Price haggling

[Philly50]

Does an escort have the right to operate his business any way he choses, including trying to negotiate the highest rate he possibly can each and every time whether or not you, me, or Sally Jo likes that?

 

Of course he does. Just as clients have the right to agree to negotiate or not.

[+ Keith30309]

Once a rate is quoted, I NEVER haggle. I don't want to see a guy who feels he's not getting his fair rate.. I want him to be happy to see me. It's always the escorts choice as to what rate he wants to charge and to whom he charges it. It ain't WalMart, it ain't a commodity.. it's personal service.

 

Precisely - well said!

Call me crazy, self-delusional even, but I like do feel like in a successful meeting we create an emotional connection on some level. Yes - ultimately it's a transaction of time for money but my focus and energy is on making it a mutually enjoyable experience. If I feel like I'm sitting across from someone at a Turkish bazaar bargaining table in a (temporarily) adversarial situation where one person is going to win and the other lose, then that blows the entire objective. "Ask me" feels too much like "make me an offer".

 

Deal with the money part quickly, discretely and with class and everybody wins.

[MiamiLooker]

If I feel like I'm sitting across from someone at a Turkish bazaar bargaining table in a (temporarily) adversarial situation where one person is going to win and the other lose, then that blows the entire objective. "Ask me" feels too much like "make me an offer".

 

Neither the client nor the escort has to take an adversarial position to determine a fee for the service that’s acceptable to both parties. No one has to lose. Both can win.

[Steven_Draker]

... If I feel like I'm sitting across from someone at a Turkish bazaar bargaining table

 

 

 

"ask me" --> We're supposed to haggle

:cool:

[+ Gar1eth]

This has happened to me. I find it similarly off-putting to get such texts from a guy I've already decided not to hire.

Occasionally, though, a regular contacts me to offer a "loyal customer discount" or "Tuesday special" or some such. If I know and like him, I will go out of my way to book the session or even pay in advance. I remember what it felt like to be young and broke...

 

But SundayZip only seemed to say no because of the fee. It wasn't that he had really had a change in being attracted to the client. Frankly, I don't see what the big deal is about the guy offering a lower rate. I mean if he had said-ok what about a session for $150. That would have been too steep a reduction. But people on here always say that escorts can charge whatever and they want/market will bear. Maybe SundayZip was the third guy to cancel, and the escort was finally 'wise-ing' up to the local situation. If the guy sounded on the up and up-I'd probably see him depending on how much I was attracted to him. Although in this case I still think a fee of $400/hour is bananas. And even $300 unless I got a nice set of steak knives still seems high for me.

 

Gman

[+ poolboy48220]

My feeling is that if I get a lower rate, I'm not going to get their best effort.

[+ SundayZip]

Neither the client nor the escort has to take an adversarial position to determine a fee for the service that’s acceptable to both parties. No one has to lose. Both can win.

 

I suppose this is true... in theory. In this case, after I had a chance to think it through, I decided I would be comfortable paying the market rate which is I assumed to be $300. That meant I would have to propose a rate that is 40% under his standard rate. If he said yes, it would only have been because he couldn't fill a time slot with higher bid. I may have to see a therapist to understand why that didn't sit well with me.

[MiamiLooker]

I suppose this is true... in theory. In this case, after I had a chance to think it through, I decided I would be comfortable paying the market rate which is I assumed to be $300. That meant I would have to propose a rate that is 40% under his standard rate. If he said yes, it would only have been because he couldn't fill a time slot with higher bid. I may have to see a therapist to understand why that didn't sit well with me.

How do you know the $500 rate he asked for is his standard rate?

[+ SundayZip]

How do you know the $500 rate he asked for is his standard rate?

 

Good point. Probably because he said on the phone, "my rate is $500 for an hour".

[corndog]

I agree with SundayZip. I wouldn't be comfortable paying less than the originally quoted rate. If I did, I would always wonder whether I was getting less than his best effort since I was paying less than his full price.

 

I'm going to go further and say this guy needs to learn from this. I see no indication that he is extra-special enough to justify above-market rates. I'll hesitantly acknowledge that some well-known porn stars, or extra, super-hot guys may be able to justify $500/hour, but this guy doesn't seem like he has any of those qualities. I think that he needs to learn that if he quotes an unreasonably high rate, that he'll ultimately lose business and make less money. He may think that he wants to get as much money out of each client as they're willing to pay, but he needs to learn that most of us won't tolerate that kind of haggling, and will simply decline his offer.

[mmk123]

I would never haggle with an escort over a fee. If I cannot afford it (like other things in life) then I do not go for the purchase.

 

I have had escorts reduce their rate since I had been a long time client and I have also had escorts still charge me their old fee even though they have increased their fee as they continue to escort. And I have also had escorts give me free sessions because I have seen them for so long (this happened a few times around the holidays). And I did accept their generosity because this was an offer from the escort (and to be honest, who on here would not).

