BOGO - Grrrrr

[gillumhouse]

I was in the middle of getting my sauna today (translates to flipping rooms - I A/C for guests, not housekeeping staff) when I get an inquiry call re dates. The doofus in on my web site AND it is telling him the room is open on those dates BUT he also wants to know if I still do the BOGO certificates. He has a 2009 book (which I was in) and if i still do them, he will go spend the $27 to buy the book. Since I do not do them he went from 2 nights to 1 night and is hemming and hawing... I tell him about my third night is $19.12 but apparently that was not good enough - "I don't know about spending 3 nights... Do you have any other specials?" I hope he spends the $27 and goes somewhere else. I bit my tongue so I would not ask him how many days HE was willing to work for no pay.
I guess I have come full circle on the BOGO deals. I used to think it was an opportunity to show what we are so they will come back or tell friends & family about us. In 16 years, I cannot remember even one BOGO ever coming back - except to use another BOGO (actually happened once!) The only one I do now is Stash Tea - they publish every 2 years and have the decency to give you a $25 GC as a thank you. Plus they are rarely ever used this far East but I get the listing.

 

[JBloggs]

You are me. I am you. I get it. We hoped (iloveinns and StashTea) in general would introduce people to B&B's but it only introduces us to those who want to squeeze blood from a turnip.
I love thrifty, have I every mentioned that? The more I save, the more I can give, or share. But I don't like cheap! Cheapskates rub me the wrong way.
Now I did do the off season special of the BOGO and it was wonderful, on my own terms, prepaid only, and in my own listings (Va.org and FB special) it was not an inn-season thing where people were just trying to save a buck, it was people who found it intriguing and thought "Hey we should try a B&B!" and I plan to do it again next February.

 

[gillumhouse]

That is the part that gets me - they ONLY stay when they have a BOGO. I did point out to him that innkeepers did not receive anything for the second night on those certificates. He seemed to be quite aware of that - and I told him that is why I no longer do them. Yea, I am with you on frugal but cheapskates who use everything and do NOT even consider leaving a tip get to me. AND they will require every penny of change if the bill is 104.94 they expect to get that 6 cents in change!

 

[Joey Camb]

Its what I always say about groupo on and k g b deals they build loyalty to those companies not to you. My godmother did some groupon stuff and the rep came to talk to her and she got lost and knocked on my door (we are next door) and I told her to her face when she asked if i was interested - groupon means loyalty to groupon not to me.

 

[Generic]

It's why I never do these things. It doesn't seem to attract the kind of people that I'm interested in. It doesn't bring new people in, it just brings in the cheap rascals.
I have the same problem with many of the "offers" that I get. Everyone wants to help me... in my high season. And if you do one of those "deal" websites, you are sure to get complaints, from all the people who don't read the deal.

 

[Joey Camb]

It's why I never do these things. It doesn't seem to attract the kind of people that I'm interested in. It doesn't bring new people in, it just brings in the cheap rascals.
I have the same problem with many of the "offers" that I get. Everyone wants to help me... in my high season. And if you do one of those "deal" websites, you are sure to get complaints, from all the people who don't read the deal..

we have a big event starting tomorro 34,000 expected over 3 days ie mon,tue,wed and thursday which overlaps with the setting up time for another event which starts friday and lasts 5 days with 14,000 expected
therefor my town is a complete zoo rooms are cheap at $350 and have just started getting the idiots - gosh is there something on - yes thats why there is no rooms online or the ones that are are sky high.
DUH!!!!

 

[Madeleine]

It's why I never do these things. It doesn't seem to attract the kind of people that I'm interested in. It doesn't bring new people in, it just brings in the cheap rascals.
I have the same problem with many of the "offers" that I get. Everyone wants to help me... in my high season. And if you do one of those "deal" websites, you are sure to get complaints, from all the people who don't read the deal..

we have a big event starting tomorro 34,000 expected over 3 days ie mon,tue,wed and thursday which overlaps with the setting up time for another event which starts friday and lasts 5 days with 14,000 expected
therefor my town is a complete zoo rooms are cheap at $350 and have just started getting the idiots - gosh is there something on - yes thats why there is no rooms online or the ones that are are sky high.
DUH!!!!
.

Interesting how we had an event here over the weekend where the projected attendance for the day was 35-40k. Must have been mostly locals because there were still rooms in town. It took, from what I could see, over an hour and a half for the traffic to clear out.
But, everyone who I spoke with who went to the event loved it. And a lot of people are asking for another event 'like it' every year. I wish we could get something like that organized for every year! But, this was done by a company with a nice pocketbook so can't expect it again.