for a haircut"

Thank you for the feedback. Our cuts run 60 minutes rather than 30, and every stylist here has at least five years' training. That's where the difference in price sits. Glad you were happy with the result itself.

3. Trades, "quoted too high"

Appreciate you taking the time. Our quotes include parts, labour, and a two-year guarantee on the work — some quotes you'll see don't. Happy to walk you through the breakdown line by line if it's useful: [phone].

4. Hotel, "not worth the rate"

Thank you for staying with us and for the candid review. Our rates reflect the location and the fact that every room is serviced daily by our own staff rather than contractors. If specific things fell short of that standard during your stay, I'd genuinely like to know: [email].

5. Dental or medical practice

Thank you for the feedback. We appreciate that private treatment represents a significant cost. Our appointments are longer than average and we use [specific materials/technology], which is reflected in the fee. Our team is always happy to discuss costs and options before any treatment begins.

6. Retail, "cheaper online"

You're right that some of what we stock can be found cheaper online. What you get here is being able to try it, someone who knows the products, and a return you can walk in with. That's worth it to some people and not to others — no hard feelings either way.

7. Gym or studio

Thanks for the honest note. We cap our classes at 12 so everyone gets corrected properly, which means we can't price like a big-box gym. Different model, different price — glad you enjoyed the sessions themselves.

8. When they were surprised by the total

Being surprised by the bill is on us, not on you — we should have made the cost clear up front. That's a fair criticism and we've changed how we confirm pricing before work starts. Please email me at [email] and I'll go through your invoice.

9. When there was a genuine extra charge

Thank you for raising this. The additional charge covers [specific thing], and it should have been explained clearly at the time. If it wasn't, I'd like to look at it — [email] reaches me directly.

10. Comparing you to a competitor's price

Thanks for the comparison. They do good work and they're cheaper — both true. We use [X] and include [Y], which they don't, and that accounts for most of the difference. Worth it for some jobs, not for others.

11. Price complaint attached to a 4-star review

Thank you — glad the [thing] was up to standard. Noted on price; we're at the higher end and try to earn it every time. Appreciate you saying so honestly.

12. When your prices genuinely did go up

You're right, our prices rose in [month]. Our own costs went up and we chose to raise prices rather than cut portions or shorten appointments. I understand that's not welcome news, and I'd rather be straight with you about the reason.

Four things never to do

Apologise for your prices. "Sorry you found us expensive" tells every future reader that even you think you're overpriced.
Offer a discount publicly. You'll get more price complaints. People learn quickly.
Get into your costs. Nobody cares about your rent or your suppliers. Talk about what the customer receives, not what you pay.
Suggest they can't afford it. Any hint of "you're not our target customer" reads as snobbery and travels fast.

When price complaints are telling you something real

One complaint about price is noise. A pattern is data.

If several reviews mention price in the same month, ask yourself an honest question: has the experience stopped matching the price? Portions smaller, appointments shorter, the nice touches quietly dropped? Price complaints often surface when value slips, not when prices rise.

And if price appears alongside genuine service problems, deal with the service problem first — people rarely complain about cost when everything else was excellent.

Reploi picks up patterns like this across your reviews automatically and drafts replies that hold your position without sounding defensive. Start free — 5 replies/month →

How to Respond to Reviews About Price (12 Examples)