[Lookin]

I agree with SundayZip. I wouldn't be comfortable paying less than the originally quoted rate. If I did, I would always wonder whether I was getting less than his best effort since I was paying less than his full price.

 

http://www.vanderbloemen.com/images/insight_featured_images/3_Problems_With_Choosing_Youth_Over_Wisdom_In_Church_Staffing.jpg

I knew it was too good to be true.

For that price it's the Bitchy Boyfriend Experience.

[+ dutchmuch]

http://ts1.mm.bing.net/th?&id=JN.8j%2Bifc58EyM7utIoZCyKEQ&w=300&h=300&c=0&pid=1.9&rs=0&p=0

[+ Gar1eth]

My feeling is that if I get a lower rate, I'm not going to get their best effort.

 

But in reality, you never know that. Just turn on that ol' poolboy magic, and I'm sure everything will work out fine!!!

 

Gman

[thickornotatall]

What would you have done?

 

I suddenly noticed a rentboy ad for an escort/fitness model that I've lusted after for a long time. The ad said he's in the city for just a few days. I contact him, he replies and we have a phone conversation about schedule and rate. I'm pretty eager to lock in on a date when he tells me his rate is $500. There's a long pause. I'm thinking, WTF? But then I say yes to the date. Clearly I wasn't thinking straight. 10 minutes later I text him and tell him exactly that... "Sorry, I wasn't thinking straight and I now realise that $500 is too pricey for me." He responds back that I seem like a nice guy so for me he'll make it $400. He called it a Pride weekend discount. I reply back and thank him for the discount but say I'm not comfortable hiring him at a discount rate and I wish him well and say goodbye. The next day he texts again and says he's sure we can work something out. I politely decline again. By this time I was totally put off by his approach and no way I'd hire him at any rate.

 

A wonder if this sort of price haggling works with anyone else. I also wonder if he had started at $400 and then dropped it to $300 if I would have hired him.

You weren't thinking with your wallet...and your hormones ruled your mouth....I can understand that...$500?..outrageous....$400....all depends....$300 about the going rate....Don't listen to these guys that write you should have paid $400 anyway....It wasn't like you didn't call back quick....you didn't take any time away from him....I would never haggle...you should get what you pay for...not always the case......If someone here insists that you should have paid and followed through..ask them for the $$$...Never spend anyone else's money...not good form....

[thickornotatall]

Now that is worth a chuckle...You're at the Ritz-Carlton in Laguna Niguel? Surely you can understand why you might get charged more than some client at a "cheap motel". Maybe it's just me....

I used to stay at The Essex House for weekends....at company rates....even though I live in NYC....$100 for a weekend in a great room/park view...I had a very well reviewed escort come see me....He had no power at his apartment after a huge thunderstorm...boiling hot out..He agreed to an overnite for the hour rate if he could sleep over...no haggling....win win...

[Irtwo]

OK, I know most are not going to see the distinction I'm about to describe, but to me there is a difference between the client asking for a lower price and an escort offering a lower price. If there is a stated price and the client asks for a discount, that is haggling and I would be reluctant to do that for the reasons stated up thread (i.e., the escort won't give 100%). By contrast, when it's the escort that offers a lower price to try and induce a client, I don't really see that as haggling, and I wouldn't be worried about the escort giving 100% since he's the one wanting to do it at that price.

[sincitymix]

What would you have done?

 

I suddenly noticed a rentboy ad for an escort/fitness model that I've lusted after for a long time. The ad said he's in the city for just a few days. I contact him, he replies and we have a phone conversation about schedule and rate. I'm pretty eager to lock in on a date when he tells me his rate is $500. There's a long pause. I'm thinking, WTF? But then I say yes to the date. Clearly I wasn't thinking straight. 10 minutes later I text him and tell him exactly that... "Sorry, I wasn't thinking straight and I now realise that $500 is too pricey for me." He responds back that I seem like a nice guy so for me he'll make it $400. He called it a Pride weekend discount. I reply back and thank him for the discount but say I'm not comfortable hiring him at a discount rate and I wish him well and say goodbye. The next day he texts again and says he's sure we can work something out. I politely decline again. By this time I was totally put off by his approach and no way I'd hire him at any rate.

 

A wonder if this sort of price haggling works with anyone else. I also wonder if he had started at $400 and then dropped it to $300 if I would have hired him.

I had messaged an escort once. He had a price listed at 250 incall 300 outcall, then the response came back, and suddenly it was an ala cart what the hell omg! went from 250 to 600 for incall.. and he might..depending on his mood top at 600.

I told him no thanks, that was just way more then what I wanted to spend per hour.. especially with "might and mabye and if im in the mood" thrown through out the response.

Got another message after my declining, saying hed offer all the above for 500 an hour, when I said no thank you, it dropped to 400 an hour..

said no thank you, but I will keep you in mind now that I know your rates and the limits of his activity.

[+ Gar1eth]

I had messaged an escort once. He had a price listed at 250 incall 300 outcall, then the response came back, and suddenly it was an ala cart what the hell omg! went from 250 to 600 for incall.. and he might..depending on his mood top at 600.

I told him no thanks, that was just way more then what I wanted to spend per hour.. especially with "might and mabye and if im in the mood" thrown through out the response.

Got another message after my declining, saying hed offer all the above for 500 an hour, when I said no thank you, it dropped to 400 an hour..

said no thank you, but I will keep you in mind now that I know your rates and the limits of his activity.

 

He must have thought he was G-d's gift to a gay man. Can you tell us if he advertised as gay/bisexual/straight?

 

Gman

[sincitymix]

He must have thought he was G-d's gift to a gay man. Can you tell us if he advertised as gay/bisexual/straight?

 

Gman

he advertised as straight

[+ Gar1eth]

I had messaged an escort once. He had a price listed at 250 incall 300 outcall, then the response came back, and suddenly it was an ala cart what the hell omg! went from 250 to 600 for incall.. and he might..depending on his mood top at 600.

I told him no thanks, that was just way more then what I wanted to spend per hour.. especially with "might and mabye and if im in the mood" thrown through out the response.

Got another message after my declining, saying hed offer all the above for 500 an hour, when I said no thank you, it dropped to 400 an hour..

said no thank you, but I will keep you in mind now that I know your rates and the limits of his activity.

 

He must have thought he was G-d's gift to a gay man. Can you tell us if he advertised as gay/bisexual/straight?

 

Gman

 

he advertised as straight

 

I had a sneaking suspicion.

 

Gman

[+ SundayZip]

Interesting comments and feedback. Thanks! Here are my lessons learned from this experience and from your comments:

 

- Some clients are ok with negotiating rate and some would rather give a simple yes or no to the escort's published (or quoted) rate and leave it at that. I'm one who would rather not negotiate. But either approach is perfectly fine. It's all good.

- I don't mind when an escort lists "ask me" as their rate but I should know ahead of time what I'm willing to pay and be prepared when the escort tells me the rate. When an escort lists "ask me" as their rate, it's likely that they'll ask for a higher than market average rate; not necessarily a bad thing, but be prepared!

[Nvr2Thick]

Interesting comments and feedback. Thanks! Here are my lessons learned from this experience and from your comments:

 

- Some clients are ok with negotiating rate and some would rather give a simple yes or no to the escort's published (or quoted) rate and leave it at that. I'm one who would rather not negotiate. But either approach is perfectly fine. It's all good.

- I don't mind when an escort lists "ask me" as their rate but I should know ahead of time what I'm willing to pay and be prepared when the escort tells me the rate. When an escort lists "ask me" as their rate, it's likely that they'll ask for a higher than market average rate; not necessarily a bad thing, but be prepared!

 

You obviously created an uncomfortable situation by accepting the $500 rate and then changing your mind. You've admitted that it was a mistake and that it could have been handled better.

 

I'm with you that I don't like to negotiate on price regardless of who starts the negotiation. By refusing the escort based on his price it could be argued that you started the negotiation, even though you made it clear once he counter-offered that you didn't want to go there. I've been in a few situations where the escort started price negotiation after we've discussed a scene and I politely declined; either because I wasn't interested or because "Ask me" led to a price I didn't want to pay. I do my best to respond with something like: "I really don't like to negotiate for your services. I'm uncomfortable trying to set a lower rate. You know the value of your time and services, and I don't want to try to get you to compromise that value. I'm just not interested in meeting."

 

I also try to communicate that I'm not interested because the scene and the escort are not what I need. I try not to suggest that it's about price under any circumstances. Still, there will always be escorts that won't easily take no for an answer, and will either insist that they can adapt to my needs or work out a better deal.

[MiamiLooker]

If I cannot afford it (like other things in life) then I do not go for the purchase.

 

I didn’t get the impression from reading SundayZip’s original post that he couldn’t afford the $500. My impression was that he didn’t think the appointment was going to be worth $500 to him.

[BaronArtz]

I didn’t get the impression from reading SundayZip’s original post that he couldn’t afford the $500. My impression was that he didn’t think the appointment was going to be worth $500 to him.

 

That was also my impression. Even by NYC standards, $500 for an hour is extremely high. I don't know who gets that. Maybe Zeb Atlas? The 'muscle worship' community is also known for paying top dollars to well known body builders. But no, in 10+ years of hiring in NYC, I have never encountered anybody who even asked me for $500/hour.

 

The only reason I can think of, is that maybe a very specific sexual activity was required, something that the escort was not comfortable with but would possibly do for $500. But there is no indication in any of the posts that this was the case ...