Anxious To Start!!
#1
Posted 29 December 2012 - 11:14 PM
#2
Posted 30 December 2012 - 12:25 AM
If your pricing is right in-line with your competitors then I would stick with that...of course you have to make sure you're making money at that. Remember that you may be dedicating 4-hours of driving to a customer if you're offering free delivery up to a whole hour from your place.....then there's set-up/take-down, bull-XXXXXXXXXX with your customers, etc.....so it could be more like 5-hours per rental.....now if you have 2 guys in your vehicle at $10/hr.($12/hr.) after taxes, worker's comp., etc. you're now in for up to $120 in labor, then there's a half-tank of gas...another $40. So you have $15 after renting your combo......that should be enough to cover your credit card processing fees, website hosting/design, extension cords, someone to take the order in the first place, your advertising, liability insurance, vehicle insurance, uniforms, etc. But wait, there's more! Now it's rained on your inflatable and someone has to come in and set it up in your own yard to dry it out. Neighbor's are pissed, your association is upset, and now it's time to go find a commercial space at a higher rent rate.
Yes, you're nuts!
- BABT, B N, RogerH and 4 others like this
#3
Posted 30 December 2012 - 03:20 AM
So what you are trying to say is that you are a glass half full type of guy?I'd skip the donations.....especially to churches and schools.....these are your customers. Do you think a pew manufacture donates pews to churches? Do you think a text book company donates books to a school? If you want to give away inflatables I'd get a real job and rent them for such "causes".
If your pricing is right in-line with your competitors then I would stick with that...of course you have to make sure you're making money at that. Remember that you may be dedicating 4-hours of driving to a customer if you're offering free delivery up to a whole hour from your place.....then there's set-up/take-down, bull-XXXXXXXXXX with your customers, etc.....so it could be more like 5-hours per rental.....now if you have 2 guys in your vehicle at $10/hr.($12/hr.) after taxes, worker's comp., etc. you're now in for up to $120 in labor, then there's a half-tank of gas...another $40. So you have $15 after renting your combo......that should be enough to cover your credit card processing fees, website hosting/design, extension cords, someone to take the order in the first place, your advertising, liability insurance, vehicle insurance, uniforms, etc. But wait, there's more! Now it's rained on your inflatable and someone has to come in and set it up in your own yard to dry it out. Neighbor's are pissed, your association is upset, and now it's time to go find a commercial space at a higher rent rate.
Yes, you're nuts!
- MWC likes this
#5
Posted 30 December 2012 - 06:13 AM
#6
Posted 30 December 2012 - 06:46 AM
200 miles ÷ 13 mpg = 15 gallons at 2.50
85.00 - 37.50 = not me
#7
Posted 30 December 2012 - 07:38 AM
Revisit your business plan, you don't have to be cheaper to get the business. Offer something unique to get the business.
- Kangaroo Bouncers likes this
#8
Posted 30 December 2012 - 08:02 AM
It works trust me.
- B N likes this
#9
Posted 30 December 2012 - 08:02 AM
$85 and free delivery for a moonwalk? We are in S.E. Texas and we are $125 plus $20 delivery just in our small town and have no problem.
Your vehicle, gas and labor are worth something. You will make no money like that. Yes you will get calls because you are cheapest but why even do it if you are not going to make any money. If I were a competitor, I would book you to do my job and make money off of all your equipment and labor.
Forget the donations and especially 1 each weekend!!! Save the donations to established customers. Then give it to them when they do not even ask for it.
Last but not least. I hope you are insured. It is required in our state and you will really need it with the airborn adventure!!
good luck.
#10
Posted 30 December 2012 - 09:05 AM
Also re-read the posts in the forum about starting up a business. I do not recall anyone encouraging big donations to generate sales and awareness. If you have dead time you are better off doing a P2P at a high traffic event.
#12
Posted 30 December 2012 - 02:26 PM
#13
Posted 30 December 2012 - 03:56 PM
And forget the freebies - it will bring you bums and all of their friends for as long as you are in business. They will never, ever want to pay full price. Offer a good, clean product, friendly, knowledgeable customer service and fair policies and the customers will come, stay and refer their friends.
Bonne chance!
- Jose', bouncegeorgia and funlight like this
#14
Posted 30 December 2012 - 04:30 PM
Well...some of them.
#15
Posted 30 December 2012 - 06:58 PM
#16
Posted 30 December 2012 - 07:23 PM
#17
Posted 30 December 2012 - 07:38 PM
#18
Posted 30 December 2012 - 07:49 PM
Hello everyone. Thanks to MWF I have become very educated in the industry. We have our first rental a couple of weeks from now. My wife and I have sat down and set price points but am nervous about being to low or undercutting everyone else close to us. We have a 15x15 bouncy castle that we are planning to rent for $85, combos that we are planning to rent for $175, wet/dry slide that we are planning to rent for $250 dry and $300 wet, a Velcro wall, 30' foot obstacle course, and the Airborne adventure for $300. We plan to have an attendant with the Airborne adventure and Velcro wall. Are these reasonable prices or should we have higher prices? We have researched other companies close to us and we are either $20 under or over. Will the Airborne Adventure rent for more? To my understanding we are one of the first in North Texas to offer this. We plan to only charge a delivery fee if a customer is further than 1 hour away. As we are in a rural area, Rhome, TX to be exact and it is already nearly 30 minutes for us to get to the metroplex. We are also planning to donate one free rental of our choosing to churches, schools, and non-profits per weekend on a first come first serve basis. And two free during the week. in exchange for recognition in their newsletter, bulletin, etc. The theory is that we can generate more leads and sales by customers knowing what good works we do. Just looking for reassurance. Are we nuts? Thanks for y'alls help.
Your delivery plan will eventually run you out of
Business. You will not make money, giving free delivery that far away.
Only do donations for things you feel passionate about. Like the others said, giving free just leads to those people telling everyone else they know that they got it free. Every non profit within 100 miles will know of you, but will want it free.
Make sure u have insurance, required, and someone wil turn you in if you don't.
Great website with good SEO, Good pricing, nice clean units, and killer customer device will get u there.
#19
Posted 30 December 2012 - 07:50 PM
#20
Posted 30 December 2012 - 08:55 PM
- funlight likes this
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