HHmmmmmm......I wonder

[Bubbles Galore]

Current Prices:

Bays $1.50/3 min.
Vacs $.75/3 min. (changed from 4 min. on January 1st)

12-7-365 night owl special from 8 pm to 8 am.

First and last week of every month is bonus days. 45 sec. per quarter vs. 30 sec. once the $3 minimum is reached.

Question:

I am getting my new shurvend and will be able to accept dollar coins in my front vendor. That means in theory I would be able to quit dispensing a quarter/dollar coin combo in my changers. My question is what do I do about my pricing structure? I am extremely hesitant of increasing prices right now since all I hear from people at the wash how bad everything is. Would it be better to wait? Would you go $1 across the board and make bonus time permanent? Should I try and add bonus time to the vacs and leave the price alone?

Help!

 

[Kirb]

12-7-365 night owl special from 8 pm to 8 am.

Bubbles,
Do you give bonus, lower start up, or both? How do you promote it?
Your question about the price increase. Go for it!!!! Ever fast food, chain restaurant, and retail store has done it. I just raised my price and not one customer complaint yet.
Thanks,
Kirb

 

[Bubbles Galore]

What was your price increase? From what to what?

I give bonus time the first and last week of every month regardless of other specials. The night owl runs every day from 8p-8a and works with the bonus days too.

 

[Waxman]

Tis better to increase your price rather than decrease quality. I know you weren't necessarily thinking about doing that, but definitely go to $1 on vacs, go to $2 on ss for 3.5 min., give your bonus time and promote it and talk it up.

Keep the soaps rich, waxes strong and scented, the place clean and give high service.

 

[MEP001]

We've been $1 for 4 min. on vacs since we opened. All the competition is 75? for 3 min. I think that extra run time is perceived as a better value, even though it's not. To me, having to get out and deposit more money more often feels like it's costing more.

On a side note, I also set the shampoo/spot remover time to $1 for 4 minutes from its default of $1.50 for 2 minutes. It has worked out well, I believe because the perceived value is so good and because they end up spending more to vacuum out all the foam. I also set the fragrance to $1 for 1:10 - I increased the time 10 sec. at a time until people weren't dropping the fragrance gun on the ground when they were done. The default 40 secs. was too short, and people actually looked annoyed when the time ran out. I watched one poor guy deposit his money, turn to open his door and it was locked, got it open and couldn't find the trigger, and the instant he finally found and pulled it the time ran out. Each of the combo machines has grossed almost its original cost every year on average, so I must be doing something right.

 

[Kirb]

Bubbles,
I increased my prices from $1.25 to $1.50 for 3 minutes in the bays and .75 to $1 for the vacs. With the price increase I also added bonus time of 5 sec per quarter $5. I am now the most expensive but I am sure the other will follow. Do you this 5 sec bonus is enough? What do you give for your night owl bonus?
Kirb

 

[cantbreak80]

How ‘bout this…since you’re justifiably hesitant about raising prices, don’t change any of your prices.

Just quit dispensing quarters.

But, don’t quit accepting quarters…let the customers bring them and spend them if they want to.

After nearly 8 years of dispensed only $1 coins, I’m still amazed that customer provided quarters continue to account for nearly 24% of my cash income.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

I was just thinking about this last night. What if I make it a non-issue and just go straight to dollar coins? With a $1.50/$.75 price point, do you think that people would be p*ssed about it? To be completely honest with you, that is what I would be most comfortable with.

cantbreak80-what are your price points?

Kirb-I give an extra 15 seconds per quarter with my bonus time. My night owl special lowers the price from 1.50/3 to 1.00/3.

 

[Whale of a Wash]

First off- You are way too cheap already. This winter 1.75/3 has put me in the hole quite a ways with the weather. If I went to dollar coins it would be $2/3 or 2/3.5. Don't be afraid to charge what you are worth, The owner is always more worried about the price change than the customer, everything is expensive that I buy for the washes. I bought 3 visi combos last year. one at ica received in may. It did $5500 for the year. The credit card option is finally getting more use. Some still ask if the dollar coin is real- I have to get new ones at the bank. Also what type of timer-changes the price at night- I don;t think my dixmors can do that

 

[cantbreak80]

No…they won’t be. At least, most of them won’t be. And, the few that do get p*ssed will get over it. I agree with WOAW…we worry too much about it. I’ve fretted and wrung my hands for days prior to price increases. In every case, it was a pointless mental exercise.

Bays are $2/3 minutes
Vacs are $1/4 minutes
Shampooer is $2.50/4 minutes
Drop vendors are $1 for AA, wet towels, or 2 blue towels
Glass vendor gives change so I still have some products for 50 cents

Again, every meter accepts $1 & quarters. I don’t offer “bonus pricing”.

As for $1 only bill changers:
If you accept $10 & $20 bills, make sure you have a steady source for replenishing the “$1 Coin Bank”. On average, I “lose” 27% of my vended $1 coins. I expected that number would be lowered when the CC system was activated…it did…from 29%.

Oh, and be ready for the changes in your time management. Converting to $1 coins will significantly reduce the time spent for cash accounting and restocking the changers. You’ll have more time for other activities…

Pardon me, I gotta Tee Time...

 

[Kirb]

Whale of a Wash,
Etowah Valley's timers with do this.

Kirb

 

[Waxman]

Come on guys.....lets keep pricing where it needs to be to make $$ at this business.

You're worried about your customers, I get it. But your customer never sees your bills; insurance, propane, chemicals, taxes, water/sewer, labor. Tell me; has any of these gone down in recent memory? Maybe propane which spiked this Summer, but none of the others.

I thought about lowering my IBA pricing, but decided against it. Most customers will not be swayed by 25 cent price difference! It's $2 for Pete's Sake!!!

 

[Bubbles Galore]

By changing over to dollar coins, I will be setting myself up to do another price increase in the fall. I can do programmed specials with both my etowah meter box and my ultimate dixmors. I should talk to the other car wash owners in town and maybe we can all raise our prices

 

[Tpoppa]

Come on guys.....lets keep pricing where it needs to be to make $$ at this business.

I agree. Pricing needs to be at a level to cover costs and still turn a respectable profit. I plan to bump prices in my bays .25 this week and maybe another .25 in the summer or fall.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

I agree. Pricing needs to be at a level to cover costs and still turn a respectable profit. I plan to bump prices in my bays .25 this week and maybe another .25 in the summer or fall.

I just don't want to push my customers away right now. Michigan's new unemployment rates came out yesterday and we have almost reached double digits. I don't want to sticker shock people that are already being very frugal with their money.