Discounting

[Guest3]

Maybe I'm offering too much of a discount then.. Seems like 5% is the going offer for repeat bookers!

[la vache!]

I don't offer a specific %age and if I did, it wouldn't be more than 5%. I say that they can have the house for the current years price, which usually works out slightly less. A lot of my peak weeks get booked up over a year in advance and so most of my repeats are during the shoulder season.

[brenda]

We offer our repeat guests an Evening Meal for one night of their stay instead of an actual discount. All have said how much they appreciate this gesture and it also shows them the quality of our meals that most choose to book again during their stay so we more than make the money back.

[Fraise]

Ahha, that's thinking out of the box Brenda! Clever gal I don't give a discount to repeats BUt I do if they book before Nov 30th of the previous year. I'm still mulling this one over, a 5% discount might make sense year round.

[Partridge]

Really interesting, so if I am taking all this in:

Sue and Fluffs discounted returners are mostly shoulder/off season, so losing a chunk of the highest earning time does not happen.

GG is getting returners in peak but this may be costing her.

Helen will do last minute discounts.

Brenda is on site so offers her personal services instead

Fraise is the opposite of Helen and will give the early bird a worm

Crystal gives returners a discount all year but is now rethinking that one.

Jim/Enid/Ros/Partridge offer peak at the previous years prices.

I will discount 10% off season to encourage my woeful off peak/shoulder bookings and leave the path clear to maximise my peak return and in turn add to the pool of potential returners. If they want peak I will however try to do other things like, leave a bottle of wine or allow a later check out if possible.

[Giddy Goat]

Brenda is on site so offers her personal services instead

Great summary, Party! Let's see if we get any other comments, but the way forward is becoming clear, with your guidance.

[Big Sis..]

Hi Crystal. ...

Ive had a few returners and usually charge them the rates of the previous year[as invariably theyve gone up]

The Last ones who booked came the same weeks last year....He phoned to say he wanted them straight away...so wasnt looking for a discount....
but I said theyve gone up this year but you can have them for last years prices...
He had been waiting for his brother to make arrangements and really wanted both houses...[like last year].but one has gone so he said thats fine... we will be fine in one ....
Which I was quite pleased about as Ive always wondered if it must be a bit of a squeeze for 8......[it does include a sofa bed]....mind you Ive had no complaints about it.... But he said no thatll be fine...As I said to him ..

Well youve been to the houses and Know whats there and if your Happy so am I!


I dont put that theres a discount in my letter when they leave[maybe I should] but if the discount is only what Ive put the rates up to it wouldnt seem fair would it[does this make sense ]

Talking of Peak week discounts our July & August has generally already been booked by the previous July & August.....so people holidaying then wouldnt be able to book them again anyway so no discount is needed....and Ive increased then every year....

[Giddy Goat]

Well in my case Rozzie the returning guests last year had nabbed their 5 peak/high weeks pretty promptly at the end of the previous summer. Oh well, you live and learn, and this has been a very useful discussion. Though Party's 10% discount (I'm thinking shoulder and low season, no discount for the easy-to-fill weeks, which I call 'high' and 'peak') .... is this a good final figure then do peeps think?

[enid]

Ive had a few returners and usually charge them the rates of the previous year[as invariably theyve gone up]

That's what I do - I have a lot of returners this year but I am pleased to have a firm booking so early and pleased to have them back. Like Brenda I offer additional personal services during their stay but at my age that does mean aperetifs and food and nothing else!!!

[Jimbo]

Gascony Goat wrote:

Let's see if we get any other comments

We don't offer specific discounts to attract new business but we do offer returning guests last year's prices if they book before January 1st. Often they book soon after they've returned from holiday with us and we think that 'last year's prices' are a small thank you for their continuing custom and a gentle wake-up call to book sooner rather than later. I do feel strongly that regular guests deserve a 'reward' for their loyalty but I've seen a mixed response to this idea on LMH.

But I'm not hardball about this. Our gites are a business and have to be fully booked or we're in trouble. Just approaching our third season and, so far, we haven't had to discount (long may that last!) but I could envisage a situation where we might. In any business, you have to stay flexible in your thinking to survive.

Jim

[KathyG]

Hi Ros,

Just had a look at your adverts and on holidaylets all your availability is 'unknown' and on ownersdirect it's not available at all - doesn't this put possible renters off? I sort of vaguely remember you saying something about it being difficult to do as it was for 2 houses but wondered if maybe you could use the facility but only fill it in if both houses were booked?

Kathy

[Big Sis..]

Hi Kathy

I dont do availability calenders for lots of reasons...
When I 1st started I wanted to see the websites that performed best..so most Enqs=most seen advert...

Then I joined so many websites it would have been quite difficult to mantain them all...

Also If you dont post availability you can sort of manuovre the renters into what youd like them to have rather than specific weeks.[which is hard to do if your showing theyre first chice weeks as available]

Its a lot easier as well if you dont like the feel of someone to say sorry those dates are booked...rather than I dont want you staying.

Of course if I found that because of that I was losing bookings I would do it but I have 43 weeks booked in the houses[together] already for 2007.. so Im pretty chuffed...

Most of this is due to the 2 houses together bit though[and the fact that im always working at it one way or another.......] There isnt that much competition for large capacity house/houses on the website..

As an example as someone was talking about there listing being on page 9 on HLettings...I had a look at mine page12 I think..
But tap in accomodate over 10 and theres only 3 entries...

Im also really concentrating on getting both houses booked together so the odd week in one house[which is some of my enq is a bit of a fiddle as it could jeapodise 2 weeks 2 houses........

[Partridge]

I have editied my summary to include a bit more info as feedback comes in, seems like a good idea so we can get a 'snapshot' in one post, let me know if I've left anyone out

GG - For my part, 10% off season only amounts to £45 odd but I could see that being maybe a bit generous for those whose standard charges are higher, I think it needs to be enough to be worth it, so if I was charging say £600 to £900 then I would probably still discount by say £50. In other words I will avoid giving a specific percentage and use the word 'discount', which will hopefully give me flexibility depending on market conditions.

Ros, yes, I feel the same way about calendars, want them looking nice and booked so peeps don't think 'what's wrong with their place then' but at the same time if I got peak booked early and stuck it on the calendar I would find it difficult to judge what the enquiry rate would be like. I try to go for middle ground, fill in something as soon as I get it but be a bit slow updating so I get a feel for those peak week enquiry rates. Also, agree, if I can't fit them in then it's a good excuse to ring, chat and if nothing else offer to try and find them somewhere else, which we discussed on another thread

[KathyG]

Of course if I found that because of that I was losing bookings I would do it but I have 43 weeks booked in the houses[together] already for 2007.. so Im pretty chuffed...

43 weeks Ros, that's fantastic!! I thought we were doing well at 17 weeks, must try harder.............Ours sleeps 12 so is a limited market too and at the moment we're only on HR, I probably ought to put it about a bit more.........(you know what I mean!)

Kathy

[Giddy Goat]

Different markets though Kathy - our property in SW France sleeps 8, and we have about 15 weeks booked to date. That is good going I think. 17 is great so don't beat yourself up over it! I've said it before, but you have a lovely property there, and situation!