PRICE POINT and ALTERNATIVE ADVETISING / lowering rates

[Michael Wayne]

Guys it is time for our end of the year / start of the new year STATE OF THE BIZ thread. We all have been forced to seek alternative advertising arenas since rentboys' premature death. Man, has this process been educational for me!! lol and WOW!!

The best analogy I can come up with is two things: It is like a veteran star major league baseball player being forced to play in the minor leagues to compete or do a rehab assignment. It either makes him feel really old or young again!!! Also.... a Broadway star having to go WAY off Broadway...... same story!

In my case it has gotten the competitive juices flowing again. I have never hit the gym and the weights harder than I have in the last 2 months! I feel great!

However, PRICE POINT is another issue altogether. It seems that on the BACKPAGES of the world and on CRAIGSLIST that there is a general COLLUSION among clients or potential clients to drive the going rates not only down but WAY DOWN!! The same is true on the apps such as GRINDR and SCRUFF. There are lots of potential clients there who are glad to hire in the 60-100 dollar range and escorts can literally work 24/7 at that price point.

So for veteran STARS such as those of us who advertised for 10-15 years on RB, M4RN (a dead site now) and who are presently very visible @ www.rentmen.com/magicmikeydc there is a real conundrum about changing or lowering the rates. We who are at 150-250 have priced out 90% of our potential market.

Even after the client reads the Daddys' reviews and says we are "gorgeous, ripped and hung" he tries to negociate us down to where the new generation of boys are rate wise. I see this multiple times every day.

So...............as clients, potential clients, or escorts what are your thoughts about all of this??? I would appreciate everyones' imput on ALL THREE topics in my headline.

Finally MERRY CHRISTAMS TO EVERYONE ON DADDYS AND A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR! My slogan for 2,017 is: MAKE AMERICA HORNY AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!! Michael Wayne (Mikey) in Ft Lauderdale where it is WARM! Yall come down and see me this winter season!!!!

[Epigonos]

Greetings Michael,

 

In response to your above post let me start by saying that I NEVER use (or for that matter even read) CRAIGSLIST, GRINDR, OR SCRUFF thus I have NO idea what is going on on those sites. However, on rentmen the exact opposite seems to be happening. Over the last few months, on rentmen, the going one hour fee of $300 an hours seems to have become standard. That even appears to be the case in many of the minor markets NOT just places like New York and Los Angeles. It is becoming more and more difficult to find escorts asking $200 or $250 an hour. I am amazed at the number of newbies, without any reviews here, who are posting fees of $300 and even $350 an hour.

[escortrod]

Goodness, you DO like your plural first person pronouns.

 

I'm finding that Rentmen and Adam4Adam are working well for me as places to advertise. I'm not having any problems with my price point ($250) and few clients try to negotiate.

[MikeBiDude]

Goodness, you DO like your plural first person pronouns.

 

I'm finding that Rentmen and Adam4Adam are working well for me as places to advertise. I'm not having any problems with my price point ($250) and few clients try to negotiate.

He likes CAPS lock key too

[escortrod]

He likes CAPS lock key too

Yes, I had NOTICED that. It's a slightly ANNOYING habit that makes me FEEL like I'm READING a British TABLOID NEWSPAPER.

[jawjateck]

I am amazed at the number of newbies, without any reviews here, who are posting fees of $300 and even $350 an hour.

 

I laugh when I open a newbie ad, and the overnight rate is listed at 1200 or 1500. No rep for excellent service, but it's becoming a common phenomenon. After my outburst of humor, I hit the little "X" thingy.

[chasingfun]

As a client who has been hiring every now and then for the last 6 years I can tell you that at least on rentmen prices for some of the most well reviewed and best looking escorts range from 250+. when I first started hiring it was easy to find men listing at rates around 180 to 200 but over the years I feel like the trend is moving to the more expensive side. Im no escort to be giving advice but I would suggest staying off grindr, craigslist, backpage etc. Most of those guys advertising on those platforms grossly bring down prices which is why those looking for cheap services are always drawn to them, at least thats how I see it. Stick to rentmen. Its hard to find guys at anything lower than 200

[MiamiLooker]

...that there is a general COLLUSION among clients or potential clients to drive the going rates not only down but WAY DOWN!!

