Restructuring my prices... advice needed.

3

35TH LE

New member
Ok guys and gals... now that Ive been doing this detailing thing for customers for a good 10 months Ive decided that its probably time to raise my rates. Not just because I want to raise them but because when I started I decided to charge a little less to get good exposure and experience. I think Ive done more then prove myself and I havent had one single complaint.



Heres a few of my documented detail threads before we get started, just so you can see what Ive done:

Link to some of my details. Another good detail thread of mine.



Heres what I had in mind:



Wash/Clay/Wax Exterior Only. $150

-Hand wash.

-Clay bar.

-Wax.

-Tire dressing. (oversized aftermarket tires subject to additional $5 charge)

-Chrome polishing.

-Window cleaning.

-Trim dressing.

-Rain X application.



*Large Vehicles add $25.*

*Discount may be applied for smaller vehicles.*



Add-ons

-Meguiars #21 synthetic sealant before wax. $20

-Meguiars #7 show car polish before wax. $20

-Window polishing, grime and water spot removal. $15



Wash/Clay/Polish/Wax $200

-Hand wash.

-Clay bar.

-Single stage polish. (swirl removal)

-Wax.

-Tire dressing. (oversized aftermarket tires subject to additional $5 charge)

-Wheel well dressing.

-Chrome polishing.

-Window cleaning.

-Trim dressing.

-Rain X application.



*Large Vehicles add $25.*

*Discount may be applied for smaller vehicles.*

*Some vehicles require 2 stage polish, see below for 2nd stage polish price.*



Add-ons

-2nd stage polish. $35

-Meguiars #21 synthetic sealant before wax. $20

-Meguiars #7 show car polish before wax/sealant. $20

-Window polishing, grime and water spot removal. $15





Wash/Clay/Polish/Wax/Interior. $230

-Hand wash.

-Clay bar.

-Single stage polish. (swirl removal)

-Wax.

-Tire dressing. (oversized aftermarket tires subject to additional $5 charge)

-Wheel well dressing.

-Chrome polishing.

-Window cleaning.

-Trim dressing.

-Rain X application.

-Interior dash/doors/etc cleaning.

-Carpet vacuum.

-Carpet spot removal by hand & solution scrub.

-Interior window cleaning.

-Leather cleaning/conditioning. (1 step cleaner/conditioner)



*Large Vehicles add $25.*

*Discount may be applied for smaller vehicles.*

*Some vehicles require 2 stage polish, see below for 2nd stage polish price.*

*Some vehicles may require full carpet shampoo upgrade to clean completely.*



Add-ons

-2nd stage polish. $35

-Meguiars #21 synthetic sealant before wax. $20

-Meguiars #7 show car polish before wax/sealant. $20

-Window polishing, grime and water spot removal. $15

-Leather deep cleaning and conditioning. (2 step dedicated cleaner and conditioner) $10

-Full carpet hand shampoo and machine extraction. $25



Any and all comments and suggestions appreciated.



Sometimes I dont feel Im charging enough... and that may be true. Also.. Im not offering too many "add-ons" am I? Or should I just include those into the detailing and bump the price instead of making it an opition?



TIA! :waxing:
 
Depending on your fixed and recurring cost, competition, how much profit you want to make, rasing your prices can be very tricky. You want the right price where you are neither charging far too less than your competition nor too much lest you drive your customers elsewhere. Personally based on the market here in Sacramento, $150.00 is too high for a wash, clay and wax job. Only the rich would readily pay that much. I thought your polish price is in order. I believe that each time you bring the polisher out you should not charge less than $100.00.
 
ecodetail said:
Depending on your fixed and recurring cost, competition, how much profit you want to make, rasing your prices can be very tricky. You want the right price where you are neither charging far too less than your competition nor too much lest you drive your customers elsewhere. Personally based on the market here in Sacramento, $150.00 is too high for a wash, clay and wax job. Only the rich would readily pay that much. I thought your polish price is in order. I believe that each time you bring the polisher out you should not charge less than $100.00.
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Thanks for the suggestions. I didnt realize the Sacramento CA market wasnt a higher retail paying market, of course thats totally IMO.



Hmm.. FWIW my original prices were as follows:



$130 wash/clay/wax



$185 wash/clay/single stage polish/wax/interior

-Add ons for full shampoo and 2nd stage polish.



