Rate hike... Lord, I need a glass of water.

[Decatur Guy]

I find it interesting that some comments have been along the lines that their salary hasn't gone up so an escort's fee shouldn't go up either. Also that there are few specific expenses for escorting (travel expenses for trips to other cities aside). An escort has to make enough money to live, so if that is their only business they have to adjust their fee to enable them to pay rent and buy food. If they need to put up their fee to do that, then that is what they have to do. If some of their clients haven't had a pay rise and can't afford to hire, or to hire so often, that's life. Now there may be other economies that some escorts can make but not all. Devon is doing this by looking at the cities he travels to. Others may have other ways to reduce their cost of living. In the end, any escort can only charge what the market will bear. If people will pay, they can keep escorting, if they won't they have to find another source of income. If an escort still has clients and some of us as clients don't want to pay his new fee it's our problem not his.

 

I'm just going to requote my original post, word for word, with some bigger type and bold for emphasis:

 

I got a 5% raise this year, and I was thrilled. Biggest one in years. It's usually been in the 1% to 3% range.

 

So, bottom line for me: If I have $600 a quarter I can spare for this -- and I can hire Guy A at $200 an hour for three times or Guy B for $300 an hour for two times -- I'm gonna go with Guy A unless Guy B is an exceptionally better experience. That's an one additional fuck more per quarter!

 

It does seem $300 an hour is becoming the new baseline around here, and it's definitely going to cut into my hiring. I just can't keep up with my paltry raises, especially these $50 jumps. At $300 an hour, someone is going to be a special treat for me, not a regular.

 

But if I were an escort and I could increase my cash flow or work less for the same cash flow, of course I do it!

[instudiocity]

When Michael Eisner was CEO of Disney BACK IN THE 1980's, he decided the theme parks were under-performing properties. He started a program of raising entrance fees every year. He said he would stop raising the entrance fee when the turnstile counts dropped.

 

In 1971 a 1-day pass to the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World was $3.75. Using Slater's link to the BLS calculator, I found today's price equivalent is $21.75.

 

What's a 1-day pass to the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World today? $116.83 Why? Because that's what market forces are all about.

 

The BN has a newborn Porsche. How? The market he makes in gentlemen's services provides him with sufficient discretionary income for him to afford a Porsche.

 

If you looked at Devon's chart, you'd have seen he primarily raised his rates on shorter-term hires. He's made a decision that he should do this for his reasoning and looking at his rates, I'd never consider hiring him for less than a few hours because the average per hour drops off quickly.

 

If you cannot afford a visit to "the Happiest Place on Earth" don't go. If you cannot contribute to Ben's Porsche and it's insurance payments, don't attempt to hire him. If Devon's bumping up his base rate a bit galls, you don't hire him.

 

And for God's sake, if you're hiring yet cannot afford $50-$100 more, you're finances are already fucked up.

 

If you can yet will not afford a quality escort deserving of a premium rate, well, just enjoy your hamburger while some of us enjoy the beefcake.

[bigvalboy]

When Michael Eisner was CEO of Disney BACK IN THE 1980's, he decided the theme parks were under-performing properties. He started a program of raising entrance fees every year. He said he would stop raising the entrance fee when the turnstile counts dropped.

 

In 1971 a 1-day pass to the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World was $3.75. Using Slater's link to the BLS calculator, I found today's price equivalent is $21.75.

 

What's a 1-day pass to the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World today? $116.83 Why? Because that's what market forces are all about.

 

The BN has a newborn Porsche. How? The market he makes in gentlemen's services provides him with sufficient discretionary income for him to afford a Porsche.

 

If you looked at Devon's chart, you'd have seen he primarily raised his rates on shorter-term hires. He's made a decision that he should do this for his reasoning and looking at his rates, I'd never consider hiring him for less than a few hours because the average per hour drops off quickly.

 

If you cannot afford a visit to "the Happiest Place on Earth" don't go. If you cannot contribute to Ben's Porsche and it's insurance payments, don't attempt to hire him. If Devon's bumping up his base rate a bit galls, you don't hire him.

 

And for God's sake, if you're hiring yet cannot afford $50-$100 more, you're finances are already fucked up.

