Anyone noticing a drop in massage rates?

[BeefyDude]

On 5/23/2023 at 9:11 PM, Trick said:

I’m seeing the opposite in my city.  We get mostly traveling masseurs.  Average rate is now 180-200.

SAME here... ATL  Prices keep creeping up YET the quality is going DOWN (IMHO).  I see some of these ads and ask myself why the __ are they charging so much

I get it you need to make money.  But if you want me to be a repeat, make it a reasonable rate.  Just sayin

[BeefyDude]

On 5/27/2023 at 4:34 PM, Simon Suraci said:

^This. Hard agree. If an actual good massage is important to you, be mindful of the split. It’s usually easy to spot one type versus another.

There’s a market for the guys who aren’t offering anything resembling actual massage. That’s fine, just know what you’re getting. The rates are usually the biggest indicator, followed by the pics, and of course the descriptions can be telling but not always. Evaluate them like you would an escort.

Agree to both.  Those that charge excess of 180-200+ are clearly NOT massaging.

I steer clear away from them

btw Simon, i looked at your ad.  You spell everything out there!!

[BeefyDude]

On 7/30/2023 at 10:06 PM, Capitano said:

In other words, remember to use your big head, don't let the other one take over 🙂

OH GOD, the ASK for rate is getting out of control.  Significant increase in the last year or so.  If you can't publish your rate, what else are you hiding IMHO

What's the big secret?  Ide rather someone be honest than waste my time (and theirs)

[BeefyDude]

Btw sorry for the blitz of replies. I just saw this thread and its long.

So many great points made. I replied to a few

Thats what I like about this site - very informative  and has helped me from wasting time/Money

Thanks guys

[jeezifonly]

Masseurs probably get more looky-loo one-time clients I bet, and though they may be open to providing something more than MT and HE, they have the option to NOT provide more if it hasn’t been promised and with a client they’re not into. 
Book a therapeutic the first time. 

[Capitano]

I was just exchanging messages with a visitor who has a brand new ad on rentmasseur. It turns out he charges $200 an hour but his rate for 90 minutes is $240, which I think is acceptable, so I asked him for the address. I was shocked to discover on Google maps that it is an absolute dump in a sketchy part of town, WTF?! So, you have no history or reviews, you rate is pushing it, and you expect me to go to a place where I won't be comfortable or even feel safe, SERIOUSLY?!

It's like going to an expensive French restaurant located under a freeway overpass and being given paper plates and plastic forks. The dude is either clueless or a scammer.

It is Business 101 that service or product providers need to leave some VALUE on the table in order to get the client to return for more. With the exception of those who are so good that they are difficult to book, I see dudes charging $200 as extractors of more than what they actually provide and don't even think about repeat business. If this is the case, it's better to stay away, no matter how hot their pix seem.

Edited August 17, 2023 by Capitano

[Simon Suraci]

1 hour ago, BeefyDude said:

I get that Simon.

BUT (always a but lol)

Some offer heated beds, fancy this fancy that but that ONLY if you goto them. So if they are traveling theoretically they should be charging less

Also with travelers when I ask price they quote me higher than website. When I point that out, they say "oh thats my travel price" 

To which I reply OK but why isn't documented on their page/

I hope this is making sense.  I get where you are coming from, but see it from the customer perspective

Thanks for the contribution @BeefyDude. Traveling guys are all a little bit different. I agree the pricing should be as transparent as possible, but if they are at least quoting you upfront when you inquire, that should be ok.

Traveling has many costs. Fuel, transportation and accommodations are the big ones, but also the time it takes to travel between cities. For example I had a four city tour last month and was driving all day between each city, and two days for the first stretch. That’s at least 6 days for that tour and those are whole days I am spending considerable $ but not making anything.

