Cooked Crack Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 Quote Alex Yenni recently endeavored to take his wife and 5-year-old son bowling with another family in Petaluma, Calif., close to their home. The plan quickly went into the gutter. Mr. Yenni, a 42-year-old advertising executive, tried to book online in advance at AMF Boulevard Lanes, where he wanted to reserve two lanes for two hours at 3 p.m. on the last Thursday of the year during winter break. The price quoted by the website, run by national operator Bowlero Corp. , knocked him over: $418.90. “This strikes me as outrageous for a pedestrian family activity,” he said. Mr. Yenni emailed Bowlero, and received a response saying due to the convenience of advance booking, “the pricing for a reservation is different than our walk-in rates or any current advertised specials.” Mr. Yenni’s quoted price was more than double the price the chain’s website calculated for 3 p.m. on a Thursday afternoon in February, $208.77. The company’s CFO said pricing based on day and time helps match pricing to demand, “simultaneously maximizing guest happiness through reasonable wait times and maximizing profitability by scaling price when the willingness to pay is there.” Quote Using algorithms and data, dynamic-pricing software allows businesses to continuously adjust prices in response to demand, competition, the weather, the time of day—and even the type of device or location shoppers are browsing from. Defenders say it helps businesses fill excess capacity, reallocate demand and maximize revenue by charging more to the people willing to pay. It also has some benefits for consumers, such as cheaper tickets during times of low demand. Yet some customers resent paying more for experiences they perceive as neither particularly time-sensitive, nor in short supply. Melissa Harans Levenson, a 30-year-old graphic designer in Philadelphia, joined the exercise-class subscription service ClassPass aiming to structure a consistent workout schedule. Figuring out the dynamic pricing proved a harder lift than the dumbbells. An organized budgeter, she said she disliked how the prices “kept changing all the time.” She quit the platform. “Working out is hard enough, you don’t need to do a math problem to figure out if you can afford it,” she said. Quote Golf courses also are teeing up the practice. “Dynamic pricing puts YOU in total control,” says the website for the Saddleback Golf Club in Firestone, Colo., while noting the dynamic pricing rates “are constantly updating based on factors such as: the day of the week, the time of the day, Colorado weather, and most importantly golfer demand (or lack thereof) for specific tee times.” It can be enough to make some golfers want to pitch their clubs. Reed Kremer, a 36-year-old corporate recruiter and passionate golfer, understands paying a premium at a high-end course, but is less forgiving when it’s a city course most people would think should be a bargain. He has seen courses offer tee times for $49 on a weekday afternoon in winter and drive them up to $75 in summer. https://www.wsj.com/articles/surge-pricing-creeps-into-restaurants-movies-gym-class-bowling-e9c4a395?page=1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bearrock Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 Man, look at all this money I'm saving by playing video games instead of going outside! 7 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 How to kill interest in an antiquated pastime in one easy step. There is no bowling experience in the world worth 400 bucks, let alone the 200 bucks they calculated as 'regular price' for two lanes. Ridiculous. ~Bang 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fergasun Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 I wouldn't call Bowlero a "scam" as it's the upscalest bowling alley. But the prices are ridiculous. Even $200 for 2 hours is ridiculous. They are pricing like they are competing with Dave & Busters and Top Golf and going into the "hot young" locations. Your local bowling alley will be a fraction of the price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Wiggles Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 Using analytics to price gouge. What a wondrous time to be alive. 🤣 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tshile Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 I don’t have a problem with it. As long as it’s true surge pricing where if you’re willing to pay it, you get to use it without the long wait (or whatever the equivalent is) if you’re still waiting and paying significantly more than… that sucks. but it only works if people are willing to pay it. It’s like the express lanes. Yeah it costs a little but if you’re willing to pay for it then there’s a benefit. Cut my drive time down to dc from 50 to 35 minutes. 🤷♂️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PokerPacker Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 45 minutes ago, tshile said: It’s like the express lanes. Yeah it costs a little but if you’re willing to pay for it then there’s a benefit. Cut my drive time down to dc from 50 to 35 minutes. 🤷♂️ Express lanes are garbage meant to make poor people wallow in traffic while the rich get open roads. **** express lanes. Even worse when you've got them merge back in to the regular lanes and the merge causes a huge backup for miles and miles in the regular lanes. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaceman Spiff Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 2 hours ago, Bang said: There is no bowling experience in the world worth 400 bucks Oh I bet I could come up with a bowling experience worth 400 bucks. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 Sticking your fingers in alley holes... eeww. ~Bliggity 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistertim Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 Yeah there might be some bowling experiences worth $400 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Destino Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 3 hours ago, bearrock said: Man, look at all this money I'm saving by playing video games instead of going outside! the price per hour of entertainment of a video game system and games is unrivaled. It’s a bit insane how cheap they are. I’ve put a hundred hours or more into some games that cost me (including expansions) about 100 bucks. As for the topic, I hate bowling. I don’t enjoy paying for the privilege of wearing community clown shoes or having my drinking interrupted by actually having to bowl. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BleedBNG Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinsmarydu Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 3 hours ago, Fergasun said: I wouldn't call Bowlero a "scam" as it's the upscalest bowling alley. But the prices are ridiculous. Even $200 for 2 hours is ridiculous. They are pricing like they are competing with Dave & Busters and Top Golf and going into the "hot young" locations. Your local bowling alley will be a fraction of the price. My grandson's birthday party at Dave & Busters cost less. Chuck E Cheese cost less than D&B. And we had assloads of people involved. 2 hours ago, PokerPacker said: Express lanes are garbage meant to make poor people wallow in traffic while the rich get open roads. **** express lanes. Even worse when you've got them merge back in to the regular lanes and the merge causes a huge backup for miles and miles in the regular lanes. You sound like you've been in ATL!! Our rocket surgeons from GT even have us merging from one highway to the next on the left side. No one knows how to merge and no one knows how to let it happen. Don't get me started on the middle LEFT TURN LANE...IT'S NOT A "MERGE" LANE. And I don't let 'em. I'm a real b-word if you're doing something stupid...like someone who could've made a left at the light and then turned right into where they're going, instead of spending half an hour trying to let 2 lanes of traffic let you make a left after the light. People are stupid. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Wiggles Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 It's a shame candlepin bowling never really made its way out of New England and Eastern Canada. 😒 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinsmarydu Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 Don't laugh, @Captain Wiggles, you know I'm right. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Wiggles Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 29 minutes ago, skinsmarydu said: Don't laugh, @Captain Wiggles, you know I'm right. I'm the same way. For example. If someone cuts me off only to then make a turn right in front of me I'm all "you idiot you knew you were turning there why even pass me". 🤣 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PleaseBlitz Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 Businesses can charge what they want, but most businesses rely on “regulars” and this is pretty much guaranteed to eliminate those. 1 hour ago, mistertim said: Yeah there might be some bowling experiences worth $400 Link? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistertim Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 7 minutes ago, PleaseBlitz said: Businesses can charge what they want, but most businesses rely on “regulars” and this is pretty much guaranteed to eliminate those. Link? The only link is my brain. I randomly thought about what might make bowling worth that much money and quickly came up with the inclusion of scantily clad women, then did a google search and rule 34 came to my rescue. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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