Bargain rentals ceiling is outdated.

[wjappraise]

I know this has been discussed numerous times in the past, but I have a suggestion:
I understand there may be site traffic advantages to the low ball ceiling, but it is killing the owners who provide the inventory. How about two tiers? One is "bargain" and it has a nightly ceiling of $200 per night, and the other is "bargain basement" and it has a nightly ceiling of $100 per night. That would allow for continued fantastic deals for some but also a realistic pricing for us owners. If TUGBrian keeps in mind that even with the bargain ceiling, some posters will post even lower prices, especially when they are literally last minute. So, there will still be fantastic deals available for all potential renters. How about it TUGBrian? Thanks for considering it.

 

[ronparise]

You have to remember the purpose of this forum is to offer owners in a use it or loose it position to capture some of their fees

This isnt a place for "for profit" renting. Tug has another place for that.



At the marina where I dock my boat, they have a "free table" where one of us boat owners can leave un wanted items for others to take for free. Since storage is at a premium on most boats a lot of stuff ends up here rather than the dumpster

I see the bargain deals forum in the same way. Its a place where one owner makes his junk available to others to offset at least some of his fees

 

[wjappraise]

You have to remember the purpose of this forum is to offer owners in a use it or loose it position to capture some of their fees

This isnt a place for "for profit" renting. Tug has another place for that.

At the marina where I dock my boat, they have a "free table" where one of us boat owners can leave un wanted items for others to take for free. Since storage is at a premium on most boats a lot of stuff ends up here rather than the dumpster

I see the bargain deals forum in the same way. Its a place where one owner makes his junk available to others to offset at least some of his fees

Carrying that analogy through, how about in addition to a "free table (bargain basement)", we have a "really cheap table (bargain)"?

 

[ronparise]

[Edited to remove quote from another thread.]

If you want to rent at a price more than $100 a night there is a place for that on TUG

I agree that there can be bargains at more than $100. The answer isnt to raise the limit, The answer is to change the name of the forum to reflect what it really is: a place to list "use it or lose it" vacations for rent

 

[wjappraise]

If you want to rent at a price more than $100 a night there is a place for that on TUG

I agree that there can be bargains at more than $100. The answer isnt to raise the limit, The answer is to change the name pf the forum to reflect what it really is: a place to list "use it or lose it" vacations for rent

Or. . . .two forums, one "bargain" with a $200 a night ceiling, the "use it or lose it" for $100 a night ceiling? Would actually generate more traffic for this website, which would certainly help the site owner.

 

[am1]

I agree with raising the limit. I have lots of rooms that I could put on the last minute forum if the limit was a little higher. Some cases I do not or but it on but only at the really last minute. A bargain is always relative. A studio in mud season at an old resort is not going to be a bargain at any price. My feeling is if the limits were raised that higher quality inventory would be on the last minute forum and expose the junk reservations for what they are. Maybe a limit by bedroom size would be the easiest solution in this case.

I do not bother with the TUG marketplace.

 

[wjappraise]

I agree with raising the limit. I have lots of rooms that I could put on the last minute forum if the limit was a little higher. Some cases I do not or but it on but only at the really last minute. A bargain is always relative. A studio in mud season at an old resort is not going to be a bargain at any price. My feeling is if the limits were raised that higher quality inventory would be on the last minute forum and expose the junk reservations for what they are. Maybe a limit by bedroom size would be the easiest solution in this case.

I do not bother with the TUG marketplace.

Interesting, $100 a night for a studio or one bedroom, $200 a night for a two bedroom. That is even simpler. How about it TUGBrian?

 

[Sandy VDH]

I have just decided to NOT offer some last minute to rent some units I have available for one reason or another. I have some that I post on the marketplace. I have other offers that I don't post because I choose NOT to offer a 4 BR Presidential for $100 a night. Studio at $100 a night I'm OK, but ALL units at $100 a night, I'm not OK with. Nobody if forcing anyone to post units here. If the rules change I will play, if the rules don't I won't share these opportunities with TUG members. However I do see the LMR is a main source for some people to attempt to rent units. Hope that works for you.

I do think that the $100/night LMR has trained people to expect units at this price. I have rentals listed for more than a $100 a night, and within the 45 day mark I have had people offer me JUST the $100 night level, and EXPECT to get it for that price. I have kindly refused, and have been repeatedly harassed to lover my price. Would not do it. But what kind of behavior are we training people to have? We have trained people to wait until the last minute and badger renters to give units away.

