Offering higher end waxes

G

gtpaul

New member
I've revising my packages and so forth and I currently end my details with PoliSeal.



I'm thinking about offering Souveran for an extra charge on my Gold package (current LSP is PoliSeal) I'm also thinking about offering Concorso on my ultimate package (souveran is the LSP for the ultimate package) for an extra charge.



What do you guys think? and how much should I charge extra? I have a price in mind for each but I'm unsure as to whether or not I'm charging to little especially for concorso.
 
hmm, if a wash/wax is about $75-100, you should add quite a bit for a wax. you should however inform the customer that the wax is mainly for looks, not so much durability.



Overcharge if anything, you don't want to get stuck losing money.
 
Application of an LSP takes the same amount of time, regardless of the product (ok, the Klasse Twins do take longer). The additional cost is almost irrelevant...



Why should you charge more? You mean you don't normally use the 'good stuff'?



We use what we think is the best, and our clients are still happy 6 months later.

If I want to be subjected to upselling, I can always go to a Jiffy Lube!



Do your best work. Word will spread.
 
Have to agree with Jimmy on this one.



Better to call it out as a higher end wax that would normally cost more and then include it for free. In other words, show it on your invoice at a set list price and then mark it down to a 'no charge' item that is included. Doing it this way adds a lot more value to your service in the eyes of your clients. Been doing it this way for years and it must be working.



In summary, it is never a good idea to nickel and dime your good clients. Instead of subjecting your clients to upselling, it is much better to add value.
 
Holy crap!! $75-$100 for a simple wash and wax??? I can't charge more than $25 here for the using even the best of the best wax I have in the shop. And people still complain about getting ripped off at that price.



But regardless. Yea I have 4 different wash wax and vac packages all different in the pricing due to just the wax. And I list that on the invoice and tell them what the difference actually is. (not hey it cost me more so it must be better and I'm going to charge you more for it) I have a basic spray wax (cheap) a carnuba (little better) then nanotech (bext wax out there) and finally I offer a aquaseal paint sealant (for total protection) You can't just randomly buy more expensive product and pass it on. You have to know exactly why each one is better than the other and what the customer benifits are to upgrading to the better product is.
 
Jakerooni said:
Holy crap!! $75-$100 for a simple wash and wax??? I can't charge more than $25 here for the using even the best of the best wax I have in the shop. And people still complain about getting ripped off at that price.
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Are you kidding!!! How do you stay in business??
 
Jake,



I know since I am mobile and I have a rather repetitive clientele base, my situation may be a bit different compared to what you are facing. What I did early on, like 20 years ago, was to go with offering only one complete package. And I still only offer one complete package today. Whether it's an econobox or an expensive sports car, my process and procedure is basically the same. You see, I decided a long time ago that I did not want to give a new client any chance of being able to choose a lower priced service. Hey, if they are either looking for a lower price or want only a partial service then the way I figured it, I would rather just let them go somewhere else. When I set up my business plan way back when, I never intended to be all things to all people.



$75 -$100??? Those prices sound like something from a couple of decades ago. And for those who may have forgotten, a decade is still ten years in length.
 
Jakerooni[B said:
]Holy crap!! $75-$100 for a simple wash and wax??? I can't charge more than $25 here for the using even the best of the best wax I have in the shop. And people still complain about getting ripped off at that price. [/B]



But regardless. Yea I have 4 different wash wax and vac packages all different in the pricing due to just the wax. And I list that on the invoice and tell them what the difference actually is. (not hey it cost me more so it must be better and I'm going to charge you more for it) I have a basic spray wax (cheap) a carnuba (little better) then nanotech (bext wax out there) and finally I offer a aquaseal paint sealant (for total protection) You can't just randomly buy more expensive product and pass it on. You have to know exactly why each one is better than the other and what the customer benifits are to upgrading to the better product is.
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Same here everyone here wants the value detail.
 
Josh I guess the main factor is the area. I live in the 3rd worst city in the entire nation. So money just dosen't flow around here like it does alot of other places. The upside is everything else is pretty cheap around here as well. But I base my service on time really and seriously how much time does one need to wash and wax a car? If your extreamly slow and anal about every single nook and crannie it MIGHT and I stress MIGHT take maybe an hour. Usually I get wash an waxes out in about 30 minutes. Which is average for 99% of detailers out there that are worth a crap and not just lazy (I've actaully had a few guys take over an hour to do it and they were quickly showed to the door) you figure your time is worth about $50/hr it takes a decent detailer about 30 minutes to do. So easy math is simple in saying yes $25 is more than a fair price for a simple wash and wax. This is in no way a detail nor is it a vaccumm. It's simply washing and waxing then out the door they go. If your wash and wax packages include more then obviously the price would have to go up to refelect that.





And frank eventually I would love to get back to that. But for now being a upstart new business I feel the need to just do what I can for now to get the name out there on everyones tounges. Eventually as things evolve (as they always do) I'll simplify and really niche in my detailing services. But for now to me it just dosen't make good business sense to turn away a vast majority of clientele.
 