In addition to travel costs you’re still paying for all your normal expenses at home like rent/mortgage, utilities, maintenance, etc. We have to charge what makes sense to cover ALL of that AND make a profit above and beyond what we normally make in order for it to make sense to travel. Otherwise, we’re busting our butts and going way out of our way for the same or less as we would get working out of our home cities. Has to make economic sense!

For my last trip, I tallied my total income minus expenses and it was higher than my average monthly income but not by a huge margin. It basically bought me a week off which I sorely needed after working so hard hustling for 3-4 weeks…and I used that week to move out of state to California, which was not exactly a vacation lol. Frankly I’m not surprised other guys might charge a bit more when they travel. Opportunity is high, but so are the costs.

Ads are a lot to manage when you’re going on a trip. I have at least five different ads plus my personal website. I’m not going to update rates on all of them and then change them right back 1, 2, or 4 weeks later. Meanwhile confusing my home city clients who view my ads at all times whether I am away or at home. I update my travel plans on ads that offer that feature, but not the other stuff.

I don’t change my rates when I travel. The main benefit is that I’m booked back to back every hour of every day when I am in another city. I charge the same but do more volume than I do on an average day in my home city. It’s quite exhausting working 13+ hour days one after the other after the other, but it can be great for a short stretch. Some guys change what they charge to cover travel expenses and/or adjust for a different market, whether that be higher or lower pricing.

I can’t replicate my incall experience when I travel but I get as close to it as possible. I’m in the minority in that regard. I refuse to book hotel rooms because they are so impersonal and almost always lack the space I need to set up a table and move around it freely. I refuse to give crappy bed massages. I need a table to provide a proper massage. And I’m not paying for a suite $$$.

So…I rent AirBnBs and set up in a manner as close as possible to my home setup. I bring a towel warmer, stone heater, extra large table, all my own linens, aromatherapy, products, speakers, waters, cleaning and laundry stuff, and everything you could think of. And I have access to a washer and dryer. I can’t understand how the hotel guys do it. If you’re giving multiple massages per day, that means you’re re-using dirty linens! 

If you ask me, you’re getting a killer deal considering my prices are the same and yet I’m doing a lot more and spending a lot more to make an excellent massage experience available to a client in another city.

If a masseur quotes you something a little bit more when he’s traveling, have some grace. If it’s too much, decline and move on. It shouldn’t be outrageous. A nominal upcharge is not that crazy, especially if the masseur’s regular rates are reasonable to begin with AND he delivers a high quality experience. If he’s charging 200+ for “massage only” I have no pity. If he’s charging 120-160 or possibly less (per hour), I find that pretty reasonable. 

My pair of pennies.

[BeefyDude]

9 hours ago, Simon Suraci said:

Thanks for the contribution @BeefyDude. Traveling guys are all a little bit different. I agree the pricing should be as transparent as possible, but if they are at least quoting you upfront when you inquire, that should be ok.

Traveling has many costs. Fuel, transportation and accommodations are the big ones, but also the time it takes to travel between cities. For example I had a four city tour last month and was driving all day between each city, and two days for the first stretch. That’s at least 6 days for that tour and those are whole days I am spending considerable $ but not making anything.

In addition to travel costs you’re still paying for all your normal expenses at home like rent/mortgage, utilities, maintenance, etc. We have to charge what makes sense to cover ALL of that AND make a profit above and beyond what we normally make in order for it to make sense to travel. Otherwise, we’re busting our butts and going way out of our way for the same or less as we would get working out of our home cities. Has to make economic sense!

For my last trip, I tallied my total income minus expenses and it was higher than my average monthly income but not by a huge margin. It basically bought me a week off which I sorely needed after working so hard hustling for 3-4 weeks…and I used that week to move out of state to California, which was not exactly a vacation lol. Frankly I’m not surprised other guys might charge a bit more when they travel. Opportunity is high, but so are the costs.

Ads are a lot to manage when you’re going on a trip. I have at least five different ads plus my personal website. I’m not going to update rates on all of them and then change them right back 1, 2, or 4 weeks later. Meanwhile confusing my home city clients who view my ads at all times whether I am away or at home. I update my travel plans on ads that offer that feature, but not the other stuff.

