Price gouging because of SBE

[RobertaAgnor]

Maybe thats why they went bankrupt....

That had nothing to do with the bankruptcy, the company was doing very well & had been since it first opened. That fact that one of the owners embezzled over a million dollars from his father's company (not for our company but for other things) was the reason the company I worked for went out of business. I should have been more clear in my original post. I have no problem with prices being raised a little during busy times & I fully understand it; I live near Virginia Beach where it's always more expensive during tourist season. Other companies had more than tripled the price literally overnight which is why we sold out of everything Earnhardt related & others didn't sell quite as much until they came back down on their prices.

 

[Rain-Man]

Choices

The 2 biased choices here were not good options (still voted for the owners on sheer principal)..

Demand (all of us knuckle heads rolling into town to play some stick) directly dictates the cost of the supply (pool tables, food, hotels, etc...). If the price were too high, we wouldnt pay it, correct? Heck, maybe the price wasnt high ENOUGH? Table time was tough to come by, and as far as I found all the nearby hotels were booked solid.

Heres a good example of what I mean; The first thing I complained about upon arriving home and was asked "how was it?", was that it was too hard to find an open table to warm up on during the day (after a certain hour at night, it was no problem), and I said, "They should have had some tables set aside that werent free". Why? Because they were ALL free to play on.. I wish they would have set aside a row of tables and made them $1. They could have made them $2, or $3, and I still would have gladly paid! Im one of the unfortunate few who it is an absolute must to warm up a bit before I play. I wish I could just step to a table and shoot like some people, but I need to bang a rack or two around first..

*Note to Allen - This might be an idea to think about next year!!! :thumbup:

 

[Rain-Man]

That had nothing to do with the bankruptcy, the company was doing very well & had been since it first opened. That fact that one of the owners embezzled over a million dollars from his father's company (not for our company but for other things) was the reason the company I worked for went out of business. I should have been more clear in my original post. I have no problem with prices being raised a little during busy times & I fully understand it; I live near Virginia Beach where it's always more expensive during tourist season. Other companies had more than tripled the price literally overnight which is why we sold out of everything Earnhardt related & others didn't sell quite as much until they came back down on their prices.

I wasnt specifically suggesting that was the sole reason, but more as a general example of overall poor business practices. Oversight of your employees and operating partners, specifically ones that have access to the money is one of THE most important duties as an owner. This is exactly why most partnerships end up failing. Either one partner feels it is ok to flatout steal from the business, or one of the owners is convinced the other one(s) are stealing when they really arent.. One small bad decision probably wont bankrupt a solid business, but a series of bad ones ultimately will..

Comment was made light-heartedly, and in jest. Please dont take it as a personal attack or anything...:wink:

 

[jmurphy]

Of course, but just having a few people think a price is unreasonable doesn't make it "price gouging."

It also means the local people don't have to like it either
IMHO room owners should charge the regulars the normal rate, after all it's the year around regulars that are keeping the doors open. :thumbup:

 

[vapoolplayer]

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[rjb1168]

Feel free to share your reasons as to why they are "greedy."

(this should be a hoot)

If you charge 5.00 per hour today and next week the show starts you prices go up to 7.00 per hour your a greedy bastard. Pretty simple!!!!!

Also I would never go there again, it's not the money just the principle.

Now, you tell me why it's ok to raise your prices show week.

 

[krupa]

If you charge 5.00 per hour today and next week the show starts you prices go up to 7.00 per hour your a greedy bastard. Pretty simple!!!!!

Also I would never go there again, it's not the money just the principle.

Now, you tell me why it's ok to raise your prices show week.

You're right... the guy should probably just raise his rates permanently. 5 bucks an hour doesn't sound like much.

The truth is that small business owners walk a very fine line. Some can be very successful but something with limited appeal like pool... probably not so much. I could never begrudge someone a couple extra bucks in a situation like this... but then again, I hate crowds and probably would have stayed home until the expo was over anyway.

I'm not speaking directly to these particular room owners, I don't know who they are or how successful they've been. However, I do know that there are a few people in my town who are mulling over the possibility of opening a room but no one wants to jump off that cliff because the chances of success are piss-poor.

These days, I think pool players have to change their mentality. The player-owner relationship has to change from customer-business to a mutually beneficial, symbiotic relationship. Players need to realize that the success of the pool room benefits them... it gives them a place to play and while there are rooms open, the game won't go away. So a temporary rate increase during a peak time like the expo should not be met with haughty indignation but acceptance that what helps the room helps them as well.

 

[Nostroke]

It also means the local people don't have to like it either
IMHO room owners should charge the regulars the normal rate, after all it's the year around regulars that are keeping the doors open. :thumbup:

I will bet they did.

 

[Nostroke]

If you charge 5.00 per hour today and next week the show starts you prices go up to 7.00 per hour your a greedy bastard. Pretty simple!!!!!

Also I would never go there again, it's not the money just the principle.

Now, you tell me why it's ok to raise your prices show week.

Because there are not enough tables to meet demand and by raising the price, you eliminate certain customers bringing a balance and insuring that those that value your service (renting pool tables) the most can play.

Do you think hotels in Ocean City MD should keep their prices the same as in the Winter?

 

[Fast Lenny]

I do not see a problem with jacking up table time during that busy period for the out of towners but food/drink should be the same price. If you are local, a regular, or live in that state and have ID to show it then I would have a regular rate for those people. Vegas has no cover in many places if you are local, makes sense.

 

[Mickey Qualls]

Didn't vote. The choices are somewhat biased, as I don't consider it gouging.

