Pricing in the directory and online
the club need to check the pricing. On searching Treamble Valley the from price was totally different to the cheapest cost which was in October for one person and pitch.
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I was just looking in the handbook last night and was very surprised at the prices on some of the sites in Scotland.
Dunnett Bay which is pretty remote and all grass pitches, and non awning according to the App, is from £14.40, and that only applies before Easter as far as I can make out. Easter through till it closes in November is a bit more, and all the same price.
Banchory Silverbank, which is much less remote, very popular, and all hard standing with awning is under £9 at its least expensive. Even Bunree is less expensive low season than Dunnett Bay.
Other, what I would call remote, sites also seem on the expensive side, this may well discourage visitors even more and lead to these sites closing down.
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Has the website pricing changed to make it look cheaper?
I have just booked Baltic Wharf for late January just 30 mins ago and the same thing has come to light. The handbook price (2017) said £21 for outfit + 2 The price per night for January 2019 has cost me £23.20 and yet the web page says from £15.50. Up popped 'Live Chat' so I asked why. The answer was that sites are now priced as outfit + 1. (edit) this is obviously a way of making the site look cheaper
Seems a bit underhanded as the majority of members using sites must average 2 per unit. Unfortunately website prices are now set for 2019 so I can't comment on what they were this year.
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Yes it is underhanded, Harry, unless the club have explained it somewhere that I haven't yet found. To change the way you promote your price structure without such an explanation is poor.
The only mitigating factor is that technically the club should be quoting the very cheapest price that can be found, which they now appear to be doing. Be nice if they could keep their members advised though. Apologies to them if they have.
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What they seem to be doing is take advantage of all those that are doing the North Coast 500, as the price of Kinlochewe has gone through the roof too.
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It's gone up £5.50 since the present handbook. It also now has two price bands with a difference between each of 20p per pitch and 10p per adult.
Whoever sat round the table and thought that one up. The lower price is for 2 weeks at the beginning of the season, I wouldn't have bothered.
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In 2018 we were away for 85 nights, roughly one third of those were on caravan club sites, mainly in the winter months, the rest were spent on cheaper alternatives, CL's CS's CC&C or private sites. If the comments so far are anything to go by, in 2019 it looks like we will be avoiding the expensive club sites even more. I have nothing against club sites, but they often do not suit our limited income.
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The cheapest price at Hillhead is quoted, correctly, at £9.90 but this is for three nights next November. (One person plus midweek discount.) I suppose it's good news for someone on their own who want three nights but it looks incredibly cheap when it really isn't for most other times. The same pitch in the summer would be £29.20.
That's advertising for you.
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I must admit to not using the site directory much these days. Although it's sometimes easier to compare sites close to each other rather than using the website. In terms of pricing I tend to have already made up my mind which sites I am using and the first time I am aware of the cost is when I get my booking confirmation. I think it would be more informative if the Club used prices that reflect the most regular use of sites, so pitch plus two.
David
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Depends what you need at the time. My OH has toured alone, so sometimes a Club Site, including those with full facilities works out cheaper than opting for a CL at certain times of the year. Guessing the most common usage tends to be a pitch plus two though.
What does all this pricing and advertising and hoping to jump on popular touring routes mean to someone who has done a bit of marketing? It means the Club are having to work harder to attract stays on the sites other than places such as Chatsworth, BW and YRP etc..... Costs have to be covered, the largest being staffing and energy costs.
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OK. I started a topic about the lack of pricing in the new 2019/20 Sites Directory and Handbook earlier this afternoon. In the interests of non duplication the moderator has now locked that topic and redirected me to this topic page, so I will repeat the message I started my topic with here.
"Just received my 2019/20 Sites Directory and Handbook and I'm bitterly disappointed to find there are no nightly fees quoted on the clubsite pages, just a vague "from" price list. To me this stinks of underhand and secretive practices. Why should we have to either download a price list or order one by post? The prices should be clearly given for each site on its respective page.
This is the second questionable action by the club in two years, the renaming without widespread consultation of the membership being the previous one.
What the hell is going on??"
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We have so far, got bookings for 22 club sites next year from next Jan through to Jan 2020, some more than once, and have no idea the nightly fees for any of them, but the amount for the year is within what we have budgeted for with leeway for others if needed
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The problem is the club produces a two yearly sites directory which goes out of date by the end of the first year. Maybe it's better to maintain the correct information on line or via a postal request?
I think I read the club would be posting the new price list in January, maybe this should have been instigated when the prices were decided, is the web site difficult to update? Who knows?
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Easy T, maybe so but the separate price list should be included with the new handbook when it is posted out, after all it is available in printed form on request, or that is how I read the information, so if stocks of the price list has been printed why not include it with the handbook?
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Baileyvanman, I agree with you and I too posted a reply under your locked post but unlike you I can’t copy/paste my reply as the post that was locked also seems to have been Deleted User which is a great shame as there were some different points of view.