 

If you can yet will not afford a quality escort deserving of a premium rate, well, just enjoy your hamburger while some of us enjoy the beefcake.

 

Double like...spot on.

[+ Keith30309]

Supply.... demand... marketing... perception...

 

I like instudiocity's Disney analogy in that they have a brand that is one of the most recognized on the planet - carefully crafted to make them desirable and perceived as worth the price of admission and they defend it ferociously. In these forums we see lots of discussion about reviews or lack thereof and I think it's pretty well understood that, all things being equal, they drive perception which drives price.

But that's a double edged sword in that the level of excited discussion that's generated when a negative review or comment is posted of an otherwise well-reviewed escort I've got to think that ultimately affects overall perception. There is one $300 escort I'm quite interested in but there are a couple of mediocre reviews; there are lots of other options to consider and my perception is that the $600 I would spend for a 2 hour visit may be better spent elsewhere.

 

Along the same line of thinking there is an unreviewed $320 guy in Atlanta I'd be interested in but until I have some notion that it'd be money well spent I'm not going to be visiting his magic kingdom.

 

The ironic part of all this is that I consider my best visits to have been those where the escort and I had some kind of chemistry and were able to create an emotional connection - something that has had no correlation whatsoever to price.

[Amoco]

When Michael Eisner was CEO of Disney BACK IN THE 1980's, he decided the theme parks were under-performing properties. He started a program of raising entrance fees every year. He said he would stop raising the entrance fee when the turnstile counts dropped.

 

In 1971 a 1-day pass to the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World was $3.75. Using Slater's link to the BLS calculator, I found today's price equivalent is $21.75.

 

What's a 1-day pass to the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World today? $116.83 Why? Because that's what market forces are all about.

 

The BN has a newborn Porsche. How? The market he makes in gentlemen's services provides him with sufficient discretionary income for him to afford a Porsche.

 

If you looked at Devon's chart, you'd have seen he primarily raised his rates on shorter-term hires. He's made a decision that he should do this for his reasoning and looking at his rates, I'd never consider hiring him for less than a few hours because the average per hour drops off quickly.

 

If you cannot afford a visit to "the Happiest Place on Earth" don't go. If you cannot contribute to Ben's Porsche and it's insurance payments, don't attempt to hire him. If Devon's bumping up his base rate a bit galls, you don't hire him.

 

And for God's sake, if you're hiring yet cannot afford $50-$100 more, you're finances are already fucked up.

 

If you can yet will not afford a quality escort deserving of a premium rate, well, just enjoy your hamburger while some of us enjoy the beefcake.

 

The additional $50 to $100 has nothing to do with affordability. It has to do with perceived value. I like Devon, and what he offers matches what I look for in an escort. However, I've never paid $300 an hour, $1,500 for an overnight or $3,000 for a weekend - and for what it's worth, that includes seeing most, if not all, of the big guys and EOY winners and runners up - Chris, Nate, Tyger, Dave, Kyle, Dane, Mike Cruise, RGM, etc. - hardly "hamburger" meat among your supposed beefcake. As much as I'd like to see Devon, if a 3 hour appointment costs $900, or even $750, by the time I get done with a tip and possible travel, it's perceived value is dramatically diminished.

 

I do, however, appreciate your insight on my finances being so fucked up. I'd suggest you read "Snowball", a great insight into Warren a Buffet and the notion of "value". This is not a comment on Devon as I don't know him and have heard only fantastic things, but you may believe that higher rates mean higher quality, but I just haven't found that to necessarily be true. And the other thing nobody mentions is the value that a "regular" client brings to the escort. Shit, every major retailer has some kind of loyalty program that rewards regulars, and of course, I would assume that I may pay something different when I reach that status with one.

[MiamiLooker]

Unless there’s no one local available, why would a client ever hire a “traveling” escort, knowing that they have additional expenses they must make up by seeing more clients per day? Who wants to be number 3 or 4?

[instudiocity]

I do, however, appreciate your insight on my finances being so fucked up. I'd suggest you read "Snowball", a great insight into Warren a Buffet and the notion of "value". This is not a comment on Devon as I don't know him and have heard only fantastic things, but you may believe that higher rates mean higher quality, but I just haven't found that to necessarily be true. And the other thing nobody mentions is the value that a "regular" client brings to the escort. Shit, every major retailer has some kind of loyalty program that rewards regulars, and of course, I would assume that I may pay something different when I reach that status with one.

I didn't say your finances were fucked up. I said, "And for God's sake, if you're hiring yet cannot afford $50-$100 more, you're finances are already fucked up."

 

I also said, "If you can yet will not afford a quality escort deserving of a premium rate, well, just enjoy your hamburger while some of us enjoy the beefcake."

 

Some how you are arguing with me from both points. Yet, in your first argument, you stated that "you can yet will not afford premium prices"

 

So what are you saying Amoco? Are you a spendthrift or are you, um, budget-minded? Or are you just being argumentative? I gave three examples of pricing being based upon what the market will bear. I countered two perspectives, that are rampant on this board - too broke to be hiring or extreme budget-consciousness.

 

Fact is I believe you can afford the extra $50-$100 for less competitively priced escorts, you just want to argue.

 

FYI, your first statement, "The additional $50 to $100 has nothing to do with affordability. It has to do with perceived value." Excuse me, but Perceived Value has EVERYTHING to do with affordability, along with many other individual considerations. Or are you hiring EOY's because they're EOY's and not $200/hour?

[instudiocity]

Unless there’s no one local available, why would a client ever hire a “traveling” escort, knowing that they have additional expenses they must make up by seeing more clients per day? Who wants to be number 3 or 4?

I don't get it. Isn't this activity all about the fantasy? Why would anyone every hire anyone for sex, the rote manipulation of your body and penis to the point of orgasm. I can do that myself.

[instudiocity]

The ironic part of all this is that I consider my best visits to have been those where the escort and I had some kind of chemistry and were able to create an emotional connection - something that has had no correlation whatsoever to price.

Nothing ironic about it from the client's perspective -- your indulging your fantasy -- at whatever the price. The Disney/Porsche/escorts are in the business of supplying fantasy -- just how much are you willing to give to engage your fantasy.

 

In some cases, how much bitching are you going to do because your fantasy is too expensive?, your income is too low?, your location to far afield?

[mike carey]

Another random comment, there has been some talk about paying $50 or $100 more than for other escorts. Part of that discussion related to Devon increasing his rate by $50 for short appointments (although not for longer ones). Yes $50 is a big price hike, but to put it in context he had not increased his rates since 2010. Perhaps he should have increased his price by $10 each year, and if so no-one would have complained about sticker shock. He didn't do that, he waited five years and did the entire increase at once.

 

Thanks for your comments above, Instudiocity. BTW I love that cartoon avatar!

[devonhunter]

Time for another break. Y'all wear me out sometimes. Later.

[bigvalboy]

Time for another break. Y'all wear me out sometimes. Later.

 

lmao...Good Lord, my thoughts exactly.

[ZhenXBear]

I would be gobsmacked if anyone ever chose the 4-, 5-, 6-, or 7-hr options.

 

First, I love the word gobsmacked!

 

Secondly, my first time meeting with my companion of choice was an "afternoon hire" for around 5 hours. I think it's a great amount of time for a first meeting and am really perplexed why people don't select it. It's plenty of time for lunch, great conversation, fun and BFE level bonding. I can't see myself ever meeting someone for the first time for a lesser duration, really. Then again intimacy and emotional bonding, aren't what every person wants or desires, I guess. It's paramount to me, buy maybe I'm the niche client type? I don't know

[+ WmClarke]

First, I love the word gobsmacked!

 

Secondly, my first time meeting with my companion of choice was an "afternoon hire" for around 5 hours. I think it's a great amount of time for a first meeting and am really perplexed why people don't select it. It's plenty of time for lunch, great conversation, fun and BFE level bonding. I can't see myself ever meeting someone for the first time for a lesser duration, really. Then again intimacy and emotional bonding, aren't what every person wants or desires, I guess. It's paramount to me, buy maybe I'm the niche client type? I don't know

They are certainly many different client types/niches. And some of us clients try/use/fill multiple niches.

 

But I'm generally like you. My first hire was an overnight and that was a great decision for me. We really clicked and spent 15 hours together.

[TruHart1]

Unless there’s no one local available, why would a client ever hire a “traveling” escort, knowing that they have additional expenses they must make up by seeing more clients per day? Who wants to be number 3 or 4?

 

I don't really believe the best "travelling escorts" are quite in that classification of seeing more clients per day to make up additional travel expenses, Looker. Sure, there are always going to be some who are out there travelling just to fill their calendar and make the most bucks they can on each trip. If I have read a traveling escort's reviews and completely vetted him so I can pretty well be certain I'll be getting top value for my money, there is no way I'll be passing that experience up!

 

I have a favorite escort who makes periodic trips to my area and I hire him every time he comes through, without fail. He is a very well-reviewed and well-known escort. He has confided to me that sometimes he just broke even when visiting my city. Was my BFE with him any less impressive on those trips where he did not really make any profit? NO! He is consistently excellent because he is a very fine escort!!!

 

What I am trying to say is that just because an escort travels, it doesn't make him all about volume of clients to cover expenses and make a nice profit. The bad ones will always be out there but the good ones will simply stop visiting markets where they don't have the success they need! Once again, buyer beware, there really is no difference between hiring a GREAT escort, whether he's travelling or local! Just IMHO!

 

TruHart1

[whipped guy]

I don't really believe the best "travelling escorts" are quite in that classification of seeing more clients per day to make up additional travel expenses, Looker. Sure, there are always going to be some who are out there travelling just to fill their calendar and make the most bucks they can on each trip. If I have read a traveling escort's reviews and completely vetted him so I can pretty well be certain I'll be getting top value for my money, there is no way I'll be passing that experience up!

 

I have a favorite escort who makes periodic trips to my area and I hire him every time he comes through, without fail. He is a very well-reviewed and well-known escort. He has confided to me that sometimes he just broke even when visiting my city. Was my BFE with him any less impressive on those trips where he did not really make any profit? NO! He is consistently excellent because he is a very fine escort!!!

 

What I am trying to say is that just because an escort travels, it doesn't make him all about volume of clients to cover expenses and make a nice profit. The bad ones will always be out there but the good ones will simply stop visiting markets where they don't have the success they need! Once again, buyer beware, there really is no difference between hiring a GREAT escort, whether he's travelling or local! Just IMHO!

 

TruHart1

That is all so true. Unfortunately a special favorite of mine has stopped visiting NYC because it is so difficult to break even much less make a sizable profit due to the high cost of doing business there.

[TruHart1]

That is all so true. Unfortunately a special favorite of mine has stopped visiting NYC because it is so difficult to break even much less make a sizable profit due to the high cost of doing business there.

 

For some of my truly "not to be missed" favorites, I ask if they might be more willing to come through my city more frequently if I set up more than one appointment with them while they visit. That way, they are guaranteed at least two or three appointments even though I might be their only client. If I factor in what costs would be if I were to fly to their cities and stay in a hotel, I usually find the cost of me traveling comparable to a double or triple hire here and additionally there are no hassles with luggage, rental car, etc! It's truly worth it to me for the really special men!!!

 

TruHart1

[whipped guy]

For some of my truly "not to be missed" favorites, I ask if they might be more willing to come through my city more frequently if I set up more than one appointment with them while they visit. That way, they are guaranteed at least two or three appointments even though I might be their only client. If I factor in what costs would be if I were to fly to their cities and stay in a hotel, I usually find the cost of me traveling comparable to a double or triple hire here and additionally there are no hassles with luggage, rental car, etc! It's truly worth it to me for the really special men!!!

 

TruHart1

The escort that I reference in my posting above travels exclusively and in essence has no home base from which he works. He rents an apartment in each given city and uses that as his home base for a month. At times he might even stay two months in a given local. However, the cost of doing business in NYC has proven to be a stumbling block for him.

