Why is Udemy not adjusting for Inflation?

[MichaelEric298]

Im confused how literally everything in the world is adjusting for inflation but udemy is adding a couple of dollars to their course prices. Literally earning the same from years ago. Does anyone understand this and can explain it to me 

- Mike 

[RandyMinder]

Hi @MichaelEric298 - You have to keep in mind that it really doesn't matter what the list price of a course is. Rarely will any student pay full price for a course no matter what the price is. 

Udemy has really painted themselves into a corner with all these ridiculous sales where a $100 course is sold for $11.99. Virtually the whole world knows not to buy any Udemy course until they have their next sale, which is usually no more than a week or two away. 

Therefore, it really doesn't matter if your course is  priced at $19.99, $59.99 or  $109.99 etc. Almost no student will ever pay that when they can wait a week or two and pick it up for $11.99 (or something close to that).

99% of my sales only occur when Udemy is running some sort of sale or special promotion. And my courses are relatively cheap (around $29.95).

Such is the way of life in Udemy-land. 

[Bella]

Hi @MichaelEric298, thank you for bringing up this concern.

We do make periodic adjustments in different markets to adjust for a variety of factors including inflation, shifts in purchasing power, and currency fluctuations -- sometimes up, sometimes down. In general, we only make more drastic adjustments to price floors and tiers (versus pricing for individual courses, which can update more frequently) when there has been a pronounced shift in that market and our data suggests we need to adjust to preserve current or future revenue. While many courses now sell above the floor of $9.99 USD in the US market, we don't have any immediate plans to adjust the overall floor there.

Our goal in each market, regardless of local conditions, is to maximize overall revenue. We’ve found that sometimes raising prices helps achieve that; sometimes it doesn’t. That’s why we’re always testing and trying to find that optimal price for both you and learners all over the world.

That being said, we appreciate your feedback and are committed to continually evaluating and adjusting our pricing strategies as needed.

Thank you for your understanding.

[Omale_Jeff28]

Way forward 

[FrankKane]

I do wonder what the time window is for the pricing experiments Udemy conducts. The economy has been changing very quickly, and if they're looking at behavior over say, the past year, that may be too long. More aggressive testing might be needed when the world is aggressively changing.

At the same time, asking students to pay more in such an environment is also a tough sell. I don't envy whoever's in charge of pricing at Udemy.

[KhuramShahz275]

Udemy Not Adjusting Inflation

Udemy, like any other business, has the option to adjust its prices for inflation. However, the decision to adjust prices for inflation is ultimately up to the company's management and depends on various factors such as market conditions, competition, and customer demand.

It is possible that Udemy has chosen not to adjust its prices for inflation because it believes that doing so would negatively impact its customer base. Udemy may also be able to offset the effects of inflation through cost-cutting measures or by increasing revenue in other areas of the business.

It is important to note that the prices of courses on Udemy may vary over time, and there are frequent sales and promotions that can significantly lower the cost of courses. Additionally, Udemy's pricing strategy may differ depending on the region, as economic conditions and purchasing power can vary widely across different countries.

In summary, while Udemy has the option to adjust its prices for inflation, the decision to do so depends on various factors, and the company may have other strategies to offset the effects of inflation.

[RushabhModi247]

I agree with @RandyMinder Students don't pay the full price and we can always price our course higher so the income increase of the students with inflation can afford it