If posts are locked because of a similar running topic then why not copy/transfer across the posts from the locked thread to the open thread or at least leave it for others to see. Most annoying for those who have taken the time to compile replies.
Now to this topic
The cleverly designed starter price is new for this year; it was always for 2 people, and leans towards showing a cheap looking price for the site. The club then makes changes to the handbook; every site page omits the full price list and price banding dates. Several rumblings over the past months about the site charges being too high seems to have been taken on board by the club but not in the way members would like. A reduction or price freeze to compete with commercial sites. No, it seems a clever marketing ploy to disguise the high cost that people have been complaining about. Some of the prices for the most popular sites are mind boggling in 2019 even more so if you have children.
I always have site information to hand either at home or on site in the form of the handbook, the member’s bible. I do not always have access to the internet. Sometimes it’s nice to sit and plan using the book and it’s free.
Yes, you can say the handbook covers two seasons but that hasn’t stopped the system working well in years past. They saved money by not producing the supplement last year which saw the listing of the new season’s prices on line to download. That was difficult to accept too, even more so when the supplement was readily at hand by post.
Many traders offer internet services and also trade their goods in catalogues or brochures. All seem to have a price. If they don’t then, like me, I suspect customers will just overlook the item. Something I hope doesn’t happen with the new handbook.
I holiday in Europe every year using the ACSI system and there handbook changes every year but so do their prices which are always at hand without the need for the internet. I have no need for their App. either
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Just received the 2019 Sites Directory & Hand Book. As rule of thumb it seems that in order to work out the actual cost of a site pitch fee simply multiply the figure by 3 to arrive at the more accurate nightly cost.
Altering pitch prices every three or four nights seems to be the wrong action of a club towards its members.
If the club want to make more money they should consider offering a discount for 10 to 21 nights to keep occupancy rates up and avoid price increases
I believe the club would be better offering a discount on longer stays than penalising club members for more than 3 night stays. Its not to late to offer members an incentive.
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I believe the club would be better offering a discount on longer stays than penalising club members for more than 3 night stays. Its not to late to offer members an incentive.
Not sure I understand you, why is it more expensive after 3 nights. Surely if you are talking about mid week discount the price goes up after 4 nights, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are reduced.
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If posts are locked because of a similar running topic then why not copy/transfer across the posts from the locked thread to the open thread or at least leave it for others to see. Most annoying for those who have taken the time to compile replies.
The post is still visible here, it has only been locked. https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/club-together/discussions/welcome-hobby-talk/how-to-use-club-together/201920-sites-directory-and-handbook/
It is not possible to transfer posts from one thread to another that is why a link was provided. As a rule of thumb, if we get two threads on the same subject we tend to lock the one with less replies. I accept it is not a perfect solution but we have to work within the limitations of the forum. It is also not possible to copy the the posts across either as they would not be attributed to the original poster and none of us have time to do it manually.
David
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In common with other members we find it frustrating when trying to book 21 nights because just two nights Friday & Saturday have been taken. Someone booking a weekend has a priority from people who want to book 3 weeks because there are no spaces over the weekends. Giving a discount on mid week when the whole week is needed does not sort the problem. What happens is that members book up months and weeks before and there are no spaces left to take reasonable holidays. Then just before a weekend, pitches become available, but its to late to take a meaningful break. Hope this explains our experience this year and we feel a change would benefit all members. We are 25year plus members and found it hard this year to get pitches at our club sites.
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I believe the club would be better offering a discount on longer stays than penalising club members for more than 3 night stays. Its not to late to offer members an incentive
Ah posted by somebody who wants long stays! I typically am away in the caravan for 120+ nights a year. Probably at least 80 on CC sites and so over 11 weeks on CC sites. Nearly all my stays are 5 nights and move on. Why should pay more per night than somebody who spends 11 weeks on sites in larger bites!
A tad selfish perhaps?
I have been a member for 38 years and blame no one else if I cannot get the booking that I desire
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It depends on the site and how long before you want to book. Some sites are very popular and if you expect to get 21 consecutive days a month ahead, that is just not going to happen. We booked Black Knowl for next May some time ago, as we wanted to guarantee a service pitch. However, a part from the spring bank weekend, all dates are available from May to September on a standard pitch. As is likely to be the case at many other sites.
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Easy T, it is available to download and printout but as it runs to forty pages in full colour I doubt my ancient printer would stand the strain, and if it did, my abysmal internet connection certainly wouldn't.
No, the Caravan Club must get their priorities right and keep the members informed of basic essentials such as nightly fees by all means available.
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harryb, I've no more idea how to cut and paste a message than you have.
I simply printed off my message from the locked posting I made and retyped it into this thread.
Seemples, which is more than can be said for the present thinking of the Club management!
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No one has priority, not weekenders nor 3 weekers.
The only way to earn a form of priority is to book ahead of others. That would seem to be your downfall.
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