Community: Message List - Share your experience on negotiators/discount seekers/hagglers?

Re: Share your experience on negotiators/discount seekers/hagglers?

community-no-reply@homeaway.com — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 20:00:02 GMT

amyg, you hit the nail on the head - the collective moral compass has been tossed out the window, thanks to a few travel writers. As for someone "doing me a favor" by offering to take my rental off my hands for a few days - at a price convenient to his/her needs - that is no favor, thank you very much. In a way, the Renter is our boss, but how would he feel if he were asked to work several hours for free, just so the company could keep within a profit margin? It's a ridiculous premise.

I like the comparison to an auto dealership - business is business. My prices are carefully crafted and I offer excellent value for the money spent. Everything is explained in my rental listing (like the price sticker on a car), so there is no room for negotiation. But if I choose to run a sale or offer a discount, that is my perogative, and my pleasure. If I choose not to offer a discount, it does not make me a snob or unsympathetic to the vacationing masses. It's my ball, so I make the rules. It's not personal, it's just business.

Repeatedly lowering prices on demand, just because someone can't afford a rental fee, is simply bad business, as it devalues the product. Sure, everyone would like to drive a luxury automobile, but most of us can't, so we buy what we can actually afford - or we take the bus. The vacationing public needs to get realistic about planning its budget. Bargaining has its place in a flea market, not the rental market.

Many prospective Renters - and readers of Community - seem to think that we Owners just lie back and count the money pouring in from our "little hobby". They have no clue about how much physical, mental and monetary effort must be put into this enterprise - and this includes the Owners who only rent occasionally. They don't care, because they read and hear stories leading them to believe that we are nothing more than rip-off artists out to ruin their hard-earned vacations. It's a shame, really, as in the great majority of cases, nothing could be further from the truth.

Bottom line - no, there is no harm in asking about discounts - but be reasonable about it. Be respectful if you feel compelled to ask, and be prepared for a polite "Sorry, no discounts" - or for your request to be completely ignored. The goal is for everyone to have a good rental/vacation experience. It's not a competition to see who can out-smart the other.

Re: Share your experience on negotiators/discount seekers/hagglers?

community-no-reply@homeaway.com — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 19:24:47 GMT

I'm with you. When it comes to discounts, we simply don't offer them. We do offer a 10% discount for second weeks, and always offer returning guests last year's rate, but beyond that, when asked if we would consider renting the property for less than advertised, we politely refer them elsewhere.

We've heard plenty of stories of people renting on a discount damaging the property, being very demanding, and leaving the place a real mess and then complaining because additional cleaning fees were deducted from their security deposit.

Like most owners, we rent for a couple of reasons:

1. It helps defray the expense of owning a vacation property;

2. We enjoy sharing what we have with others, just not for free:)

We rent at a reasonable rate. We're one of the best values in a very nice area. We're fortunate enough to have guests who post great reviews, and return in subsequent years.

Our policy is: if it's within 60 days of a rental, we need to receive the check in five days. The post office delivers first-class mail within 4 days to anywhere in the continental US from anywhere in the continental US. We've never had a check 'lost in the mail', and we do offer a credit card option for those who are getting close to their arrival date and wish to settle their account that way. We also do not accept rentals within two weeks of the arrival date. We just use the place ourselves, or with friends and family. We get this opportunity about one week in every three rental seasons, so we never really lose any significant money with this policy.

Best policy for those when confronted with someone wishing to negotiate a discount: give them a regretful no.

Jim Van

Avondale Properties

http://www.avondaleri.com

Re: Share your experience on negotiators/discount seekers/hagglers?

community-no-reply@homeaway.com — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 18:30:59 GMT

I don't offer discounts. I have a nice, well maintained property with high end furnishings, bedding etc and I offer it at a reasonable price, right in line with my competitors who may have a little less to offer than my place. If someone doesnt' want to pay the going rate, they can rent one of the other properties. I'm fine with that. I'm not desparate to rent.I can see if you need the rental income to cover costs, you may be more open to offering discounts but I think you should set a fair price and stick with it. I'd rather rent my place at the full rate for a shorter time than a discounted rate for a longer time - more wear & tear, electric & other expenses...

Re: Share your experience on negotiators/discount seekers/hagglers?

community-no-reply@homeaway.com — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 16:20:11 GMT

nysubmarine, thank you sharing your insight.

I would much rather drive a $40,000 SUV than my $21,000 Pontiac Vibe. But I don't think I'd go to a dealership and offer them half price for a new car just because I know they need to move that car off the lot to pay the bills. I'd probably ask for their best price and shop at the end of the year, but I wouldn't go so far as to push for a price that know is not going to help them keep their doors open.

