Price Leaders

[pcalc]

Well, as an avid reader of merb and seeing that it has quite the following what I am most surprised at is that there hasn't been a price war. As an occational hobbyist over the years I'm sure you all have noticed the pricing increase compared to the good ole days of Montreal. I propose to the top dogs like Marc @ elegance, Chris @ Devilish, Mike @ Classx etc, Celine's etc. that you all should try to be like the grocery stores. Have a loss leader to give us die hards an opportunity to try your creme de la creme.

My thought!

 

[madmax-1]

Montreal is still inexpensive by Toronto standards

I understand your point with this post, but Montreal is still a much cheaper hobbying venue than Toronto, where prices tend on average to be more than 20 - 30% higher than Montreal. In Toronto the average GFE agency charges $220-250, while in Montreal the average is $160-180. In addition, Toronto's independents are now trying to raise the price ceiling, with some well-known indies seeking to charge in the $300 - 400 range. I think we should count our blessings here in Montreal, because the prices are a bargain compared to anywhere else in North America. And don't even get me going on the US scene!!

 

[pcalc]

Toronto Prices

Well, as a resident of Toronto I can see your point although we do have quite a few independants that are very reasonable. My point still stands that we see these agencies offering a "special" once in a while but on the most part the prices in Montreal have gone through the roof. It used to be the haven for the average Joe to expand his love and lust of beautiful woman at a reasonable rate. We need to see the same as gas wars on ladies.

 

[wilko26]

I don't think we can expect such war... Sometime Eleganza and others agency do some specials here.. I think its a 2 hour special but don't expect much.... if you want pay cheap you should buy a copy of 'Journal de Montreal' and try thoses 90-100$/hour agency... but you pay for what you get in 90% of time.

Wilko

 

[naughtylady]

When I first started SPing just 2 1/2 years ago my initial rates were less. Then I realised that what I was including in my rates, other SPs were charging extra for. Hating to ask for more, I just raised my rates...

Many of you gents expect more than ever before to be included, (even I have noticed this in the short time I have been SPing) and you all seem to dislike the idea of extras, so this should be of no surprise to you...


Ronnie,
Naughtylady

 

[General Gonad]

The General's take on prices...

Btyger, Kaempferrand and all Americans,

You'd better save up because the way your President is spending money like a drunken sailor, I see us going to parity on the USD/CAD exchange rate. Don't fret too much, however, the Fed has been raising rates trying to bolster the greenback.

Now, as far as prices are concerned, the market is what the market is. If there is plenty of demand to support the increase, then prices will go up. The fact is that the local economy has strengthened considerably in the last five years. Should we be compared to Toronto? Of course not, that is stupid since they have higher wages and less taxes (and commensurately higher cost of living for housing).

Too many of you bitch about price increases. Do your research, there are still deals or even steals out there. Finally, put yourself in an SP's shoes: $180 to have sex with some John she doesn't know is pretty cheap to me. I tell all the independents I meet to charge $400-$500 for a minimum two hour appointment. Why? because that is frankly what I would do.

Some have suggested that there is price collusion among agencies. Bullshit!This is still a very competitive market. But if I was running an agency, I would give a little discount to two hour encounters.

Bottom line: stop whining about price increases! You sound like cheap bastards who are too tight with their wallets. Cheap guys make bad lovers so loosen your purse strings and stop fussing over getting the next great deal!

GG
(The market is the master and we are the slaves - deal with it)

 

[General Gonad]

CAD rally against EUR and GBP at risk

At the present moment I am really directly not concerned about the the USD/CAD situation since I am presently being paid by GBP where I get 2.02 CAD.

According to this recent Royal Bank report, the CAD is at risk relative to the EUR and GBP:

http://www.rbccm.com/cm/file/0,,72152,00.pdf

So your purchasing power should get better in the near future!

GG

 

[General Gonad]

The next time you think SPs are expensive...

...think of Vanya. Here is a review from JanesGuide:

Mini Review - Vanya bills herself as a "Very Exclusive Escort" and traveling companion. She has quite a lot of info about her extensive education, political beliefs and likes/dislikes. She also has 5 small photos, 2 small .mov files of her dancing, and an audio clip of her singing. She is quite possibly the most expensive escort I've come across in a review. To even correspond with her about a booking you must purchase a site subscription for $3,090. No, that's not a misplaced comma. For that money (accepted via PayPal) you get 6 months within which you can receive "detailed photos" and exchange email. If you book a date (minimum 2 days at $10,500 per day, so $21,000) you get that initial money taken off the booking fee. Kindly, she offers the "shy" or uncertain an "ice breaker lunch" anywhere on the West Coast for a mere $5,000. I suppose at these rates she is able to contribute heartily to her many pro-environmental causes.
Cost: Date Reviewed: 06/14/2004 Advertising Content: None
Categories Female Escort - Independent

Her website:

http://www.vanya.net/

Now I wonder if she is GFE or PSE?