I know the original intent was to have an avenue to recoop some cost if you have no choice. But how many of the LMR are really in posted in this situation. A smaller portion of the total listings.

 

[presley]

Just pointing out that a thread like this gets posted about every 6 months. The answer is always the same - the ceiling won't change and we are allowed to price at any amount at any time in the marketplace.

 

[am1]

Just pointing out that a thread like this gets posted about every 6 months. The answer is always the same - the ceiling won't change and we are allowed to price at any amount at any time in the marketplace.

But eventually it will change when it gains enough traction.

 

[raygo123]

Just pointing out that a thread like this gets posted about every 6 months. The answer is always the same - the ceiling won't change and we are allowed to price at any amount at any time in the marketplace.

So is that why bargin deals are bargain deals?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

[MOXJO7282]

I'd love to see something that allows owners to cover MF costs. I'm sure some folks are forced to put items on the bargain list at the last minute and could actually get more than $100 per night even last minute but are limited to ask for $100.

In those cases both parties are making out instead of one who is getting a steal of a deal and the owner getting much less. You could even allow for some negotiations.

Also how long has it been $100/night? In this day and age every price point needs to be adjusted to account for cost inflation at some point in time or it becomes totally misaligned with true current costs.

 

[SueDonJ]

Moderating the Bargain Deals forums is difficult enough without adding tiered pricing or anything else that would result in the forums being overrun by commercial renters. Considering that the TUG Marketplace exists and gets much more traffic than the forums ever do, there's just no need IMO to change the Bargain Deals rules.

 

[TUGBrian]

Last minute rentals under 100 - free on forums
last minute rentals over 100 - free in marketplace for members

we even have its own separate category in the drop down rental menu (although ill change it to make it even more obvious).

its also linked at the top of the last minute rentals forum

http://tug2.com/MarketplaceClassifiedResults.aspx?For Rent - Last Minute&LastMinuteRentals=true

 

[Jason245]

it is killing the owners who provide the inventory.

Stop providing the inventory and once bargain deals stops having postings, I am confident there will be consideration on raising the ceiling.

Remember, you are the supply side of the equation, and if the supply drops off, demand will insist on the increase.

 

[DeniseM]

Stop providing the inventory and once bargain deals stops having postings, I am confident there will be consideration on raising the ceiling.

I am confident that this ain't happening...

However, as has been stated aud nauseam, the goal of the forum is NOT to provide a place for profitable rentals.

The forum is a place for owners to recover something on a reservation that they are at risk of losing.

It is not designed to be a place for commercial renters to make a profit.

 

[geekette]

<< We have trained people to wait until the last minute and badger renters to give units away>>
No, that's not true. There may some people that think waiting and harrassing are ok, but the existence of a forum for last minute cheap rentals is not training for anything. I certainly am not targeting people to cajole them into deeper discounts and I expect that most normal decent people are not being "trained" for any such thing.

Please report the harrassers. None of us need them here. I'm glad you stood your ground on pricing, please continue to do so.

 

[SmithOp]

These are TS Users boards, not TS Renters boards. I like the way it is now, why should this site change to accomodate renters? If you are running it as a business there are plenty of places to advertise, if it doesn't rent you need to re-evaluate the bookings you are making and the prices you are offering.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[geekette]

...I understand there may be site traffic advantages to the low ball ceiling, but it is killing the owners who provide the inventory. ...

Killing the owners? Maybe dial back the drama a tad, eh?

I suspect that this so-called Killing has already occurred if an owner has a unit they can't rent out for more than their maint fees and is posting to a bargain board.

The problem is not with the website price limits. There is no problem with this website. If one finds the forums here unuseful to their purposes, there are plenty of other places to post For Rent ads at whatever price you like. But please don't pretend that Tug is the source of your woes, nor that pricing limits here inflict injury on owners.

 

[Sandy VDH]

<< We have trained people to wait until the last minute and badger renters to give units away>>
No, that's not true. There may some people that think waiting and harrassing are ok, but the existence of a forum for last minute cheap rentals is not training for anything. I certainly am not targeting people to cajole them into deeper discounts and I expect that most normal decent people are not being "trained" for any such thing.

Please report the harrassers. None of us need them here. I'm glad you stood your ground on pricing, please continue to do so.