If everybody asked for deep discounts, who in their right mind would want to own a vacation property? Since you have a taste for luxury properties, did you ever stop to think what the mortgage, taxes, utilities, furnishings, housekeeping, maintenance and other ancillary expenses cost for those high-end abodes? You may think that offering $1,000 for 4-5 days is doing someone a favor, when in reality you are tossing out a crumb to an owner who is absolutely desperate or doesn't have a clue how to run their business. With either scenario, crumb-tossing is very opportunistic.

If you read my previous posts, you'll find I'm somewhere in the middle on asking for discounts. I have no problem with people asking for my best rate or if we offer any specials. If I can offer someone a 10-15-20% discount depending on the situation, time of year, availability calendar, etc. I will gladly work with travelers. It's a win-win situation.

Sadly, there's nothing wrong with what you're doing. It's the poor economy, an oversaturated VR marketplace (in some areas) and people with more money than a moral compass who see it as open season.

Re: Share your experience on negotiators/discount seekers/hagglers?

community-no-reply@homeaway.com — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 02:13:13 GMT

We tell them that we do not negotiate price because I cannot bargain with my workers and bills but we have a smaller room option for 1/3 less or camping for 75% less. That usually works. What I find interesting is the ones who want to negotiate the price rive the most expensive cars. (?)

Date: Tue, 6 Dec 2011 16:05:33 -0600

From: community@homeaway.com

To: dnnswnthld3@hotmail.com

Subject: Re: Share your experience on negotiators/discount seekers/hagglers? - Re: Share your experience on negotiators/discount seekers/hagglers?

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Re: Share your experience on negotiators/discount seekers/hagglers? created by anja in Interacting with Guests - View the full discussion

'wiffle'....you expressed yourself better than I did.

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Re: Share your experience on negotiators/discount seekers/hagglers?

community-no-reply@homeaway.com — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 22:05:30 GMT

'wiffle'....you expressed yourself better than I did.

Re: Share your experience on negotiators/discount seekers/hagglers?

community-no-reply@homeaway.com — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 22:04:09 GMT

This is all true, but unfortunately, they know that we don't have a better alternative. Yet.

They have us over a barrel.

Re: Share your experience on negotiators/discount seekers/hagglers?

community-no-reply@homeaway.com — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 21:57:16 GMT

Good suggestion, amy......that "bulk-inquiry'"...especially the way the 'date search' is programmed, should be tweaked, as you've described. It's been a very unproductive feature, for this Owner. {Together with the entire *new/improved* inquiry System....performance is suffereing, for the Paying Client...it seems common among us.} Well....you/we have made suggestions....but I have lost confidence that the HA/VRBO company cares what Owners think about the NEW VRBO. Our client group finds aspects of The System unhelpful in carrying out our business efficiently and effectively.....no response from The Company as of yet....and I do not expect any, in future. Their silence is deafening. I once worked in the advertising field for several years when I lived "back east" in NYC....and I never, EVER, imagined an advertising company that would {or could get away with} ignore it's ADVERTISERS! We pay for advertising....we are Clients of this Company. There is a HA seminar coming up...in the not too distant future, I've heard. An Owner delegation should decend upon it to speak frankly....we pay them! I wish I could go.

Re: Share your experience on negotiators/discount seekers/hagglers?

community-no-reply@homeaway.com — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 21:34:21 GMT

I guess it's because I just don't like auctions. I lived in Australia for 20 years and auctioning homes was a very popular way to sell your home. We sold ours that way and I wasn't thrilled with the outcome. It's everyone's dream to get a bidding war going, but unfortunately that didn't happen and we had to settle for our base price. It was a good base price, but I guess I just had a negative opinion of the whole thing. For some high priced rentals this format could be interesting, I guess. Some may have had a good experience auctioning on EBAY but I never did and I bet these days most things are bought without going through the hassle of the auction.

Re: Share your experience on negotiators/discount seekers/hagglers?

community-no-reply@homeaway.com — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 20:46:10 GMT

I'm actually on the other side of the equation. I’m a renter and a spontaneous traveler, and I like booking nice properties with the last minute discount. What is wrong with that?

I always prefer to rent a nice condo or a house over a hotel, mostly not because of the price, but rather because it gives me more local and unique experience.

Some luxury penthouse may have $300-$500 daily rate posted on the web site, but my daily budget is only up to $200-$250. I will offer this to the property owner and totally fine with getting “no” as an answer. But this sounds silly to me, because why keep your property unoccupied, when you can get $1000 for 4-5 days.

I probably rented about 20 properties like that through VRBO in past 5 years. And I came back to some properties several times, always with this last minute booking and a discount.