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Happylady
Joined: 28 Aug 2011
Posts: 305
Location: Filey
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Happylady
Joined: 28 Aug 2011
Posts: 305
Location: Filey
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 Posted: Thu May 17, 2012 1:40 pm Post subject: |
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| kendalcottages wrote: | I think you're probably right, Margaret. I think discounts only truly work if they're really substantial, and then of course you might be opening a can of worms as far as the kind of guests you attract are concerned.
It's certainly fair to say that the better the offer on UKtraveloffers.com, then the more traffic it seems to attract. |
guess its down to how much discount you're allowing though. our's is 5% which I don't think will make much different to the guest type but it seems to be working via Go Coastal in that I'm getting a bit of interest
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kendalcottages
Joined: 27 Nov 2009
Posts: 2438
Location: Kendal, between the Lake District and the Dales
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| Posted: Thu May 17, 2012 2:31 pm Post subject: |
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At 5%, I would agree you're probably not going to get much of a difference in guest type.
I do wonder, though, how much of an incentive that would serve as, in terms of getting someone to book who might not otherwise.
From what I can tell, your short break rate for most of June is around £340, so 5% off that equates to a reduction of less than £20. It all helps for the guest, I suppose, but (with all due respect) I'm not sure how much of a deal-maker that would be for many people.
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Yorkshire Lass
Joined: 06 Sep 2010
Posts: 79
Location: North Yorkshire
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| Posted: Thu May 17, 2012 2:42 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | how much do Ebay charge for listing? do you get many bookings via them?
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I did get a few people watching and one enquiry (which was not for the date I was advertising) but I don't feel it's worth my while bothering again at the moment. Ebay actually suggested I post on Gumtree instead which may be worth exploring.
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jenboyle1959
Joined: 16 Apr 2012
Posts: 34
Location: millport
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| Posted: Thu May 17, 2012 7:25 pm Post subject: |
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I've done Gumtree adverts which seem to work well for us- I often get enquiries through them, and it's free to list unless you "bump up" your ad to the top of the listings. Because we're in Millport, if you search you'll come up with only a very few ads for that town, so I never bother bumping up.I do feel though that people are often hoping to drive a hard bargain, and when I make it clear that I'm not discounting a particular week, they often lose interest. I've just tried an Ebay ad for the third time- it cost me just under a £5 to list ,mainly due to extra photos and a subtitle. I had to take the first two ads off, as the weeks got booked via my website, so I'll be interested to see if this generates any interest.
http://www.millport.info/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Millport-Breaks/157964527589884?ref=tn_tnmn |
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Happylady
Joined: 28 Aug 2011
Posts: 305
Location: Filey
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| Posted: Fri May 18, 2012 9:05 am Post subject: |
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| kendalcottages wrote: |
From what I can tell, your short break rate for most of June is around £340, so 5% off that equates to a reduction of less than £20. It all helps for the guest, I suppose, but (with all due respect) I'm not sure how much of a deal-maker that would be for many people. |
totally agree with you - with it been our first year am just trying to try and catch a bit of interest but if you think that's the wrong approach am grateful for feedback
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Nemo
Joined: 14 Aug 2008
Posts: 3154
Location: Norfolk
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| Posted: Fri May 18, 2012 10:19 am Post subject: |
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I am trying it for size KC. Wish I'd known about this a week ago and I could have had longer to prepare! I will definitely keep it in mind for another time, as I still have July availability.
Posted a hefty discount on a short break for this coming week, so I'll let you all know if anyone bites! I have an ebay advert running which always brings enquiries, but much of the time for already booked dates. 
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Speyside Steve
Joined: 31 Jan 2012
Posts: 120
Location: Speyside, Scottish Highlands
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| Posted: Fri May 18, 2012 10:49 am Post subject: |
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Discounting is difficult. How to attract interest/bookings without attracting 'the wrong sort' or devaluing your property.
Has anyone had any problems with guests who have already booked (at the full price) trying to get the discount on offer? I think I know where I stand, if this were to happen, but as in so many cases with this business, things sometimes go off in a completely unexpected direction! 
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kendalcottages
Joined: 27 Nov 2009
Posts: 2438
Location: Kendal, between the Lake District and the Dales
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| Posted: Fri May 18, 2012 12:53 pm Post subject: |
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Happylady... I'm referring only to gut feeling and what I see in the traffic to individual offer pages. I guess it's obvious really but there definitely seems to be a pattern in terms of level of interest and significance of offer.
Nemo... sorry it didn't come sooner for you... I think I may have mentioned it on LMH once before, but don't like to plug stuff like that unduly.
There's lots of areas in which some of our sites can help people in the UK (with both free and paid opportunities). If anyone wants details, maybe it's best to PM.
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Windy
Joined: 02 Oct 2007
Posts: 3194
Location: Windermere UK
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| Posted: Fri May 18, 2012 12:59 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | If anyone wants details, maybe it's best to PM. |
I think you've probably paid your dues round here enough to be allowed to post relevant info once in a while KC..... |
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kendalcottages
Joined: 27 Nov 2009
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Location: Kendal, between the Lake District and the Dales
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gozokerry
Joined: 31 Jan 2012
Posts: 71
Location: Gozo,Malta
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| Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 1:54 am Post subject: |
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| Speyside Steve wrote: |
Has anyone had any problems with guests who have already booked (at the full price) trying to get the discount on offer? |
Yes I'd like some feedback on this too, how do you manage existing guests that say, stay for 7 nights and have paid for 7 nights?
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As Hamlet said ;-"There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so"
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Harborfields
Joined: 05 Jul 2011
Posts: 287
Location: West Boothbay Harbor, Maine
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| Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 10:28 am Post subject: |
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| gozokerry wrote: | | Speyside Steve wrote: |
Has anyone had any problems with guests who have already booked (at the full price) trying to get the discount on offer? |
Yes I'd like some feedback on this too, how do you manage existing guests that say, stay for 7 nights and have paid for 7 nights? |
Not sure what the problem is, Kerry?
Steve, we have the following statement in our T&C's:
| Quote: | | The rates specified in this contract are the applicable rate advertised at the time of booking. The rates that Harborfields advertises are subject to change. By making this reservation, you agree that you are not eligible for any lower rates, discounts or other special deals advertised subsequent to the confirmation of this reservation, nor shall you be required to pay any increased rate above that specified in this contract. |
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Speyside Steve
Joined: 31 Jan 2012
Posts: 120
Location: Speyside, Scottish Highlands
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| Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 11:01 am Post subject: |
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| Harborfields wrote: | Steve, we have the following statement in our T&C's:
| Quote: | | The rates specified in this contract are the applicable rate advertised at the time of booking. The rates that Harborfields advertises are subject to change. By making this reservation, you agree that you are not eligible for any lower rates, discounts or other special deals advertised subsequent to the confirmation of this reservation, nor shall you be required to pay any increased rate above that specified in this contract. |
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Thanks for this. It has not happened yet, but we are changing our discounts from time to time to attract bookings and I want to be prepared in case it happens. We don't have any wording in the booking terms, but may well add them to avoid doubt.
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gozokerry
Joined: 31 Jan 2012
Posts: 71
Location: Gozo,Malta
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| Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 11:30 am Post subject: |
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KC- Not sure what the problem is, Kerry?
A bit obtuse, I was alluding to say a special that Margaret mentioned, and that we have offered, stay 7 days pay for 6, i.e. a reduced rate as opposed to paying full fare..
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Kerry
As Hamlet said ;-"There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so"
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