I did think the wash/clay/wax was on par @ $130 but $185 for the wash/clay/polish/wax/interior was a HELLUVA deal IMO. The $185 jobber was 95% of all the details Ive done in the last 10 months. I did REALLY well with that $185 price.... I cant recall how many customers and good friends were telling me I should be charging more fore that service, and that my pricing was great compared to competitors they researched. I was always tipped really well because of that. :)



Did you mean $200 anytime the polisher is used? Maybe I should retain the original prices, maybe a little bump but not as much as I have listed above, and leave the "add-ons"? Some of the add-ons were things I didnt previously offer.. such as sealant, show car polish, window polishing... and I never really pushed the carpet shampoo too much or the 2 step leather deep cleaning.



Thanks again..
 
Is there a reason behind the pricing overhaul?



What works for you, may not work for others. If the old price works for you, I 'personally' would leave them as is, and not shock the existing customers.



I have a set list for pricing that I send out to my customers, but I put emphasis that they are only quotes. I then give them a more exact quote based on the condition of the actual vehicle, and price per hour.
 
BMWWW said:
Is there a reason behind the pricing overhaul?



What works for you, may not work for others. If the old price works for you, I 'personally' would leave them as is, and not shock the existing customers.



I have a set list for pricing that I send out to my customers, but I put emphasis that they are only quotes. I then give them a more exact quote based on the condition of the actual vehicle, and price per hour.
Click to expand...



I agree, I'm no marketing major, but what exactly do you want to do here? Just get more $$$ or more customers? People usually don't like getting less than what they were used to getting for their money, regardless of what they say. Look at how companies across America have been dealing with soaring prices. They just give the consumer less product. Its crappy but that's the way the Wal-Mart culture has made things.
 
locally in a more affluent area a detailer charges $150. I'm not sure if that is a machine applied one step or a two step polish and sealant. Personally I wouldn't offer a wax-I'd offer a sealant like #21 or Duragloss 105 unless someone asks for a specific wax. Pricing should have a general structure but don't hesitate to charge your best customers less.
 
yakky said:
I agree, I'm no marketing major, but what exactly do you want to do here? Just get more $$$ or more customers? People usually don't like getting less than what they were used to getting for their money, regardless of what they say. Look at how companies across America have been dealing with soaring prices. They just give the consumer less product. Its crappy but that's the way the Wal-Mart culture has made things.
Click to expand...



:werd:

I find myself giving more actually for what they pay! It's the little stuff that keeps them coming back, and bringing in new customers. Little things such as a spray-wax topper for weekly washes go a long way in the long-run. They take 5 mins too!



Good luck!
 
35TH LE said:
... now that Ive been doing this detailing thing for customers for a good 10 months Ive decided that its probably time to raise my rates. Not just because I want to raise them but because when I started I decided to charge a little less to get good exposure and experience.
Click to expand...



It sounds like you may have boxed yourself into a corner by charging a little less to get good exposure and experience. Of course, new customers can come aboard at higher prices, however, it is not going to be that easy to tell your current customers that you now need to charge them more for the same services they received during the past 10 months.
 
When somebody gets one of my old business cards advertising a $100 full detail (2 years ago), I tell them, that was when I had very little experience, and equipment to complete the job. The job we do nowdays requires more time, more equipment, and more expertise. This is what they are paying for now. Tell them if they still want it for $100 you can do a half *** job and spend 1/3 the time on it if they want you to. But there will still be stains in the carpets, crumbs between the seats etc.
 
Shaun Carollo said:
When somebody gets one of my old business cards advertising a $100 full detail (2 years ago), I tell them, that was when I had very little experience, and equipment to complete the job.
Click to expand...



It is never a good idea to advertise your prices on printed materials. Always keep your prices out of public view and you will have much more control when you decide it is time to make price changes.
 
Thanks guys... I am taking all the suggestions in and figuring out what to do. Im starting to lean towards marking them up just a little and offering the extra add-ons.



Someone mentioned backing myself into a corner.... youre right... I did, didnt I? However.. I do fully feel that I have improved a lot since day one... gas isnt getting cheaper... and keeping a bigger/better stock on hand costs more. So I feel that I should raise prices a tad but be ready to explain why in detail. Of course there are a few customers that I will leave pricing the same... for instance, the customer that had 3 cars done by me in 2 months.
 
35TH LE said:
Thanks guys... I am taking all the suggestions in and figuring out what to do. Im starting to lean towards marking them up just a little and offering the extra add-ons.
Click to expand...



That sounds like a really good plan. A little increase in price is understood and expected by most reasonable customers. The add ons will get you the extra $$$.
 
35TH LE said:
Of course there are a few customers that I will leave pricing the same... for instance, the customer that had 3 cars done by me in 2 months.
Click to expand...



