A discount changes the price but may also change the scope, the validity or the conditions. Compare the discounted quotation to the undiscounted one line by line, check what stays included, note the expiry date, and ask whether any condition attaches. Decide on usable coverage, not on the size of the reduction.
A discount is a pleasant sight on a quotation. It deserves a careful look all the same, because the price is only one part of the document and a lower figure can accompany a different scope.
This page belongs to our guide to event photography prices and quotation planning. It deals with checking a discount against the scope, without suggesting that any discount is suspect.
What can a discount change?
A discount can be a simple reduction on the same scope. It can also come with changes elsewhere in the document: fewer hours, a smaller crew, a shorter delivery period or narrower image use.
These changes are not necessarily negative. A discounted package may suit a smaller event perfectly. The point is to see them, so that the saving is measured against what you give up.
How do you compare the discounted offer with the original?
Line up the two versions and look at every row, not only the total.
| Row | Original | Discounted | Same or different? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coverage window | Stated | Stated | |
| Number of photographers | Stated | Stated | |
| Editing and selection | Stated | Stated | |
| Delivery timeline | Stated | Stated | |
| Image use | Stated | Stated | |
| Optional items | Stated | Stated | |
| Travel and practical costs | Stated | Stated | |
| Total | Stated | Stated |
If there is no original to compare with, ask the supplier to describe what the discount applies to. It is reasonable to ask whether the scope would be the same without the discount.
What conditions might attach?
Discounts are sometimes offered with conditions. These can be reasonable, but they should be visible.
- A confirmation deadline. The discount holds only if you accept by a date.
- A payment arrangement. The discount applies to a particular schedule or method.
- A minimum scope. The discount applies if you take a certain amount of coverage.
- Restrictions on change. The discounted scope cannot be altered without losing the reduction.
Each is a matter of fit. A confirmation deadline may suit you if your approval is ready. It may not suit you if approval is still pending. Our guide to quote validity when the event is still being approved explains how to handle that situation.
How does validity work for a discount?
Validity and discount validity can differ. A quotation may be valid for a month, while the discount applies for a shorter period. Ask for both dates. Ask also what happens if the discount expires: does the price revert, and to what?
Note that availability on your date is separate from both. A valid price does not mean the date is held. Ask the supplier about each of these in turn.
A hypothetical example
For example, imagine a hypothetical NGO receiving two quotations for an annual gathering. The first shows a figure with a discount applied. The second shows a higher figure with no discount.
The NGO places both in a table. The discounted quotation covers six hours with one photographer and delivers a selected gallery. The undiscounted one covers six hours with one photographer, delivers a selected gallery, and includes a short preview within a stated time. The NGO asks the first supplier about a preview and learns that it is available as an optional item. Adding it narrows the gap. The NGO then decides, knowing exactly what the discount covers and what it does not.
Is the biggest reduction the best choice?
The size of a reduction is a poor guide. A large discount on a scope that does not fit your event is worth nothing, while a small one on the right scope is worth having. Judge by what you receive and whether it meets the purpose of the event.
If a discounted quotation is far below the others, the same questions apply, and our guide to evaluating a photography quotation that is far below the others goes into them in depth.
What about budgets?
Discounts can help a limited budget, but the budget is best set by priorities. Our budget scenarios tool lets you test different levels of scope against a figure of your own, and the bundled versus itemised guide helps you open up a package to see what it contains.
What to ask before accepting
- What is the original scope and price, and what changes with the discount?
- Are hours, crew, deliverables and image use identical?
- What conditions attach, and when do they expire?
- How long is the quotation valid, and is my date held?
- Does the discount apply to optional items?
- What happens if I change the scope after accepting?
When we issue a quotation, we state the scope, the conditions and the validity in writing. If a discount or special arrangement applies, we set out what it covers so you can decide on the coverage you will actually have.
Checklist
- Ask for the original and the discounted quotations side by side.
- Compare hours, crew, deliverables and image use in both.
- Ask whether any condition attaches to the discount.
- Note the expiry date and what happens after it.
- Check whether the discount applies to optional items.
- Record the final scope and total in writing before approving.
If you are comparing a discounted offer, send it with the scope you need. We will set out our own quotation in writing, with inclusions and conditions, so the comparison rests on what you will receive.
Compare an offer with a discountCommon questions
Does a discount mean the original price was inflated?
Not necessarily. A discount may reflect timing, volume, a longer commission or a promotional decision. It says little about whether the original price was fair. Judge each quotation by what it covers, not by the reduction shown.
Can a discount change the scope?
It can. Ask whether the discounted version has the same hours, crew, deliverables and image use as the original. If the scope is reduced, the discount may be a smaller saving than it appears.
What conditions often accompany a discount?
Common ones include a deadline to confirm, a payment arrangement, a minimum scope or restrictions on changes. Ask for the conditions in writing and consider whether they suit your approval process.
Should I wait for a better discount?
That is your decision, and it carries trade-offs, such as availability on your date. Ask the supplier about validity and availability, and decide based on your timeline and the scope you need.
Compare an offer with a discount
If you are comparing a discounted offer, send it with the scope you need. We will set out our own quotation in writing, with inclusions and conditions, so the comparison rests on what you will receive.
What happens next: You send your event details on WhatsApp. Our team reads the brief, asks what is missing, then confirms in writing whether the date, venue and coverage can be booked, with a quotation. Opening WhatsApp does not send anything, and a message is not a booking until both sides confirm.
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