 

[Doc Holliday]

I frequently tip, though I've been discouraged from doing so on this very board. I agree that $150-$200 is precious little to charge a total stranger for sex.

I've tipped in the past if i felt it merited it. I've also purchased small gifts as tokens of appreciation. To be honest, the ones who've tried to discourage me from tipping were the ladies themselves! The last few times this happened, i practically had to plead with them to accept the extra $ i snuck into the enveloppe.

I don't agree with the last comment quoted. Up to $200 is plenty for sex. Imagine if the tables would be turned and we could get paid that amount in return? I'd feel i died and went to heaven!

Back to tipping....i think it's up to the individual. However, i'm totally against sps suggesting a tip. Recently, a friend of mine wasn't sure about an independent's rates and asked her how much the 2 hr date would cost him. She told him her rate (which i find a tad too high) and added that she usually gets a tip along with the donation. I told him after that this was nuts! She had just arrived in his room and expected to be tipped?? Oh well...some people make this hobby more expensive than it should be for them.

 

[General Gonad]

My 'bitching' if that's what it was, was directed at the exchange rate, not at escort rates. If you look at my posts, I've never once complained about rates.

btyger,

I was not directing my comments to you or anyone in particular on this thread. It's just a pet peeve of mine to see people complain about rates. I mean does anyone go to a Ferrari dealer complaining about the price of their cars? If you think a car is an expensive lemon, then you will not buy it. But these are not cars, these are women providing services.

You have a right to review them and share your thoughts after seeing them. But it's outrageous and classless to harp on an SP's rates because you find it expensive. It is her right to charge what she wants just like it is your right not to see them.

>>Doc, I agree with you on the tips. I have been very generous on occasions and sometimes I forced myself to tip. On other occasions, I should have tipped more even if the lady insisted not to. Nonetheless, I would be annoyed if I paid $500 for two hours and she told me "You know that doesn't include tips!" I would reply: "You know if you didn't remind me, I might have given you a lot more!"

I am not a chump and don't like to be treated as such.

GG

 

[MakeIt]

Doc, I disagree. Picture yourself as a male escort. You're a twenty-two year old stud and your clients are....yuk. Often twice your age or more, sometimes severely overweight. Maybe they have ugly faces. They're creepy, dirty old women. Maybe they're rich and full of themselves. They have nasty, hairy 'Y's and breasts that sag to their navel. Still excited about getting paid to screw them?
Sure, you might meet some you like, but they'll be few and far between.

I've had escorts tell me stories about clients they found repulsive. Either smelly or overweight, or obnoxious, or...you get the idea. Later, an escort I like said with a look of concern, "Now you're going to think I don't like being with you. I do."
I believe she does of course; so long as she's being paid.
Funny thing is, some guys seem to think they're God gift to women...as Oliver has pointed out, the escort often feels quite differently.

This thread takes an interesting twist. While SPing is not like all jobs, it is work. I think for everyone, work is work. Some people really enjoy their work but still expect to be paid for it - even more when they're having fun. For others, it sucks but they need the paycheck. Some SPs like SWs probably get a lot of the less desirable clients. Plus it sucks standing on a corner freezing your butt trying not to get arrested or beatn by your pimp, or having to blow some guy in alley in the winter and only get paid 30$. HDH independents probably get better clients in much better circumstances and make lots more money - 600$ for a couple of hours in a room at the Intercontinental. However, for both extremes, its still a job. In many jobs (such as mine), work involves a certain amount of socilaizing, but its still work. An SP may like a client, even socialize with them (like at a MERB party) but in reality its still work for them.

Like all jobs, SPing can have its bad moments (fat, stinky, ugly, obnoxious guy) and its good moments (nice guy who respects and treats SP well)

I've never hobbied in TO or the US but I've looked at the prices and its pretty crazy. We are still well off here. And if you still think its too expensive, take a walk on St. Hubert, you'll likely find someone (or thing) in your price range.