I understand Jake. My overhead is a heck of a lot less than having a fixed location. So it has always been a lot easier for me to make a reasonable profit without having to take on work that I am not really aiming at in the marketplace. Hey, it wasn't always this way, just like you, we all have to start somewhere. After all, building a good client base does not happen over night. It takes time and a bit of fine tuning along the way.



Basically, your business becomes what you want it to become and you fill the need you have found out there in your own market. And as long as you can make a profit doing it, that is all that matters. Always enjoy reading your posts Jake. Thanks for contributing!
 
Same here frank... same here :D. I know I tend to be a little more outspoken on here than most. probably my local as well. We just say what we think and screw how people feel about it LOL. But I try to be as informative as possible when I post. I know I've rubbed a few mods the wrong way. But I think all in all people see my post as more useful than not.... (Probably why they haven't banned me yet LOL)
 
Jakerooni said:
Josh I guess the main factor is the area. I live in the 3rd worst city in the entire nation. So money just dosen't flow around here like it does alot of other places. The upside is everything else is pretty cheap around here as well. But I base my service on time really and seriously how much time does one need to wash and wax a car? If your extreamly slow and anal about every single nook and crannie it MIGHT and I stress MIGHT take maybe an hour. Usually I get wash an waxes out in about 30 minutes. Which is average for 99% of detailers out there that are worth a crap and not just lazy (I've actaully had a few guys take over an hour to do it and they were quickly showed to the door) you figure your time is worth about $50/hr it takes a decent detailer about 30 minutes to do. So easy math is simple in saying yes $25 is more than a fair price for a simple wash and wax. This is in no way a detail nor is it a vaccumm. It's simply washing and waxing then out the door they go. If your wash and wax packages include more then obviously the price would have to go up to refelect that.
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Jake, I didn't realize you actually meant a wash and wax only and no detailing. I could see that costing what you are charging.
 
Thanks for the responses. Seem's like I'll just stick with Souveran rather then charge a little for Swissvax.
 
In my way of looking at it the average Joe couldn't care less if you are using something from K Mart or God's Own Chariot Wax. They want a wash n' wax quick and cheap. Your audience (for the most part) would not understand the upcharge and would simply go somewhere else.



Got an exotic supercar customer? He will understand and pay the difference......one in ten thousand customers.
 
Jakerooni said:
Holy crap!! $75-$100 for a simple wash and wax??? I can't charge more than $25 here for the using even the best of the best wax I have in the shop. And people still complain about getting ripped off at that price.
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Are you serious?
 
RTexasF said:
In my way of looking at it the average Joe couldn't car less if you are using something from K Mart or God's Own Chariot Wax. They want a wash n' wax quick and cheap. Your audience (for the most part) would not understand the upcharge and would simply go somewhere else.



Got an exotic supercar customer? He will understand and pay the difference......one in ten thousand customers.
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Exactly.. Truer words couldn't have been spoken on here. That's why my prices are different for the types of waxes and not the name brand. I think I may have 5 or 6 different carnubas out on the shelves. And if they pay for a nuba wax I grab whichever one I feel froggy with at the time. But just because one nube cost me $20 a gallon and another may have cost me $50 a gallon I don't go upcharging because of name brand because I know 99.99999% of my customers could give a rats butt about which brand of wax I use. For an example of how I break it down I would probably say something like the following



"A spray wax is a simple wax we spray on after wash before rinse to help with drying. It would be compared to the same stuff you'd get at the coin op. Dosen't last very long but if you plan on washing your car here frequently this is a affordable option,



Nuba wax's are good from 3-6 months according to manufactures specs. The offer a decent amount of protection and add a decent shine to your car



Nano is the new technology out there. Instead of microbeads of wax they use nanobeads. You get a much better level of wax the protection is about the same of nube but the advantage is color enhancement. It really make the colors just "pop" And I can show you if you'd like to actually see the difference for yourself



And Aquaseal paint sealant comes with a garuntee from the manufacture. It actually bonds to the clearcoat and helps with the protection of the paint. Not as much depth but much better protection."





That would be a rough sales pitch. Nothing about name brands but simple knowledge one gets by just reading the labels of the products they buy. D
 
I understand where you are coming from but, if you have Souveran, Concorso and NXT on the shelf and the customer has paid for a decent little detail would you be inclined to pull Concorso off the shelf without wanting more for using it.. Given the cleaner fluid itself can do maybe 3-4 cars and costs 40$ and the wax $225.



I've taken the suggestions and will just stick with PoliSeal as the LSP for my smaller packages and stick with Souveran as my LSP for my top package. Once I pickup Swissvax I'll use it on my own cars, or if a customer ever brings something up I can offer it.



I don't like upselling and like other's have mentioned most customers could care-lessabout a better wax. Most peoples car's get trashed again after a months worth of washing anyways.
 
Jakerooni said:
Holy crap!! $75-$100 for a simple wash and wax??? I can't charge more than $25 here for the using even the best of the best wax I have in the shop. And people still complain about getting ripped off at that price.
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Wow, I don't know how you stay going Jake. That's by far the lowest price I have seen other than a 9.99 drive through spray wax no buff.
 
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