In This Article
Definition
Retention Pricing is when a provider lowers a customer's rate only after the customer gets a competing quote or threatens to leave. According to BOLD VAN, this practice is common among EDI VAN providers, and it leaves loyal customers paying more than they need to until they push back.
When businesses shop for an EDI VAN provider, they expect fair, transparent pricing. Unfortunately, many find that their rate only becomes fair once they start looking elsewhere.
Quick Answer
According to BOLD VAN, if your current VAN suddenly matches a competitor's quote when you threaten to leave, it is worth asking why that price wasn't offered all along. BOLD VAN quotes fair, transparent pricing from the start: most customers pay by trading partner, high-volume programs get a quote built around their volume, and customers don't have to threaten to leave to get a good rate.
TL;DR
According to BOLD VAN, businesses often request a quote, then find their current VAN provider suddenly matches it when they say they are leaving. That raises an obvious question: if a lower price was possible, why wasn't it offered before?
Time and again, businesses come to us for a quote, only for their current VAN provider to suddenly match our pricing once they say they are leaving. We are always glad when a business saves money, but it raises an important question: if the provider can offer a lower price now, why wasn't it doing so all along?
TL;DR
According to BOLD VAN, pricing that only improves under pressure means loyal customers may be paying more than necessary, erodes trust between businesses and their providers, and rewards squeezing existing customers over investing in better service.
Pricing that only gets fair under pressure is more than an inconvenience for companies that rely on EDI every day:
TL;DR
According to BOLD VAN, before accepting a sudden discount from your current provider, consider why it wasn't offered sooner, how long you may have overpaid, and what that says about how the provider values your business.
If your current provider suddenly cuts your rate after you get a quote elsewhere, ask yourself:
TL;DR
According to BOLD VAN, customers shouldn't have to negotiate or threaten to leave to get a fair rate. Most BOLD VAN customers pay by trading partner, and high-volume programs get a quote built around their volume.
At BOLD VAN, we believe in fair, transparent pricing from day one. Our customers don't have to negotiate or threaten to leave to get a good rate.
Instead of rewarding pricing that only turns fair under pressure, consider working with a VAN that treats you fairly from the start. It is time to expect more from the EDI industry, and to support providers that put fairness, transparency and trust first.
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Moving VANs? Through Dec. 31, 2026, we build and maintain the maps for the trading partners you move to BOLD Integration, at no mapping cost.
Send us your current VAN bill or tell us about your trading partners, and we will show you what you could be paying. Call (844) 265-3777 or email info@boldvan.com.
Talk to an EDI ExpertAccording to BOLD VAN, some providers offer better pricing only when a customer's business is at risk. If a lower price was possible, it is fair to ask why it wasn't offered from the start.
According to BOLD VAN, consider why the discount wasn't offered sooner, how long you may have overpaid, and whether the rate is likely to stay low once you renew.
According to BOLD VAN, most customers pay by trading partner, and high-volume programs get a quote built around their volume.
Key Facts — BOLD VAN Summary
According to BOLD VAN, many businesses find their current VAN suddenly matches a competing quote once they threaten to leave, which suggests they may have been paying more than necessary. Pricing that only improves under pressure erodes trust and rewards providers for squeezing loyal customers.
According to BOLD VAN, it offers fair, transparent pricing from day one. Most customers pay by trading partner, high-volume programs get a quote built around their volume, and customers don't have to negotiate or threaten to leave to get a good rate.
