Price points & purchased packages

I am curious about the percentages of what packages are bought.

Say
3.00 40%
5.00 25%
7.00 20%
10.00 15%

also the percentages for the interior packages as well.

Curious about how locations are doing around the country.

Thanks

Exterior only

9.00 - 56%
11.50 - 3%
13.50 - 7%
16.00 - 34%

Shawn, your list is a $5.35/car average. Which is probably the median #(middle range) for $3 base washes. I've talked to operators with a $4.70 to $7.00 ticket averages.

At my best location it's:
$10=21%,
$8=10%,
$5=30%,
$3=39%.
That's a $5.60 ticket. When I quit full serve 3 years ago, my ticket average was $18 (with 20% $5 exteriors). I felt like the prices(and delays in service delivery) were creating more "weather sensativity" in my customers. I could hear it in my lobby, "It will rain now that I got my car washed", and I could see it on marginal weather days...car counts would plummet with just a forecast of rain. So now, I am a little leary of high ticket averages...but more focused on running with less expenses.

Volume and expenses are the other two crucial ratios that are all over the board from one operator to another. The ticket average is just one of three very important ratios to consider. Doesn't matter what you gross, your facility is only worth 6 to 8 times your net or the value of the dirt, which ever is greater. Our "single use" buildings are not worth squat.

There are obvious advantages and disadvantages to washing in the south. Less construction and utility costs are two of the biggest advantages.... 60" of rain per year and less population density are the biggest disadvantages. If I had to operate with in ground heat and wash ice off of vehicles in the winter, my prices would be different.

Hey there her are mine

$12.00 --- 32%

$10.00 --- 22%

$8.00 --- 16%

$6.00 --- 30%

Our ratios have changed slightly since we increased prices on Feb 1, 2007.

Before increase..... After price increase
$3 - 37.8%............. $3 - 37%
$5 - 17.4%............. $6 - 20.6%
$7 - 19.4%............. $8 - 16.1%
$10 - 25.4%........... $10 - 26.3%

It was interesting to note that when we increased our $5 to $6 and our $7 to $8, some customers who used to opt for the $7 (which is now $8) are now saving $1 by downgrading to the $6. We determined that our ticket average would be higher if we had only increased the $5 to $6 and kept the $7 where it was. Then our $7 would still be around 20% instead of the 16% we are at now that it is $8.

Our percentages are below...

$4 - 17%
$5 - 34%
$7 - 26%
$10 - 23%

But this store is in an area where all express washes are $5. So that could have some effect on why so our $4 is our least bought wash. I have to admit, I was surprised after we opened and it played out this way.

Our percentages are a little different than your average wash

" Works Wash " - $9.00 - 100%

5 wash Book $35 - 28% of annual revenue

Monthly Club Card - 440 Since Feb. '07 - $40

I beleive in areas that get little or no winter wash weather (i.e. snow) that multiple packages with a low price, entry level wash are necessary as wash volumes are typically not as high on peak days as they up north.

However, if you have significant winter weather, then one need to streamline those packages down to 2 at most to limit choice and greatly reduce the necessity of selling which delays the wash process and reduces volume on peak and semi-peak days.

The only choice we offer customers is Rain-X for $2.00 on top of our Works Wash.

$3.00 - 89%

$7.00 - 4%

$9.00 - 3%

$11.00 - 3%

3% bought a al carte services such as sealer wax tire shine
etc.

Geesh Earl, I would lower those prices. Like 3 5 7 10

$3.00 is the base (25 cents extra weekends and Holidays.)

As far as having a $5.00 package, I have considered it but not come up with a good formulation. We offer a la carte items at 3 locations - Sealer Wax $1.00 is the biggest seller 3.5%. Depending on weather Chassis bath at $1.00 and Rust inhibitor at $2.00 is a big seller. Few Buy Polish wax at $3.00 because at a cost of $6.00 for the basic wash and Polish wax it's easy to upgrade to the $7.00 package. Which is the Basic Wash and these 4 a la carte items. At the 4th location we offer Rain X A la carte for $3.00 andf Tire Shine A al carte for $3.00 either being available as an addon to the Superwash for $2.00 more. The $11.00 package is the Superwash Rain X and Tire Shine with a 5 day clean car gaurantee.

We wash a lot of taxis, some days may be 20-30% . They seldom buy anything other than the basic wash but wash frequently.

Just a thought and no ala cart

11 freevac carwash TFP Tire Shine underbody rain x
9 freevac carwash TFP Tire Shine underbody (cheap wax)
7 freevac carwash TFP Tire Shine underbody
5 freevac carwash TFP
3 freevac carwash

TFP triple foam protectant
Of course everyone gets dryed

Something to ponder over I guess.

That should really bump the bottom end.

Earl, how long have you been charging extra on weekends and holidays? That's the way it should be but the few I've talked to that tried it got beat up by the customers.
thx, Jimmy

>>>Earl, how long have you been charging extra on weekends and holidays? That's the way it should be but the few I've talked to that tried it got beat up by the customers<<<

We have been extra on weekends at least 30 years, since the Full serve days when we "Justified it" to pay the weekend overtime rates.

Fiberton,

FWIW I do not believe in the free vac concept and it would be difficult at my locations since to have unrestricted free vacs would create traffic we could not handle. The alternative would be to give a vac Token to wash customers which is another step I do not care to institute. The area I am in does not have competition offering a fee Vac at a $3.00 price point. Some may have it at a $5.00 price point if you buy a wash.

As far as other options go, basicaly my 4 places are all on the same program except only one has Rain X and Tire shine at this time. If I instituted the packages you suggest I would have a different plan at one location only instead of Keeping the same plan and offering the 2 add ons.

Since you include the Vac as part of the packages I guess for a number analysis I would have to include my vac sales as part of the sales analysis which I did not do. I really do not analyze this as a % of cars washed anyway. But it would certainly bump up the average ticket if I did.

If you wanted to go this route as a new program I think how you initialy structure it would be important. Say $-.75 during the week so it is rounded up the the whole number for the extra charge. That way people often are not reaching for extra $ just getting a little less change back.

If you wanted to go this route as a new program I think how you initialy structure it would be important. Say $-.75 during the week so it is rounded up the the whole number for the extra charge. That way people often are not reaching for extra $ just getting a little less change back.

If you wanted to go this route as a new program I think how you initialy structure it would be important. Say $-.75 during the week so it is rounded up the the whole number for the extra charge. That way people often are not reaching for extra $ just getting a little less change back.