Pricing Dilemma

Up, down, could be better? How to get more bookings is our number one obsession. Talk shop here.
Hells Bells
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Pricing Dilemma

Post by Hells Bells »

I have just received an e-mail from our builders about a meeting we are having next week. He mentioned almost as an afterthought that he had looked at our website, and though that we should raise our prices. There aren't any really any other similar apartments nearby, so It was difficult to judge what I should charge. I would rather fill the weeks this year than have the place lying empty. After all, I can always raise the rates next time. I know the kitchen and bathroom fittings are very high quality, and it's closeness to the ski lifts means a higher rent. I can't find any of the other properties in the chalets listed anywhere. What shoud I do?
alexia s.
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Post by alexia s. »

Helen,
I'm intrigued; like your builder, I looked up your web site..... but I couldn't see any prices. How does he know what your rates are? Have you looked up properties in your area on the big sites (h-r, holidaylettings etc), to compare prices? How are your bookings going with your current rates? If the answer is "hot cakes" maybe the builder is right.
Best,
Alexia.
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Alan Knighting
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Post by Alan Knighting »

Helen,

Unlike Alexia I did find your prices but only by going to your availablility calendar and hovering over an unbooked date. I must say I find it an unacceptable way of dealing with prices.

I think you should be much more up front with prices.

I am surprised that you are pricing by the day.

I have no idea whether the prices are correct for your area or not. It may well be cheap for what it is and where it is but where I am it would be way over-priced at £560 per week.

In my area and in my niche of the market a property with one bedroom sleeps a maximum of 2 people not 4 or 5. Here, a property which genuinely sleeps 4 or 5 people does not rely on sofa beds in the living area, a small kitchenette or a shower/WC, it has 2 or 3 bedrooms, full catering and dining facilities for 4 or 5 and has at least one full bathroom.

Each to their own I suppose.

Alan
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Post by Guest3 »

Hi Helen...in my opinion, if I were a prospective client I think I would rather see the rental tariffs clearly stated on your website..i.e. either month to month charges, or low season, high season, peak season, etc... rather than hovering over the dates to find out what the charges are. Must admit if Alan did not mention this I would not know where to look for the rental tariffs.

People looking on your site may easily hit the 'back button' because your rental tariffs are not readily available.

Sorry...but the 'guest book' is misleading as they are comments from website vistors and not guests that have stayed in your accommodation.
Hells Bells
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Post by Hells Bells »

ALan, it is normal for an apartment in a ski resort to sleep 4-5 and have one bedroom, I am not doing anything underrhand or unusual.
Crystal, the one thing I have found impossible to do on the 1and 1 package was insert a price table. I did ask support for help and was told it wasn't possibel to embed an Excel table on a page. I have tried copy and paste, and it didn't work.
Hells Bells
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Post by Hells Bells »

Alan, the prices are per day, because the area is popular for long weekend and short skiing trips. As for prices, ski resorts are notoriously expensive.
alexia s.
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Post by alexia s. »

Helen,
What about putting the prices in as text?
Yes, I have always heard that ski apartments are densely occupied. Alan is used to the luxury of the south west!
Best,
Alexia.
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Alan Knighting
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Post by Alan Knighting »

Helen,
Alan, it is normal for an apartment in a ski resort to sleep 4-5 and have one bedroom, I am not doing anything underrhand or unusual.
I know I should have said it before but I didn't and I apologise for that. I was only making observations on the differences which exist in different areas. I was not in any way being critical - promise! The right property is what guests want and the right price is what they expect to pay.

Alexia,
Alan is used to the luxury of the south west!
I'm not sure it's "the luxury of the south west". More like space without pace. Luxury, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.

Alan
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paolo
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Post by paolo »

Helen,

I think you should definitely show the rates, and you can do that with plain text.

If my builder told me my rates were too low, and I thought he knew what he was talking about, I would listen! I think it's unusual for a builder to take an interest in what rates each property he works on is asking, but if he does then he will have a good handle on your local market.

What should you do? Don't know. My cleaner told me my rates were too low and I chose not to believe her! She was probably right though because I keep putting my rates up 10% every year and bookings don't suffer. Perhaps you should get a season under your belt first and see what the demand is like.
Paolo
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Hells Bells
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Post by Hells Bells »

By builder, I should probably have said developer. The chalets are his personal project.
I priced midway between the cheapest, older properties with less facilities and a long walk to the lifts, and the luxury properties with a shared pool. (Ours wil have this, but not this Winter.
Alan, no offence take.
I'll give the price table another go, It just didn;t look right compared to everything else.
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