I don’t change my rates when I travel. The main benefit is that I’m booked back to back every hour of every day when I am in another city. I charge the same but do more volume than I do on an average day in my home city. It’s quite exhausting working 13+ hour days one after the other after the other, but it can be great for a short stretch. Some guys change what they charge to cover travel expenses and/or adjust for a different market, whether that be higher or lower pricing.

I can’t replicate my incall experience when I travel but I get as close to it as possible. I’m in the minority in that regard. I refuse to book hotel rooms because they are so impersonal and almost always lack the space I need to set up a table and move around it freely. I refuse to give crappy bed massages. I need a table to provide a proper massage. And I’m not paying for a suite $$$.

So…I rent AirBnBs and set up in a manner as close as possible to my home setup. I bring a towel warmer, stone heater, extra large table, all my own linens, aromatherapy, products, speakers, waters, cleaning and laundry stuff, and everything you could think of. And I have access to a washer and dryer. I can’t understand how the hotel guys do it. If you’re giving multiple massages per day, that means you’re re-using dirty linens! 

If you ask me, you’re getting a killer deal considering my prices are the same and yet I’m doing a lot more and spending a lot more to make an excellent massage experience available to a client in another city.

If a masseur quotes you something a little bit more when he’s traveling, have some grace. If it’s too much, decline and move on. It shouldn’t be outrageous. A nominal upcharge is not that crazy, especially if the masseur’s regular rates are reasonable to begin with AND he delivers a high quality experience. If he’s charging 200+ for “massage only” I have no pity. If he’s charging 120-160 or possibly less (per hour), I find that pretty reasonable. 

My pair of pennies.

Thank s Siimon. I respect that and if we were local I would book with you . NOT all ads or masseurs are like you     Was merely pointing it out.  Im not sure if you saw my other post, but I did commend you on your site for being transparent and up front - which I think all should do (starting with removing that "ask me" feature LOL

[BeefyDude]

9 hours ago, Capitano said:

I was just exchanging messages with a visitor who has a brand new ad on rentmasseur. It turns out he charges $200 an hour but his rate for 90 minutes is $240, which I think is acceptable, so I asked him for the address. I was shocked to discover on Google maps that it is an absolute dump in a sketchy part of town, WTF?! So, you have no history or reviews, you rate is pushing it, and you expect me to go to a place where I won't be comfortable or even feel safe, SERIOUSLY?!

It's like going to an expensive French restaurant located under a freeway overpass and being given paper plates and plastic forks. The dude is either clueless or a scammer.

It is Business 101 that service or product providers need to leave some VALUE on the table in order to get the client to return for more. With the exception of those who are so good that they are difficult to book, I see dudes charging $200 as extractors of more than what they actually provide and don't even think about repeat business. If this is the case, it's better to stay away, no matter how hot their pix seem.

WOW.. Yeah that happened to me once.  The place was in the SEEDIEST part of town - so bad that the motel had a security guard out front. To make it worse it was a fake address, he never responded.

[BeefyDude]

Seeing rates at 300,400 even 500 - NO WAY its a massage. Why cant those stick to RentMen site as they are clearly escort-is

[BeefyDude]

8 hours ago, BeefyDude said:

WOW.. Yeah that happened to me once.  The place was in the SEEDIEST part of town - so bad that the motel had a security guard out front. To make it worse it was a fake address, he never responded.

The interesting part is we had good dialogue so no reason to stiff me like that.    ODD

[Capitano]

2 hours ago, BeefyDude said:

The interesting part is we had good dialogue so no reason to stiff me like that.    ODD

Did you ever get in touch again to find out what happened, is he still in business? 

Why would anyone bother to create an ad and pay for it and then text back and forth with potential clients if they don't mean to conduct business? This world is full of strange people.

