Question on pricing and start up promotion

[coincarwash.ca]

I have a 9 bay SS
I have a $3 start up and give 4 minutes of time.
three bays are larger and have credit card accepters and also dryers in them.
(they are single bays)
My other 6 bays are 3 tandom bays without credit cards and dryers and the bays are a little smaller. Two cars fit in each bay.

I was thinking of lowering my start up in the 6 bays to $2.00 for a one week promotion to test the market for $2 compaired to $3.
Usually people wait for the single bays and they get double the usage on a regular day with out line ups. I will be able to notice right away if people are more willing to use the $2 bays or the $3 bays. I figure with the bad economy the $2 wash may get more volume, and the people who dont care can use the single $3 bays......

I plan on putting up a 4 x 8 sign saying "$2 start up for bays 4 through 9 this week only" I can keep the sign up longer than a week if I like the results.
any comments or ideas would be great.

 

[MEP001]

I know someone with a wash that consists of 3 bays and an auto and another 5-bay SS only on the same property. When he rehabbed the 5-bay portion, he raised the price to $1.50 and left the old portion $1.25, both with the same time per coin. He says there's no difference in the amount of customers that use either one, but the revenue per bay of the newer part is a bit higher because of the start-up difference.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

I run alot of specials, usually on a bi-weekly basis. I put up good signage and lots of balloons as visual attractants. My numbers prove compared to the other washes that these specials are drawing more people in. I don't know if it is the bad economy or if most people are just a sucker for a special. Either way, it has helped me quite a bit.

I wouldn't just lower the price without a reason. Make it some type of holiday special. Something like 'Any vehicle with four wheels can wash for only $2.00 - Merry Christmas'
Never take yourself too seriously, or your specials. Have fun with them, it has worked great for me.