Objections & Barriers
Category: audience Sources: trace-summary-services-icp-competitors-background.md, bravebrand-playbook-2026-07-30.md Confidence: medium Last Updated: 2026-07-30
Price Comparison with Cheap Alternatives
Objection: "I found a service for ~£500 that says it covers PPE compliance."
Reality: Low-cost GPSR-based packages (e.g. EaseCert at ~£515) are not equivalent to the PPE testing and certification route. A GPSR package does not replace PPE testing, notified-body type examination, CE marking and Declaration of Conformity requirements. This is a market education issue — inexperienced buyers may compare a compliance-lite package with genuine PPE certification work.
Response pattern: Explain what the PPE route actually requires and why a GPSR package doesn't cover it. Don't compete on price; compete on accuracy of route.
Cost of Specialist vs Generalist
Objection: "A generalist consultant quoted less."
Reality: Generalist agencies (e.g. EdgeComply at ~£1,600/product/market, Regulatus at £100-180/hr) may charge less per hour but lack the specialist PPE knowledge to avoid wrong turns. Time-and-materials pricing also creates cost uncertainty. Trace's fixed-fee model gives cost certainty and the Route Finder at £495 is a low-commitment entry point.
"Can't you just guarantee it will pass?"
Objection: Expectation that paying for compliance support means a guaranteed outcome.
Reality: Trace prepares and coordinates the route. Independent laboratories and certification bodies make their own decisions. Route Finder is not a certificate, test result or guarantee of certification. The value is in avoiding wrong testing, repeated work and discovering basic route problems after development has begun.
"I'll just ask the testing lab directly"
Objection: Going straight to a lab for advice instead of engaging a compliance specialist.
Reality: Labs provide conflicting or incomplete guidance. They test products — they're not compliance consultants. Different labs may recommend different tests, leaving the brand confused and paying for unnecessary work. As one pain point puts it: "One lab tells me I need test X, the other says it's unnecessary."
Market data supports this: complaints about Intertek ("the communication is non-existent once you pay the invoice") and TÜV SÜD ("they don't help you solve problems, they just tell you why you failed") show that testing bodies are not set up to guide brands through the process.
"We'll handle it internally"
Objection: Attempting to manage compliance with internal team or DIY research.
Reality: DIY research using outdated or misinterpreted EN standards is a common failed solution. PPE compliance takes years to learn organically. The compliance-manager hiring cycle (hire → range gets worse → person leaves → repeat) shows that internal hires without specialist PPE knowledge often compound the problem.
"We're not ready yet"
Objection: Timing hesitation — waiting until the product is finished before thinking about compliance.
Reality: The earlier the route is understood, the cheaper and faster it is. The most expensive test is the one you didn't need to run. Unexpected testing failures at the last minute cause redesigns and restart the whole certification process. Route Finder exists specifically to prevent this — a £495 diagnosis before major commitments are made.
Trust Barriers
- No testimonials yet — proof stack is thin on client evidence (authority signals from Glen's background are strong, but client social proof is needed)
- New company — Trace is recently incorporated, which may raise questions about track record
- Response: Glen's career-spanning experience across the full compliance chain is the primary trust signal until client evidence accumulates