 

We meet at the Outback at 7:30 PM the 2nd Wednesday of each month to discuss ways of minimizing escort fees.

[jawjateck]

We meet at the Outback at 7:30 PM the 2nd Wednesday of each month to discuss ways of minimizing escort fees.

 

Great idea! It's about time clients organize to break up this pricing cartel. :D

[+ OliverSaks]

I doubt anyone is "colluding" as you mention, especially not legions of random men on Grindr and Craigslist.

 

MORE competition? Make yourself MORE COMPETITIVE. Supply and demand. Fresh meat offering better prices is gonna be a pretty tough thing to beat, even with that package of yours (Mike).

[LookingAround]

SPELLCHECK please.

[+ glennnn]

From this client's POV, I will never try to negotiate a price with my escorts, anymore than I would bargain in a fine restaurant. That is good news and bad news. Good, because I hope it shows respect and appreciation for the tremendous pleasure and care I've received from every escort I've hired. Bad, because I can't and won't go beyond a certain price point in hiring. Beyond $250/ hour generally means keep looking. 2016 was my coming out year and I hired often. I had a fantastic year, but as I review my spending, I realize I can't continue to hire so freely in 2017. I must hire for less, or hire less often. I don't mean to suggest that escorts should lower their rates. When I consider the overhead it takes to provide their services, most escorts rates seem reasonable to me. I simply cannot afford them.

 

I think my solution must be to cut back to one hour sessions, although the luxury of a second hour with him is wonderful. To maximize my potential patronage, I would love to see a really substantial rate break on the second hour and/or for return clients. And, please. I know my budgetary problems are not my escort's concern. I'm just trying to answer @Michael Wayne 's inquiry honestly.

[Scorpio]

I doubt anyone is "colluding" as you mention, especially not legions of random men on Grindr and Craigslist.

 

How refreshing, a response from the service provider side of the equation understanding the impossibility of collusion amongst clients in these instances.

 

Regarding the Apps, the terms of service specifically prohibit their use for commercial purposes. The majority of the people using the Apps are not using them for the intent to pay for play, so logically any offers are going to be lower than the regular advertising options. Now, of course, there will be the outlying situations in which a client would make an above market offer on an App to someone that might not be available in other avenues.

[kewtex]

Yes, I had NOTICED that. It's a slightly ANNOYING habit that makes me FEEL like I'm READING a British TABLOID NEWSPAPER.

 

Funny. Thanks for the laugh.

[MartyB]

Funny. Thanks for the laugh.

New to the board but not to posting reviews. From the client perspective I think one has to select an escort from various factors: I only use Rentmen not Scruff or Grindr. I have a price range that I will adhere to which is 250 to 300. Never more. Second reviews are critical to me before I commit to a new escort. If I see none or limited # I shy away. I will very rarely see an escort that flies into NYC for 2 days. Learned the hard way. If the escort is in town for a minimum of 5 days and is amazing to look at has the qualities I look for and easy to communicate with I would take a shot. The prices I believe have gone up in general. I tend to be a loyal guy especially when I've got something great going and I do now. Right now I'm having the time of my life with as great an escort as I've in the 8 to 10 years I've been doing this. He's amazing and I'm very lucky to have met him and it's what I consider the perfect situation for me. See him on a weekly basis and everything we do is natural fun hot sexy and effortless Life is good. I'm a lucky man.

[MikeyGMin]

He's amazing and I'm very lucky to have met him and it's what I consider the perfect situation for me. See him on a weekly basis and everything we do is natural fun hot sexy and effortless Life is good. I'm a lucky man.

 

Congratulations. It's really great when everything comes together and you just click. It's not easy to find. Especially the effortless part.

 

Having done this for years, I have learned that almost all situations are ephemeral. (I've heard guys mention seeing someone for 10 or more years, but I think it's rare.) No matter how much chemistry you have and how well you click, it always comes to an end. Guys retire or move or get a boyfriend or whatever. That's why I go all out when I find someone that makes it feel effortless. I get while the getting is good and max out my entertainment budget! :)

[bigvalboy]

It seems that on the BACKPAGES of the world and on CRAIGSLIST that there is a general COLLUSION among clients or potential clients to drive the going rates not only down but WAY DOWN!!