Compare airfare to Florida during Spring Break versus an 'off week'. You're gonna see the price of airfare almost double during the 'peak' time.

Check Las Vegas room prices during nationals versus an 'off week'. When BCA Nationals were at the Riv, rooms the week before or after were roughly $30-$35 a night. Go during Nationals week, and it's $80.

There's an indoor/outdoor waterpark we take the kids to every few months. Last week when the kids were off, rooms prices were almost double what they usually are. Now, we go about 4-5 times a year, and eat in the hotel restaurant at least once. On the off weeks I can get a family suite for the price of a double room. During those 'holiday' times, I have to settle for an oversized double room. But they don't charge for a rollout bed (three kids), and we get a credit at the hotel restaurant.
I'm a "regular". So they take care of me as best they can during the peak time. If I don't like the deal/price they're offering, I can either find another waterpark, or simply not go.

Playing pool isn't a commodity, so now it's simply supply and demand.

The demand for tables is there. So why shouldn't the room owner reap the benefits of that demand ?

 

[vapoolplayer]

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[bdcues]

Funny, not a single post about the local hotels raising their rates for the convention. Prices were up to $30 a night from when I booked last July. I guess its fine for hotels, but not people who are passionate about pool like Allen and Ed? Why are we trying to hold pool business owners to a different standard?

$30.00? I recently went to the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival at the U of Idaho in Moscow, ID. A room that normally would be about $60.00 was $143.00.

To the OP, would you rather the pool room was closed next time the circus came to town? The increase in traffic, with increased staffing probably, will help average out the many hours the room is empty and the owner is paying someone to sit and wait for customers. The system worked the way it is intended to work so those that call for it to be against the law are only wishing for the demise of businesses.

 

[cardiac kid]

$30.00? I recently went to the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival at the U of Idaho in Moscow, ID. A room that normally would be about $60.00 was $143.00.

To the OP, would you rather the pool room was closed next time the circus came to town? The increase in traffic, with increased staffing probably, will help average out the many hours the room is empty and the owner is paying someone to sit and wait for customers. The system worked the way it is intended to work so those that call for it to be against the law are only wishing for the demise of businesses.

Bob,

You brought up an interesting thought. Back in the seventies and eighties, I worked on a safety crew at the Watkins Glen Grand Prix course. Was there roughly twenty weekends a year. During the Grand Prix, the place I stayed gave me a room at the regular rate while charging others three or four times as much per night. Strangely, when NASCAR ran their first race at the course, they raised my rate as well. New management in place. The fact I spent a couple of thousand dollars per year at the location was overshadowed by the management wanting to maximize their income during the four day event. Guess what I did?

Lyn

 

[West Point 1987]

If that were to keep even ONE pool room open that would have other wised closed, then good.

Yep. These "fat" weeks may be the only thing keeping some rooms open. Better to pay a little extra and have some place to play than to see them close down and have NO place left to play. What's wrong with a room owner making his nut? Don't like the price, don't play.

 

[RobertaAgnor]

I wasnt specifically suggesting that was the sole reason, but more as a general example of overall poor business practices. Oversight of your employees and operating partners, specifically ones that have access to the money is one of THE most important duties as an owner. This is exactly why most partnerships end up failing. Either one partner feels it is ok to flatout steal from the business, or one of the owners is convinced the other one(s) are stealing when they really arent.. One small bad decision probably wont bankrupt a solid business, but a series of bad ones ultimately will..

Comment was made light-heartedly, and in jest. Please dont take it as a personal attack or anything...:wink:

I don't let anything said to me on here bother me , I just realized I wasn't as specific in my original post.

 

[ROB.M]

Post

My thoughts->
Higher volumes lower prices... Unless your greedy' and that shined thru.
Just like along the roadway tollway oasis' their fast food places do not have the value menus that will be found in the city. But you have to weigh in the politics of business's to survive. And not create a cut throat business. Slaughter the hog so he don't eat all the pigs food.
You know greedy nj is gonna take advantage of every dime they can get.
But you also have many variables for different venues. Supply&demand is extremely profitable'
Thanks for your time & read
-
Rob.M

 

[mia]

What do you guys think about local billiards establishments close to the expo, jacking up their prices on things as a result of the expo being in town.

From food items to table time, etc etc.

Do you agree with this practice or not?

Seems totally normal to me. Nothing to be surprised about.

Which place in particular are you referring to because I went to one spot on Saturday night and in all honesty, the rates seemed totally normal to me.

 

[poolguy4u]

Bob,

You brought up an interesting thought. Back in the seventies and eighties, I worked on a safety crew at the Watkins Glen Grand Prix course. Was there roughly twenty weekends a year. During the Grand Prix, the place I stayed gave me a room at the regular rate while charging others three or four times as much per night. Strangely, when NASCAR ran their first race at the course, they raised my rate as well. New management in place. The fact I spent a couple of thousand dollars per year at the location was overshadowed by the management wanting to maximize their income during the four day event. Guess what I did?

Lyn

:grin:

OMG...you must have some good stories about the mud bog!

If a vehicle couldn't make it through...it got burned.:sorry:


It was the only place I was scared to death to go camping.:embarrassed2:

 

[Spider1]

This is called Business 101.

As a basic introduction:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Price_elasticity_of_supply


As just one example: the price of cords of firewood goes up drastically during and right before winter, and is at it's lowest in spring and early summer. What a shocker!


Edit: did not vote in poll because this is not price "gouging" in any way shape or form.