 

Once when he came to NYC I did indeed hire him twice and even set up something with him for a friend so he did get three hires based on my efforts. Still, when he crunched the numbers he said that it did not work. He came to the City one more time after than and has not visited since. We have a nice chemistry and as such I miss him. Since I don't live in the City I myself need to get a hotel etc. to make things work comfortably, though once I did run into town for a nooner with him. From what I gather his NYC woes are two fold, the cost of lodging and the outright numbers of the competition trying to make a go of it in town. Even getting a Rentboy ad that gives him more visibility often does not help matters.

[MiamiLooker]

I don't get it. Isn't this activity all about the fantasy? Why would anyone every hire anyone for sex, the rote manipulation of your body and penis to the point of orgasm. I can do that myself.

 

I agree. It is all about the fantasy. Each of us have our own. I used to think Talvin DeMachio was about the hottest thing on the planet. I’d only seen photos of him. Seeing him in a video, though, totally crushed my fantasy of him. Unfortunately, I couldn’t unsee what I’d already seen. I no longer found him attractive. All the positive reviews and the glowing endorsements in the forum couldn’t change that. In the client/escort relationship I believe “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

[Mocha]

That is all so true. Unfortunately a special favorite of mine has stopped visiting NYC because it is so difficult to break even much less make a sizable profit due to the high cost of doing business there.

 

People often tout New York as being this escort utopia that every escort must visit. For me, I've not been able to justify a trip there yet because a lot of the New York trip would be pre-paying for things: $100-200 for ads (if it's not sold out), $150+ minimum for hotel (I have to have a private bathroom), then the flight. The main thing for me is the ad and hotels. I can get there, but it's one of the few markets where ads are congested. I can just go home to Florida or San Fran, and find a handful of good New Yorker clients there. I could be missing out, but I don't live within train distance from it...so I'd have to put a lot of work into it to make it work.

 

Now, based on what you said, we don't know if the guy has seen all of the New York clients available, or if it really is a case of higher cost.

[Irtwo]

For me, I've not been able to justify a trip there yet because a lot of the New York trip would be pre-paying for things: $100-200 for ads (if it's not sold out),

 

Mocha, are you talking about Rentboy? I didn't know they could sell out -- do you mean they limit the space/ads for a certain city?

[Kevin Slater]

Mocha, are you talking about Rentboy? I didn't know they could sell out -- do you mean they limit the space/ads for a certain city?

 

In NYC, Rentboy ads are placed into three tiers (platinum-- always on page one; gold-- pages two and three; and standard-- the back forty). They then appear in random order within their tier each time a search is performed. The premium ads rarely become available, as the greedy whores who currently have them (myself included) never let them lapse. The supply of standard ads is unlimited, but at best you're on page four.

 

Kevin Slater

[jcmiami1]

As a client, I can understand the price hikes because there is justification for it. I live in Miami , hotel rates here - especially anywhere around the beach areas- is as much or sometimes higher than Manhattan! High season here a Marriott on the beach easily $350+ a night! Low ball average beach hotel rate is about $200-$250 a night. Let's say your plane round trip fare is about minimum $500. This is excluding food, other expenses etc. So yes I can understand the justification. From what I can see NYC is a saturated market not only Rentboy, Rentmen, M4Rnow, Backpage, CL etc.

[MiamiLooker]

As a client, I can understand the price hikes because there is justification for it. I live in Miami , hotel rates here - especially anywhere around the beach areas- is as much or sometimes higher than Manhattan! High season here a Marriott on the beach easily $350+ a night! Low ball average beach hotel rate is about $200-$250 a night. Let's say your plane round trip fare is about minimum $500. This is excluding food, other expenses etc. So yes I can understand the justification. From what I can see NYC is a saturated market not only Rentboy, Rentmen, M4Rnow, Backpage, CL etc.

 

I’m guessing most guys that hire really don’t give a sh*t about the escort’s expenses. They consider whether or not the service provided is worth the fee.

[jcmiami1]

I’m guessing most guys that hire really don’t give a sh*t about the escort’s expenses. They consider whether or not the service provided is worth the fee.

It's a business period - but like any business if a client/customer gets burned or if an escort charges too much and his service is below a blow up doll (lol)... Will the client go back NO, will he most likely write a bad review YES. Perfect example cable companies - why do you think so many people are disconnecting service... You pay a shitload of money for lousy service!