 

I don't think you really believe this. Clients don't set prices, escorts do.

 

I abandoned RM years ago. You can find the same quality escort on BP, at the clubs, on Grindr than you can on RM, with less drama, less attitude, and for less money. For a client, it's a win win. I know a lot of escorts that have been around a long time don't like to hear that, but it's the truth. I've been hiring my entire adult life, and personally I don't think that current escort prices are too far out of line. $300 for an hour seems reasonable, a lot of guys are willing to pay that, and that's fine, but for myself, it is more about getting a more satisfactory experience. Nothing is more infuriating than hiring a top-tier escort, only to have him walk through the door with an attitude that I should be lucky that he's there, or that he's shaved his age, and fudged on his stats, or used pics from a decade ago..Uh...no, that doesn't work for me! I have found that the guys on BP and in the clubs, show more interest in a continued arrangement and more interest in just hanging out. There seems to be a more relaxed attitude about the hire. More fun...less clock watching, or as Grandma would say, more fun, more cock watching....

 

Times they are a changin....

[+ sf westcoaster]

I have established a maximum rate that I am willing to pay. Having established that rate I now have a smaller list of escorts that I will hire, but that list is still filled with more than enough escorts of interest.

[jimboivyo]

clients don't set prices. escorts do. and the guys who get the highest rates are those who have the reviews, the bodies, the smarts and the look that people want

 

plenty of escorts are staying busy. the economy isn't down. money is being spent. if there's a lack of business, look inward not out.

[MikeyGMin]

clients don't set prices. escorts do. and the guys who get the highest rates are those who have the reviews, the bodies, the smarts and the look that people want

 

plenty of escorts are staying busy. the economy isn't down. money is being spent. if there's a lack of business, look inward not out.

 

I was waiting for someone to cut through the BS.

[+ Keith30309]

This is purely my skewed perspective but I see a little bit of a bifurcation of rates into the $300+ range and the <$200 range. Maybe there's a slight increase in the rates of the traditional professionals and also entry into the market of new, lower-rate guys (perhaps due to economic or demographic reasons). This is just a guess.

 

When comparing the local rates between February and October, the average increased from $222 to $246 and std dev rose from $51 to $57 - not really meaningful, though it is only a 8 month difference. Comparing year over year will be a little more telling.

 

Personally, I'm fairly insensitive to rate - +/- $50 isn't going to make me hire or not hire someone.

[down_to_business]

...

 

Personally, I'm fairly insensitive to rate - +/- $50 isn't going to make me hire or not hire someone.

 

Its kind of funny because on the surface that makes so much sense, but in my reality, seeing that $300 or more rates have been such a boner killer I just for the most part stopped hiring... just not worth it to me and I have gotten to the point where I don't really enjoy mining for diamonds anymore. I guess some of us are more susceptible to the psychological impact of pricing than others. It's probably for the best though, because if I saw good guys at what I thought were good rates readily available I would likely hire every weekend

[+ Keith30309]

Its kind of funny because on the surface that makes so much sense, but in my reality, seeing that $300 or more rates have been such a boner killer I just for the most part stopped hiring... just not worth it to me and I have gotten to the point where I don't really enjoy mining for diamonds anymore. I guess some of us are more susceptible to the psychological impact of pricing than others. It's probably for the best though, because if I saw good guys at what I thought were good rates readily available I would likely hire every weekend

 

Unfortunately I'm a sucker for... something. Not a pretty face or big muscles or anything like that - something I can't quite put my finger on but I know it when I see it. I'm a classic fool who is easily parted from his money.

[+ OliverSaks]

I will very rarely see an escort that flies into NYC for 2 days. Learned the hard way. If the escort is in town for a minimum of 5 days

 

Would you mind explaining the reasoning behind this statement, please?

[MikeyGMin]

Unfortunately I'm a sucker for... something. Not a pretty face or big muscles or anything like that - something I can't quite put my finger on but I know it when I see it. I'm a classic fool who is easily parted from his money.

 

I hear your brother! Although for me it's usually one or the other. Muscles or a pretty face. Often both. Thank goodness I don't really like to take vacations or have any other vices because I'm not giving up my regular and I can't get enough of these new boys! :rolleyes: