When shopping for an EDI VAN provider, businesses expect fair, transparent pricing. Unfortunately, many companies in our industry engage in a frustrating and harmful practice: price gouging.
Time and time again, we see businesses approach us for a quote — only for their current VAN provider to suddenly match our pricing once they threaten to leave. While we’re always happy to save businesses money, it raises an important question: If they can offer a lower price now, why weren’t they doing it all along?
Price gouging isn’t just an inconvenience — it actively harms companies that rely on EDI for day-to-day operations. Here’s how:
Unfair Pricing Practices – If a company can afford to lower its prices when a customer threatens to leave, that means they were overcharging from the start. How many businesses have been paying inflated rates simply because they didn’t ask for a discount?
Lack of Trust & Transparency – Businesses should be able to trust their providers to offer fair pricing from the beginning. Instead, some VANs take advantage of customer loyalty, only offering fair prices when their revenue is at risk.
Stifling Industry Growth – When a few large providers engage in price gouging, it discourages healthy competition and innovation. Instead of investing in better service and technology, they focus on squeezing as much profit as possible from existing customers.
If your current provider suddenly slashes your rate after you seek a quote elsewhere, ask yourself:
At BOLD VAN, we believe in fair and transparent pricing — from day one. Our customers don’t have to negotiate to get the best rate, and we don’t adjust our prices based on whether or not a business is considering leaving.
Rather than rewarding these tactics by staying with a provider that only offers fair pricing under pressure, consider working with a VAN that treats you fairly from the start.
It’s time to demand better from the EDI industry. Let’s put an end to price gouging by supporting providers that prioritize fairness, transparency, and trust.
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