Dynamic pricing to be introduced
Comments
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It doesn’t interest me in the least what other folks might have paid for something. So I am quite happy buying anything at a price that suits me, at the time of need. If I have to pay a price to secure something I deem special, I will pay it. Likewise, if I know there is a likely glut of something, I am happy to wait until it is discounted. If it isn’t discounted, then quite happy to go elsewhere and leave said sellers to their hoard of unsold stock.
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There's a membership section David?
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Hi all, posts were removed as they went off topic and a couple contravened our Community Guidelines. Apologies for any confusion and just a polite reminder to keep discussions on topic where possible. Many thanks.
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Has anyone actually got irrefutable evidence of-“how overpriced they are” that is empirical evidence. This may actually prove helpful & kill any disagreements👍🏻
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Surely overprced is an individual thing? One should not think what applies to one person applies to all?
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It’s such an individual thing that pricing is often irrelevant. It’s more about the value and perceived benefits than the price.
Having to pay for a lot of what you don’t really want or need can be an irritant at times, but that’s how the Club manages it’s sites. Most sites cater very well for those that want and need a minimal amount of effort in terms of staying, and having a very easy camping life. Nothing wrong with this, it’s probably the core Membership. But want less, need less and the options are more limited. The no facility network has shrunk, even Club HQ advises those who want less to use the CL network. The pricing differential between Sites that provide everything, and those that are more basic isn’t that great at peak times of year. Hence a basic site isn’t always giving that desired vfm.Recent example of good value for us, was CS with the other Club. We had the choice of HS or grass, hook up or no hook up. We opted for no hook up, and saved £5 per night, but had free access to very nice, clean showers, loos, laundry area, pot wash area, communal area. That cost us £15 per night. Gas usage was for cooking a meal each evening, minimal, as our fridge is tiny. Better vfm for us, compared to not very far away Club Site. Plus we were closer to what we wanted to see.
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I’m not sure how anyone can ever have irrefutable evidence, as selection relies on so many factors If you take the two Malvern sites (which are next door to each other) for two adults in mid September the C&CC site is definitely cheaper. Although not by a lot 3 nights are £91.90 as against £96.90. Not enough to make it more attractive when the CAMC had its USP. Not even enough currently, it would be down to which we prefer. Of course as we are oldies we get a discount which brings it down to £74.10. We actually prefer the C&CC site so it makes it a no brainer. However, if we preferred the CAMC site we would still go there and pay the premium and wouldn’t consider it overpriced as it’s where we want to be.
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"I’m not sure how anyone can ever have irrefutable evidence"
I think that was the point R2b was making. It is not possible to prove.
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We have been with the club since we got out first caravan, I cannot commit so far in advance for bookings. However this year we did and paid the deposit up front as required by the club, but we hadn't noticed the change in the rules so that can as a surprise.
However, we have been at a popular site during the first 2 weeks of the school holidays and its dead, only a 1/4 of the plots being used, and for less time.
The common theme is that the club are pricing themselves out of the market and we are likely to leave the club and simply book at independents that offer the same or better service. I appreciate that costs have gone up, but I see this as nothing more than profiteering and this is also the case in other sectors that increased prices only to see a rapid decline in bookings and attendance.
All that being said, we don't help ourselves, because power and showers etc are included they likely are misused instead of being socially responsible people use the "I have paid for it ill use it as much as I like"
I have seen people charging cars via granny cables, hot tubs, and abundance of fancy kitchen and cooking aids that all require power. With that in mind I can fully understand why costs have gone up.
Its a great shame, the convince of the club sites and the flexibility over payments and dates was the very reason why we joined, now it seems we the end users and some greed on behalf of the club have taken over.
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"I have seen people charging cars via granny cables"
It costs them £9 to do this so there is nothing illicit going on.
Hot tubs on a touring pitch running off a 16amp EHU supply? I very much doubt it! As for kitchen equipment, what is the difference between running an external cooking device and, say, the microwave or kettle inside your van? The supply is limited to 16 amp so there is not going to be usage in excess of about 3kw for everything and the cooking equipment will only be in use for as long as it takes to complete the task.
When it comes to deposits and booking terms, I think you will find the CAMC T&Cs are still more generous than many commercial or privately owned sites.
However, this thread is about dynamic pricing which is, essentially, the fluctuation in prices due to supply and demand. You may save money by booking early or, there again, you may not. At the end of the day, it’s up to each of us to do what is right for us as individuals.
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Small inflatable hot tub @ 2KW = 8. 33 amperes @ 240 V so quite possible to operate on site however never seen and would give the site managers a problem to resolve.