Edited August 17, 2023 by Capitano

[BeefyDude]

20 minutes ago, Capitano said:

Did you ever get in touch again to find out what happened, is he still in business? 

Why would anyone bother to create an ad and pay for it and then text back and forth with potential clients if they don't mean to conduct business? This world is full of strange people.

It was a while back so i don't recall exactly. I  do know i tried to reach him several times when I was onsite

[BigNoiseDallas]

I have an incall on Saturday with a traveling masseur who keeps his pricing simple: $160 for 60 minutes, $200 for 90 -- no upcharge, no price change from his home city, etc. That's very refreshing and easy to understand. He does tack on a charge for an outcall, whether he's at home or traveling, which I can understand. 

[BigNoiseDallas]

On 8/16/2023 at 8:47 PM, Simon Suraci said:

Thanks for the contribution @BeefyDude. Traveling guys are all a little bit different. I agree the pricing should be as transparent as possible, but if they are at least quoting you upfront when you inquire, that should be ok.

Traveling has many costs. Fuel, transportation and accommodations are the big ones, but also the time it takes to travel between cities. For example I had a four city tour last month and was driving all day between each city, and two days for the first stretch. That’s at least 6 days for that tour and those are whole days I am spending considerable $ but not making anything.

In addition to travel costs you’re still paying for all your normal expenses at home like rent/mortgage, utilities, maintenance, etc. We have to charge what makes sense to cover ALL of that AND make a profit above and beyond what we normally make in order for it to make sense to travel. Otherwise, we’re busting our butts and going way out of our way for the same or less as we would get working out of our home cities. Has to make economic sense!

For my last trip, I tallied my total income minus expenses and it was higher than my average monthly income but not by a huge margin. It basically bought me a week off which I sorely needed after working so hard hustling for 3-4 weeks…and I used that week to move out of state to California, which was not exactly a vacation lol. Frankly I’m not surprised other guys might charge a bit more when they travel. Opportunity is high, but so are the costs.

Ads are a lot to manage when you’re going on a trip. I have at least five different ads plus my personal website. I’m not going to update rates on all of them and then change them right back 1, 2, or 4 weeks later. Meanwhile confusing my home city clients who view my ads at all times whether I am away or at home. I update my travel plans on ads that offer that feature, but not the other stuff.

I don’t change my rates when I travel. The main benefit is that I’m booked back to back every hour of every day when I am in another city. I charge the same but do more volume than I do on an average day in my home city. It’s quite exhausting working 13+ hour days one after the other after the other, but it can be great for a short stretch. Some guys change what they charge to cover travel expenses and/or adjust for a different market, whether that be higher or lower pricing.

I can’t replicate my incall experience when I travel but I get as close to it as possible. I’m in the minority in that regard. I refuse to book hotel rooms because they are so impersonal and almost always lack the space I need to set up a table and move around it freely. I refuse to give crappy bed massages. I need a table to provide a proper massage. And I’m not paying for a suite $$$.

So…I rent AirBnBs and set up in a manner as close as possible to my home setup. I bring a towel warmer, stone heater, extra large table, all my own linens, aromatherapy, products, speakers, waters, cleaning and laundry stuff, and everything you could think of. And I have access to a washer and dryer. I can’t understand how the hotel guys do it. If you’re giving multiple massages per day, that means you’re re-using dirty linens! 

If you ask me, you’re getting a killer deal considering my prices are the same and yet I’m doing a lot more and spending a lot more to make an excellent massage experience available to a client in another city.

If a masseur quotes you something a little bit more when he’s traveling, have some grace. If it’s too much, decline and move on. It shouldn’t be outrageous. A nominal upcharge is not that crazy, especially if the masseur’s regular rates are reasonable to begin with AND he delivers a high quality experience. If he’s charging 200+ for “massage only” I have no pity. If he’s charging 120-160 or possibly less (per hour), I find that pretty reasonable. 

My pair of pennies.

