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[MudMoney]

I'm really considering going to $ 4.00 for 4 minutes from $ 3.25 in ss bays. I 've seen where others on this site look @ what an iba charges for basic pkg or what other ss owners charge in my area.Other ss owners here are @ $ 1.50 to $ 2.00 for 4 minutes.Both places are run down and closed during the winter which last about 5 months in my area.Their locations are out of sight & mind.My biggest competitor is a dual iba 3 blocks from me.Basic pkg is $ 10.00 and top wash is $ 12.00. I'm busy all the time and its attended. So what are the current customers going to think or do if I take a big jump.Did an increase 4 months ago and not a word heard.I will say the only upgrade I haven't done is cc readers,otherwise I'm clean ,heated,bill accepters in bays, use dollar coins in changer and combo vacs. What does the forum think ?

 

[pgrzes]

I would get rid of the dollar coins and start dispensing dollar tokens. And add Cryptopay with count up! My newest location is about 80% credit card. Tokens are a profit, I buy them for about .26 each and vend 6 for $5. So once they buy them I really dont care if they get used. Not sure what options you offer, but the more you have the more will get used.

 

[chaz]

I’m a fan of cash (not tokens) and bills. I also take credit/debit for S/S and auto way functions.
I’m $3 for 4 minutes with credit count up. Most similar washes in my area are a less, there’s one guy at $1.00 start for 1 minute. I’m the highest around on vacs at $2 for 6 minutes.

Have not raised s/s in several years...though I’m thinking about at least upping the minimum (even if cost per minute stays the same) mainly to chase of the guys that leave the place so messy.

But in getting back to your question...... when I raised my vacs (doubling the start amount but also increasing run time) I figured even if I lost 1/2 of the usage...I’d be ahead of the game based on less wear and tare. I always keep my equipment running great and address issues fast. By the way.....my vac income is way up .....

So don’t worry about the other guy.....do what you feel comfortable with!

 

[mjwalsh]

I would get rid of the dollar coins and start dispensing dollar tokens. And add Cryptopay with count up! My newest location is about 80% credit card. Tokens are a profit, I buy them for about .26 each and vend 6 for $5. So once they buy them I really dont care if they get used. Not sure what options you offer, but the more you have the more will get used.

Does your competitor IBA's $12 wash include an undercarriage wash? Just curious since we share similar tougher winters with its corrosive accident preventing chemicals on the streets. The record low here in North Dakota has gone down as low as -60° F.

I respectfully disagree with pgrzes based on IB Washin's experience with tokens ... of course the specific locals mindset that they develop comes into the picture. Since in our area there is competition among the smaller banks & credit unions with them advertising ... use any ATM with no extra cost ... makes our ATM an even better fit for us. Our brand new competition has raised the bar with in bay credit card acceptance which you would think we would cave in & do so ourselves but in our area ... the weather by far governs our flow of business ... which is true of all of us. In other words ... the flow is similar at ours & our brand new competition during the nicer sunnier days ... but they have to make up for the "merchant fee" costs via a wee bit higher price &/or generate more business some other amenity ... IMHO besides just the amenity of in bay credit (pci???uncertainty) card use. Of course ... the glitz of brand new by itself & the buzz it creates .... usually acts as somewhat of a magnet though.

 

[MudMoney]

Pgrzes
My dollar coin usage is $ 4.00 to $1.00 of quarters & cash runs 2 to 1 over $ coin @ bay meter.I do take tokens ,they are priced @ $ 2.92 in rolls of 25.I market them @ businesses by going door to door over the years. But my main question is anybody take into account what a competitor charges @ their IBA when raising your price.Bottom line what do you think I could pull off charging in my SS before customers start staying away

 

[Car_Wash_Guy]

I'm at $2.50 @ 3:30. Closest competitor, about 2 miles away is at $1.00 @ 2:00, but the place is old and dumpy looking. My place is one of the nicest washes around, EE/tunnels included. Been thinking about going up.

 

[Eric H]

i am remodeling a 4 bay SS into a 2&2. When I reopen i am increasing SS price from $3.50 for 4minutes 40 seconds to $4. My IBA pricing for my new Razors with the EDGE package will be $8,10,12,15 and I do a buy up to Bug-off or Salt Neutralizer for an additional $2 for any package, effectively making the washes $8, 10, 10, 12, 12,14, 15, 17.
I am hoping that the $4 startup for the bay pushes some of the SS customers into the IBA. I would guess that average IBA customer spends less than 10 minutes on site while SS customer spends close to 30 minutes (just an off the cuff observation, i haven't actually timed it)

 

[Earl Weiss]

Suggestions:
1. CC with count up
2. Superbay
3. Bonus Time.
4. Maybe hand held dryers.

 

[MudMoney]

Earl
Good suggestions,got air shammies,would have to build a bigger bay on super wash,cc or atm is next. Bonus time is easiest to do now.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Earl
Good suggestions,got air shammies,would have to build a bigger bay on super wash,cc or atm is next. Bonus time is easiest to do now.

You do not need a bigger bay. Just a bigger pulley, adjust the regulator, a sign or two and adjust the price.

 

[Randy]

swampdonkey, raise your price and don't look back. We raised our prices last January 1st, not one complaint. We found that most car washes are under priced.

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

I keep a spreadsheet of all my competitors prices & how much time they give - both ss & iba. Yes I consider the iba prices when I set/increase my pricing... but I do NOT weigh it very heavily, mostly I consider the ss pricing. I think the iba and ss markets are different. Overlap, absolutely, but I would speculate that in MT there is less overlap.
No, my ss pricing has not yet approached iba pricing. Well, except for a few of my "wash for an hour" customers lol.

Inflation has been slaughtering our industry for a couple decades now, for various reasons our pricing has lagged. If profitability is not at an acceptable level then you either swallow that, or raise prices, or sell/change the business. If raising prices pushes away too many customers, then you have your answer what to do. (Oversimplified, I know, but I think you get the point.)

 

[MudMoney]

PL J
I like the way you think, thank-you for your input.

 

[mjwalsh]

Earl
Good suggestions,got air shammies,would have to build a bigger bay on super wash,cc or atm is next. Bonus time is easiest to do now.

Swampdonkey,

Based on the following possible realities for some of us:

1. The expenses are significantly up during the worse part of the winter.
2. Nobody washes in their driveway at home during the worse part of the winter.
3. Other car washes are closed during the worse part of the winter.
4. "Irritating for the customers" lines from bursts of business that happen during the shorter daylight winter days.

Something to consider to avoid a "tipping point" of loss of customers during the spring, summer & fall .... is to possibly have a different rate during at least the worst of the winter. We used to charge double during the worst portion of our winter. Most customers understood the need to temporarily charge more ... when we did this many years ago. A wee bit like when the shipping-freight industry charges a surcharge when their fuel costs skyrocket???

Unless there is some horrific dominating overwhelming competition that you have ... who made the credit card their absolute norm ... IMHO ... I do not believe that even with the advantages of count up phone payment ... that there is no "tipping point for charging too much" .... especially during the summer within geographical areas like ours where the "home driveway washing option" is both legal & common.

Just doing a mimic & copy of 2Biz on sign off: https://www.facebook.com/kingkoinbismarck/

 

[MudMoney]

Mjwalsh
I've thought about higher prices in winter since its 6 months long here. Messing with my decals and reprogramming ma 812 didn't appeal to me. Going to go $ 4 after first of year.Thank-you for your input