Absolutely! You always need to take care of your bread and butter customers. Especially the people who take care of you. Never nickel and dime your best, steady customers.



It is usually a good idea to keep your prices the same for a couple of years. You can figure that most customers will not mind a price increase about every two or three years. Any sooner than that and they might get a bit concerned.



It is always better to start off with a very high list price and then have the flexibility to discount down from there, rather than always having to bump up your prices.



I hope this helps.
 
Alright....thanks a lot guys, your feedback is much appreciated. Im going to either keep the current pricing and add the additionals as "NEW added services" or if I increase it Ill only increase by maybe $10 per service and maybe include some of the new services. Ill also create sales strategies for the new services... that should help upsell.



Thanks again!
 
As mentioned before raising prices on existing customers sometimes doesn't set too well. One thing that has worked for me during price increases is I let existing customers know that there has been a price increase but charge them my old price. I charge them the old price for that visit or for however long I deem necessary. They know in advance that the price is going to change so there is no surprises. Many just pay the new price.
 
35TH LE said:
Ok guys and gals... now that Ive been doing this detailing thing for customers for a good 10 months Ive decided that its probably time to raise my rates. Not just because I want to raise them but because when I started I decided to charge a little less to get good exposure and experience. I think Ive done more then prove myself and I havent had one single complaint.



Heres a few of my documented detail threads before we get started, just so you can see what Ive done:

Link to some of my details. Another good detail thread of mine.



Heres what I had in mind:



Wash/Clay/Wax Exterior Only. $150

-Hand wash.

-Clay bar.

-Wax.

-Tire dressing. (oversized aftermarket tires subject to additional $5 charge)

-Chrome polishing.

-Window cleaning.

-Trim dressing.

-Rain X application.



*Large Vehicles add $25.*

*Discount may be applied for smaller vehicles.*



Add-ons

-Meguiars #21 synthetic sealant before wax. $20

-Meguiars #7 show car polish before wax. $20

-Window polishing, grime and water spot removal. $15



Wash/Clay/Polish/Wax $200

-Hand wash.

-Clay bar.

-Single stage polish. (swirl removal)

-Wax.

-Tire dressing. (oversized aftermarket tires subject to additional $5 charge)

-Wheel well dressing.

-Chrome polishing.

-Window cleaning.

-Trim dressing.

-Rain X application.



*Large Vehicles add $25.*

*Discount may be applied for smaller vehicles.*

*Some vehicles require 2 stage polish, see below for 2nd stage polish price.*



Add-ons

-2nd stage polish. $35

-Meguiars #21 synthetic sealant before wax. $20

-Meguiars #7 show car polish before wax/sealant. $20

-Window polishing, grime and water spot removal. $15





Wash/Clay/Polish/Wax/Interior. $230

-Hand wash.

-Clay bar.

-Single stage polish. (swirl removal)

-Wax.

-Tire dressing. (oversized aftermarket tires subject to additional $5 charge)

-Wheel well dressing.

-Chrome polishing.

-Window cleaning.

-Trim dressing.

-Rain X application.

-Interior dash/doors/etc cleaning.

-Carpet vacuum.

-Carpet spot removal by hand & solution scrub.

-Interior window cleaning.

-Leather cleaning/conditioning. (1 step cleaner/conditioner)



*Large Vehicles add $25.*

*Discount may be applied for smaller vehicles.*

*Some vehicles require 2 stage polish, see below for 2nd stage polish price.*

*Some vehicles may require full carpet shampoo upgrade to clean completely.*



Add-ons

-2nd stage polish. $35

-Meguiars #21 synthetic sealant before wax. $20

-Meguiars #7 show car polish before wax/sealant. $20

-Window polishing, grime and water spot removal. $15

-Leather deep cleaning and conditioning. (2 step dedicated cleaner and conditioner) $10

-Full carpet hand shampoo and machine extraction. $25



Any and all comments and suggestions appreciated.



Sometimes I dont feel Im charging enough... and that may be true. Also.. Im not offering too many "add-ons" am I? Or should I just include those into the detailing and bump the price instead of making it an opition?



TIA! :waxing:
Click to expand...

I noticed that you are charging only $30 more ($200 to $230) to detail the interior. Also, an extra $25 for a complete interior. $55 for a complete interior seems a little too cheap. I don't think it's in line with your exterior pricing (based on the norm). Do you have just an Interior Package without any exterior services(maybe a wash)?
 
David Fermani said:
I noticed that you are charging only $30 more ($200 to $230) to detail the interior. Also, an extra $25 for a complete interior. $55 for a complete interior seems a little too cheap. I don't think it's in line with your exterior pricing (based on the norm). Do you have just an Interior Package without any exterior services(maybe a wash)?
Click to expand...