MakeIt

 

[Just-ass-weet]

In some ways - an SPs rate dictates the kind of client she wants to attract. That doesn't mean that all gents willing to pay higher rates are better or even nicer, it is just less likely that she will attract the kind of guys that make this business hard. In the US - I raised my rates to be just above the average, just like I do here, because the lower rates I was charging attracted less suitable company for myself.

Is this work? Yes and no... for me, the work part is the screening, the website, the pics (well, not anymore), emails, phone calls, socializing, networking, etc... Meeting is not work at all, because by the time I meet with someone, I already am familliar with them, I already know them somewhat and am able to fully relax and enjoy.

Consider that for every 1st time booking, I have probably "worked" at least 2 days on everything from communicating with him, with his references, researching his handle, his email, his telephone number (in a dangerous client database - and keep in mind this is a US thing), and finally, meeting for coffee to establish whether or not we will meet in private. Moreover, sometimes this "work" bears no fruit - there are alot of guys who are time-wasters.

xoxox
Anik

 

[General Gonad]

Consider that for every 1st time booking, I have probably "worked" at least 2 days on everything from communicating with him, with his references, researching his handle, his email, his telephone number (in a dangerous client database - and keep in mind this is a US thing), and finally, meeting for coffee to establish whether or not we will meet in private. Moreover, sometimes this "work" bears no fruit - there are alot of guys who are time-wasters.

xoxox
Anik

Anik raises some important points, especially for indies who book their own clients. There is a tremendous amount of time that goes into screening and communicating with clients. Now, Anik really screens thoroughly, preferring to meet clients prior to the romp. So her rates and those of other indies reflect this as well.

GG

 

[MakeIt]

In some ways - an SPs rate dictates the kind of client she wants to attract. That doesn't mean that all gents willing to pay higher rates are better or even nicer, it is just less likely that she will attract the kind of guys that make this business hard. In the US - I raised my rates to be just above the average, just like I do here, because the lower rates I was charging attracted less suitable company for myself.

Quite right for yourself. For others who do not have your sense of business (this is a business after all), they charge what they feel they can get, not what or who they want. But then they don't do the work you do to cultivate your clientele. This is Economics 101.

Is this work? Yes and no... for me, the work part is the screening, the website, the pics (well, not anymore), emails, phone calls, socializing, networking, etc... Meeting is not work at all, because by the time I meet with someone, I already am familliar with them, I already know them somewhat and am able to fully relax and enjoy.

I sometimes feel my work is not really work, like travelling to nice cities, staying in nice hotels and going for supper in nice restaurants on the company's expense to meet clients to develop, close or continue business. Some events I go to involve entertainment and various fun activities where I meet up with lots of business acquantinces and mostly socialize. Of course this socializing has purpose. And though it doesn't feel like work, its still work that I happen to enjoy. I think the same ultimately applies for an SP who may be enjoying themselves with a client - when all is said and done, its still work. I'm not sayin work is negative, I happen to enjoy mine, but when I'm not working, I do other things completely unrelated to my work.

Consider that for every 1st time booking, I have probably "worked" at least 2 days on everything from communicating with him, with his references, researching his handle, his email, his telephone number (in a dangerous client database - and keep in mind this is a US thing), and finally, meeting for coffee to establish whether or not we will meet in private. Moreover, sometimes this "work" bears no fruit - there are alot of guys who are time-wasters.

xoxox
Anik

Well, SPing is a business like any other. You're going to waste a lot of time finding out that someone is not going to be your customer. In a highly competitive field like yours, its tougher. But then again, you're more selective, which I'm sure is the smarter way to go in your business.

I have a feeling that if I met you, it wouldn't feel at all like business.

MakeIt

 

[wilko26]

Well, as an avid reader of merb and seeing that it has quite the following what I am most surprised at is that there hasn`t been a price war. As an occational hobbyist over the years I`m sure you all have noticed the pricing increase compared to the good ole days of Montreal. I propose to the top dogs like Marc @ elegance, Chris @ Devilish, Mike @ Classx etc, Celine`s etc. that you all should try to be like the grocery stores. Have a loss leader to give us die hards an opportunity to try your creme de la creme.

My thought!

https://merb.cc/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=15751

Here`s your special! LOL But I dont think 20$ make a big difference for people over here.... when you can afford a SP usually its not cause your budget is at 20-40$ to be into negative... But I`m sure some agency owner here have some funny story such some clients paying with 25 cents rolls or such things