I had a Waikiki Rental 2 BR for thanksgiving a year or so back, I was contracted by a person about once every day or two, for over a two month period. They told me they do this every year and they get what that want every year for the price that they want to pay, $100 night max. I did not post in LMR, I had a marketplace ad. But as it got closer and closer, they kept badgering me to relent and let them rent it. Their words "Otherwise it would go to waste". My retort, "why would I want to lose money so that you can go on a cheap vacation". I could cancel and rescue my points if I wanted to. I said a FIRM NO, and don't call me. They did call me repeatedly, but I didn't answer then I blocked their calls.

So it may be an isolated case, but it has indeed happened to me before.

 

[wjappraise]

Moderating the Bargain Deals forums is difficult enough without adding tiered pricing or anything else that would result in the forums being overrun by commercial renters. Considering that the TUG Marketplace exists and gets much more traffic than the forums ever do, there's just no need IMO to change the Bargain Deals rules.

Thank you, SueDonJ, for the work you do with moderating. However, I do not follow the logic of NOT doing something because it will make more work for the moderators. Following that bit of pretzel logic through would suggest that the website be done away with completely as that would really ease the work of the moderators.

As others have noted this issue keeps coming up, and it rightfully should. If we truly are members of a community here, we should be given the right to weigh in and have our voices heard. How about opening it up to a vote? In light of current national events, that can provide some interesting results. I do not know how long the $100 ceiling has been in place, but if it has been more than 5 years, then it really should be revisited.

I have heard from others that this proposed updating will NOT happen as there are secret agendas at play that will not allow it. That is wrong, and should not be allowed to determine protocols.

 

[Jason245]

I am confident that this ain't happening...

However, as has been stated aud nauseam, the goal of the forum is NOT to provide a place for profitable rentals.

The forum is a place for owners to recover something on a reservation that they are at risk of losing.

It is not designed to be a place for commercial renters to make a profit.

Are you saying that you are confident the supply side will not stop posting, or that even if they did stop posting and it went on for a prolonged period of time (like say 6-8 months with nothing being added) there wouldn't start to be discussions on possibly raising the limit?

I agree that the supply side won't relent, but not so sure about keeping the rate as it stands if they do stop posting.

 

[wjappraise]

Killing the owners? Maybe dial back the drama a tad, eh?

I suspect that this so-called Killing has already occurred if an owner has a unit they can't rent out for more than their maint fees and is posting to a bargain board.

The problem is not with the website price limits. There is no problem with this website. If one finds the forums here unuseful to their purposes, there are plenty of other places to post For Rent ads at whatever price you like. But please don't pretend that Tug is the source of your woes, nor that pricing limits here inflict injury on owners.

Dial it back? Please don't pretend? Wow, I must have picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue.

You do understand hyperbole, don't you? "Killing" is an expression, I did not really mean this website is murdering people. But the unrealistic ceiling is causing this website to lose out on postings. Do not miss the point!

 

[SueDonJ]

... I do think that the $100/night LMR has trained people to expect units at this price. I have rentals listed for more than a $100 a night, and within the 45 day mark I have had people offer me JUST the $100 night level, and EXPECT to get it for that price. I have kindly refused, and have been repeatedly harassed to lover my price. Would not do it. But what kind of behavior are we training people to have? We have trained people to wait until the last minute and badger renters to give units away. ...

As a moderator I've answered far more PM/emails from people who respond to Bargain Deals ads only to get a response that what was posted isn't available but the OP can help with something else at a higher price, that they've been put on the OP's mailing list and are being hounded with high-priced rental ads, that too many responses have come in and they have to outbid the others if they want it, etc. Sometimes I'm as confused as they are because my first read of the forum led me to believe, too, that any offers there are legitimately $100/night and available first-come-first-served. Now I understand that posters can't ask for more than $100/night on the forum but anything goes behind the scenes, and that's what I have to tell the people who send me PM/emails.

You say the forum is "training" folks to wait out and badger renters for cheap deals that would otherwise go for more. From where I sit the forum is as much if not more "training" renters to take advantage of folks who expect one thing only to learn that the one thing is bait.

 

[DeniseM]

Are you saying that you are confident the supply side will not stop posting, or that even if they did stop posting and it went on for a prolonged period of time (like say 6-8 months with nothing being added) there wouldn't start to be discussions on possibly raising the limit?

I agree that the supply side won't relent, but not so sure about keeping the rate as it stands if they do stop posting.

BOTH......