No, I dont offer an interior only. The reason I only add $30 for the interior (minus a real good leather cleaning/conditioning and shampoo) is because I really do have a knack for knocking out interiors real quick. Certainly less then an hour... so I figure the $30 is enough to charge for an hours worth of time, more times then not its less then an hour. Then add the shampoo and leather cleaning and then maybe 1.5hr at most... and at that point the $/hr starts really working in my favor.
 
how are you, and others, only spending less than an hour on interiors....they have to be in pretty good shape to begin with....on filthy interiors, I have spent over 4 hours to clean it up to my standards....
 
toyotaguy said:
how are you, and others, only spending less than an hour on interiors....they have to be in pretty good shape to begin with....on filthy interiors, I have spent over 4 hours to clean it up to my standards....
Click to expand...



I guess you could say they are in pretty good shape to start.... I suppose I havent met my match yet, so to speak.



I wouldnt classify anything Ive done as filthy.... one came pretty close but I spent a good whole hour on it, ok maybe a little more on that one and it turned out pretty good.
 
Ok here is some recalculated prices... I changed the rates to reflect no more then a $10 increase from my previous rates. Repeat customers retain original rates but are now offered the new "add-ons" just like everyone else. Executive customers (people with 3 or more previous jobs) receive FREE upgrades such as higher quality tire dressings, leather deep cleaning for no charge, and window polishing where needed for no additional charge. On top of those freebies when the 3rd car is scheduled EACH of the already detailed vehicles recieve a quick detail wipedown, window cleaning, and tire dressing on the spot IF they are available when I finish the 3rd cars job. If the 3rd job happens to be on the SAME car all 3 times then they are entitled to a FREE carpet shampoo and sealant application.



I also recalculated my add on prices as I kind of thought they were a little high.





Wash/Clay/Wax Exterior Only. $140

-Hand wash.

-Clay bar.

-Wax.

-Tire dressing. (oversized aftermarket tires subject to additional $5 charge)

-Chrome polishing.

-Window cleaning inside and out.

-Trim dressing.

-Rain X application.



*Large cars/trucks/vans add $20.*

*Discount may be applied for smaller vehicles.*



Add-ons

-Meguiars #21 synthetic sealant before wax. $15

-Meguiars #7 show car polish before wax. $15

-Window polishing by machine, grime and water spot removal. $15



Wash/Clay/Polish/Wax $190

-Hand wash.

-Clay bar.

-Single stage polish. (swirl removal)

-Wax.

-Tire dressing. (oversized aftermarket tires subject to additional $5 charge)

-Wheel well dressing.

-Chrome polishing.

-Window cleaning.

-Trim dressing.

-Rain X application.



*Large cars/trucks/vans add $20.*

*Discount may be applied for smaller vehicles.*

*Some vehicles require 2 stage polish, see below for 2nd stage polish price.*



Add-ons

-2nd stage polish. $35

-Meguiars #21 synthetic sealant before wax. $15

-Meguiars #7 show car polish before wax/sealant. $15

-Window polishing by machine, grime and water spot removal. $15





Wash/Clay/Polish/Wax/Interior. $220

-Hand wash.

-Clay bar.

-Single stage polish. (swirl removal)

-Wax.

-Tire dressing. (oversized aftermarket tires subject to additional $5 charge)

-Wheel well dressing.

-Chrome polishing.

-Window cleaning.

-Trim dressing.

-Rain X application.

-Interior dash/doors/etc cleaning.

-Carpet vacuum.

-Carpet spot removal by hand & solution scrub.

-Interior window cleaning.

-Leather cleaning/conditioning. (1 step cleaner/conditioner)



*Large cars/trucks/vans add $20.*

*Discount may be applied for smaller vehicles.*

*Some vehicles require 2 stage polish, see below for 2nd stage polish price.*

*Some vehicles may require full carpet shampoo upgrade to clean completely.*



Add-ons

-2nd stage polish. $35

-Meguiars #21 synthetic sealant before wax. $15

-Meguiars #7 show car polish before wax/sealant. $15

-Window polishing by machine, grime and water spot removal. $15

-Leather deep cleaning and conditioning. (2 step dedicated cleaner and conditioner) $10

-Full carpet hand shampoo and machine extraction. $25



How do those recalcs sound? I would like to start pushing benefits towards repeat customers... hence my FREEBIE offerings to those that have done business in the past. I might even do a small bottle of QD and free Costco brand MF after the second job, its a thought.
 
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