The way you clearly spell out your pricing is great -- very much appreciated. Your peers could learn from you!

[Hey_Jay]

So from my observation it hasn’t dropped looks like 150 is the new 120. Admittedly, my frequency of getting massages has significantly went down lol. I use to get 2-3 massage a month at around 120-140 range. Now it’s like once a month or every other month. It’s not really whether I can afford it because the I think I still can. It’s more the of VALUE from what you’re paying for. I wonder if masseurs noted a drop in their clients when massage rates went up. So whenever I decide for a massage for a rate say 180 or above I just have to rationalize and think of other options where I can get more value from it like a nice dinner with friends in a fancy restaurant or a stay in a nice hotel maybe I get to take home a hot DILF at the bar kidding! I wonder if some peeps here are on the same page. 

[Capitano]

On 8/17/2023 at 9:25 PM, BigNoiseDallas said:

I have an incall on Saturday with a traveling masseur who keeps his pricing simple: $160 for 60 minutes, $200 for 90 -- no upcharge, no price change from his home city, etc. That's very refreshing and easy to understand. He does tack on a charge for an outcall, whether he's at home or traveling, which I can understand. 

I am willing to go up to $180 for someone who has excellent reviews here, but other than that, I'd like to keep it at $160 or lower. Nudity, MT, and willingness to provide a HE if the chemistry is there included. I do prefer 90 minute appointments, so this translates to $260 max and I'd like to keep it at $240 or lower.

I notice a big push to normalize $250 per hour, which is a no-go for me. Also, many advertise sensible rates but then jack them up for sensual or erotic. Sorry, dudes, I can still get top-notch therapeutic massage at $120 an hour, so that should be your base rate. Having said this, I WILL tip generously if someone turns out friendly and competent, but that has to be my decision.

I was interested in trying these two this weekend, but decided to pass, both quoted me $250/$300 for 60/90 minutes. Yeah, they are hot, but they are pushing it IMHO.

Massagtherlx on RentMasseur

RENTMASSEUR.COM

---

View my profile on RentMasseur.com

Massagejay on RentMasseur

RENTMASSEUR.COM

---

View my profile on RentMasseur.com

 

[Jamie21]

Consider that a masseur’s pricing is his way of screening out clients who are not the kind he wants, and to limit the number of bookings he has to fit his capacity. 

You might look at his ad, pics etc and say he’s pushing it. That’s his intention - he’s screened you out without even having to handle your enquiry. 

There’s loads of potential clients who want to pay a lot less than £130 or so a hour for a sensual massage. Or even pay nothing…just look at the numbers looking for ‘massage exchange’ where they expect a massage for free in exchange for giving one back. That end of the market is big. 

One could fish there for business by setting a lower rate but you’d get all sorts of time wasters, cheap clients and those who know the price of everything but the value of nothing. I certainly don’t want those kind of clients. If they do somehow contact me their first question is often “do you do discounts?” or “what’s your best rate?”. Those clients don’t get to book.

When I first started I had an enquiry from a client who asked about my rate. He said he really wanted to book but my hour rate was too much for him and would I discount? He said he’d “definitely become a regular” (a common phrase used by such clients by the way). I declined to discount it so he went away….for a week..and then asked again. Same response “no discount, sorry”. Eventually he agreed to the rate and booked an hour.

 I was surprised that he actually turned up on the day, but he did…and had the massage, which he said he enjoyed. I always ask for payment afterwards and at this point he says “oh I’ve only got £x on me, is that ok?”. I said “no, we agreed £y but I’ve a card reader so you can pay the balance (about 40% short of the agreed rate) by card”. He said “he didn’t want the transaction appearing on his account”. He then promised to pay the balance next time or to do a bank transfer when he got home. I declined that and told him I’d walk him to the cashpoint where he’d draw the balance and pay me. That’s what we eventually did. Total waste of time. 

Lesson learned: never book ‘low rent’ clients.
 