As for dynamic prices we have just returned from a popular east coast site which was approximately 60% occupied on the first week of school holidays but there was no dynamic lowering of prices to encourage bookings, looks like the dynamism only goes in one direction.
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Don't see why it should give the site managers a problem to solve although I would rate it as being just as much waste as heating an awning which has, as yet, not been banned as far as I am aware. With metered electric I do not see it as being a problem at all.
peedee
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Well it would need water as well PD. From what I've seen anywhere a small one will need about 20 aquarolls to fill it. Then all that water has to be drained, in wastemasters as one isn't allowed to drain water onto pitches. It would need a SP?
So I wouldn't worry too much, I've never see one on a club site and I'm sure it would have been mentioned on here by now? But nothing to do with DP.
I don't see any use of electricity within the 16A as a problem at all, metered or not, but that's a different discussion and OT so I'll leave that there
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Let a campsite provide it for you. Woodovis Park on Devon Cornwall border has hot tub + sauna + indoor heated pool. Overnight price from start of September is 23 euros for visitors with an ACSI Camping Card . Recommended.1 -
A lot of things can be done with the appropriate effort (and/or a SP) and if someone wants all that effort and as it's apparently allowed they're welcome to do it in my view. Now again OT so I'll leave hot tubs there too.
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This one is definitely on our must visit list. In a beautiful area as well, we love Tavistock.
We know of a CL that allowed hot tubs. It featured on a caravanning reality show, so possibly a one off.
We have also stayed on a wonderful CL that had both a heated swimming pool, and a spa pool. It was £12 per night (yes…£12, and for that you got HS, hook up, loos and showers separate from pool ones.) Use of pool was £3 each for as long as you wanted.
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There would be nothing to resolve. I’ve just stumbled across this site rule.
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It’s no good asking me but I guess a pool is a pool. Otherwise, the wardens will have to be out with their measuring sticks. 🙂
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I have just been charged £16. I tried to amend a booking last night. I was just unable to do it. ( the amendment was to reduce a departure date by two days, as we are going to a camc CL. Today I phoned to do this, this morning. 21 days prior to arrival, and the two days cancelled were more than 21 days away. We are using CAMC sites less, and less. The private sites are often cheaper. We have been members since 2010, and my parents belonged for many years, giving much of their time to a local group.
I understand about ‘tightening up’ but booking sites and amending is now a stressful operation. I dread going on to the booking site now.It no longer feels like a club.
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Thank you for telling us of the mistake you made in your original booking. If it only cost you £16 you were fortunate. At other sites you would be much more out of pocket.
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Having been a member for over forty years I’d got used to the way the club worked and generally trusted those at the top to get it right. The way the sites have changed and the booking/pricing system now works makes me think that my membership is simply the equivalent of a store points card.
When I was working it helped me enormously that if I needed I could flex my holiday plans. That’s the beauty of caravanning. Even now we have family things that can crop up and require a change of plan.
Dynamic pricing is a way the budget providers extract cash. It isn’t the approach a supposedly mutually owned “Club” should behave.
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I don't see the problem personally. Everyone moaned that they couldn't get a clear week or so's booking because members booked up many weekends FOC months in advance then cancelled at the last moment. Now there is a scheme that ensures you can get the holiday dates you want booked well in advance because multiple casual bookings are no longer being made so many are moaning.
Why?
If you have to cancel and loose your deposit due to unforeseen and genuine reasons holiday insurance could cover the cost. Millions book holidays well in advance not knowing if they will still be able to take them come the day.
If you don't want to take a chance on the weather, wait until nearer the time and accept you might not be able to get a booking or might have to pay more. The choice is yours.
If I have any complaint it's that the advertised pricing is deceptive, especially the cost of adding a second person who basically is no added cost to the club
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Hello fellow club members
I joined the Club yesterday, having just bought a VW campervan and excited to try it out. We decided to book for a site in the New Forest for Sunday and Monday, happy with the price quoted on the website of £69. I waited a couple of hours to confirm with friends who are also going, only to find the price had jumped to £101. That is an increase of 46% over the 2 hours. The campsite confirmed this was because of "dynamic pricing". I thought I had joined a helpful members' club, it appears this is as exploitative as a standard profit-driven corporation. Early days but so far I am not happy.
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I’ve certainly noticed dynamic pricing in operation but I have only ever seen a few pounds a night increase when low appears on the calendar.The sort of increase you mention is more like those applied by some well known hotel chains. Perhaps they are following there example.☹️
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Are you sure you are talking about the same type of pitch. Just checked, a grass pitch without electrics would be £69 for two nights for two adults but if a Premium Pitch is booked it is £103. Those are prices as per the time of this post.
David
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