What If You Raise or Lower Price?
Results
Visualization
How It Works
New Volume = Current Volume x (1 + Price%Change x -Elasticity). Elasticity below 1 means demand is inelastic (price rises grow revenue); above 1 means elastic (price rises shrink revenue). The break-even volume drop for a price increase is Change%/(100%+Change%). This is a static, constant-elasticity model — real demand curves bend.
What Should You Do?
Scenario 1: gas-station inelastic demand (0.3) — a 10% raise lifts revenue ~7%. Scenario 2: a competitive SaaS (elasticity 2.5) — a 10% raise cuts revenue ~19%. Scenario 3: a 10% cut with elasticity 1.0 grows volume 10% and holds revenue flat.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a realistic elasticity?
Commodities and necessities are often 0.2-0.8 (inelastic); discretionary and competitive goods 1.5-3.0. Estimate from your own past price experiments.
Is constant elasticity realistic?
No — it is a simplification for quick testing. Real demand is a curve, not a line. Treat results as directional.
When should I actually raise price?
When elasticity is below 1, or when you have differentiated value. Pair with our Markup and Margin tools to set the new price.
Authoritative References
- Investopedia — Price Elasticity of Demand — Elasticity definition and revenue relationship.
- Corporate Finance Institute — Elasticity — Elasticity and total-revenue test.