 

 

Edited February 10 by Jamie21

[+ glutes]

On 8/17/2023 at 4:24 AM, BeefyDude said:

WOW.. Yeah that happened to me once.  The place was in the SEEDIEST part of town - so bad that the motel had a security guard out front. To make it worse it was a fake address, he never responded.

I had a provider quote me $300/hour, and he's staying in a $79/night motel, with bathroom down the hall shared.

[Capitano]

Just where does this madness end?

[MikePDNA51]

LA market has seen a price drop with new masseurs entering market.  There are also a lot of masseurs who take good pictures and think they have skills but cannot do anything.  Some guys in LA also live only in gay world even for all work avenues.  Having a larger economic perspective by applying for a job on LinkedIn would give many masseurs a realistic financial perspective. 

[Guest]

1) @Simon Suraci when are you coming back to Texas? 

2) Rates seem to be going up in the Austin area and I think also in the Dallas area, but it's been a few months since I was through that area.  In-Call locals have raised rates and travelers have also increased prices.  So a therapeutic hour used to cost between $130-150 now it's more like $180 - 200.  Might have a HE but that's about it.  Greater extras can run between $250 - 300 and that's not for a 4-handed massage. There are exceptions who have not raised their prices yet, but on average that seems to be what I'm seeing.

3) Both @Simon Suraci and @BeefyDude have great and valid points.  One of the great benefits of this site is seeing things from both sides.  I have also gotten frustrated with the lack of transparency in pricing, or with masseurs raising their prices higher than listed on their site.  I even had a local masseur cancel my appointment and block me when I pointed out that his quote via text was higher than his listed rate.  It would have been an in-call for him.  I think it's fair to ask why it's higher.  I expect a reasonable upcharge if someone is coming to me.  However, I have limits.  I am not paying an extra $100 for someone to drive to me, especially if there is no table.  (Yes, I have been quoted that before).  

 

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Capitano said:

Just where does this madness end?

For that price, I need them to clean my apartment and do my laundry in addition to the other services they provide. 

[Simon Suraci]

1 hour ago, questbear said:

1) @Simon Suraci when are you coming back to Texas? 

2) Rates seem to be going up in the Austin area and I think also in the Dallas area…

1) I don’t know yet. It’s been a tough seven months since the move from Dallas to San Diego. It takes a long time to become well established and stable in a different city and my overhead is quite high. I must be stable before I can hit the road for long stretches again. Maybe shorter trips at first in the Southwest region, then branch out.

My goal is to do more traveling this spring/summer/fall, to include Texas. I gotta get through paying for the upcoming CoM annual PS trip in April. We’ll see, maybe after that. I invited a fellow masseur to stay with me.

I have won over many regulars in SD, and still continue grow a lot. All signs are positive, and I cover my basic expenses, however I’m not yet reaching the necessary milestones I’ve set for myself - hoping this next six months I will break through. A good many of my massage regulars were seeing other guys who weren’t doing a good job and now their clients see me instead. My escort clients are becoming faithful regulars. Since the average client for any of my services hires me about once a month, I need a LOT of regulars to keep me going and in a stable position. Working on it, expecting to get there within the coming months.

2) I implemented a modest rate increase after my move. So far, so good. My prices are competitive with my local market. Can’t speak to Texas or elsewhere. I focus on offering a good value, to attract repeat business. I want clients to feel like they got more value for the same $ they would spend on someone else. Some of those dabbling in the biz might be trying to see what they can can get (even if it means fewer appointments) and aren’t thinking long term about developing repeat business. Different approaches at play here.

3) Thank you. As a provider and a client myself, I appreciate and expect transparency.

[marylander1940]

On 2/10/2024 at 10:12 AM, glutes said:

I had a provider quote me $300/hour, and he's staying in a $79/night motel, with bathroom down the hall shared.

damn... those cheap Indians running motels with shared bathrooms now! 😃

Edited February 12 by marylander1940