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Pay what you want (or PWYW) for services. Would it work?

Pay what you want (or PWYW) is a pricing strategy where buyers pay their desired amount for a given commodity, sometimes including zero...
I have been reading about restaurants and other businesses using this strategy. Some are really successful and others lose loads of profit in the first few months of opening. What do you think would happen if some of the service providers did this strategy?
I sometimes do it accidentally when it is a regular and they have had added extra time or tried something new. I let them pay what they think it was worth.
 

sybian

Well-known member
Dec 23, 2014
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Kamloops B.C.
Almost everything has a set value, other than Art, or lottery tickets.
It is in human nature to ask the most you can for a service or product when selling, but pay the least you can when buying.
If SP used this strategy......they may very well find themselves feeling not so good about themselves after a few months.
The industry has a way of self-regulating......if the bookings aren't happening an adjustment may have to be made....or services may have to be altered in some fashion.
If the client is allowed to regulate the price for end service, there will some generous clients.....but the not so generous ones will be the ones that will be etched in their memory, as we seem to remember as human beings, the negative aspects of a transaction....if there is any.
The buyer ....always seems to point out how good of a deal he or she got, in that same transaction.
I know in my case, I get paid by the pounds of beef I produce....and there's always some profit lost to shrinkage.
I make an appointment with a lady, and pay her asking price......if there is extras because of the heat of the moment....and there is half the time....she can choose to charge me or not.....and I can choose to pay her or not. If she asks, I always do, but they don't always ask.
Everybody looses a little beef to shrinkage.
 

girth-brooks

Active member
Dec 12, 2012
1,963
8
38
British Columbia
Call me old fashioned, but the current old fashioned way is the way to go. Set rate, set time. Girls already get people negotiating and wanting extras that they may not offer. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
 

Reference3A

Member
Mar 12, 2016
83
0
6
Almost everything has a set value, other than Art, or lottery tickets.
It is in human nature to ask the most you can for a service or product when selling, but pay the least you can when buying.
If SP used this strategy......they may very well find themselves feeling not so good about themselves after a few months.
The industry has a way of self-regulating......if the bookings aren't happening an adjustment may have to be made....or services may have to be altered in some fashion.
If the client is allowed to regulate the price for end service, there will some generous clients.....but the not so generous ones will be the ones that will be etched in their memory, as we seem to remember as human beings, the negative aspects of a transaction....if there is any.
The buyer ....always seems to point out how good of a deal he or she got, in that same transaction.
I know in my case, I get paid by the pounds of beef I produce....and there's always some profit lost to shrinkage.
I make an appointment with a lady, and pay her asking price......if there is extras because of the heat of the moment....and there is half the time....she can choose to charge me or not.....and I can choose to pay her or not. If she asks, I always do, but they don't always ask.
Everybody looses a little beef to shrinkage.

Pretty much.
Guys are often cheap
and will take advantage
by underpaying if it's a
pay structure as the OP
suggested.
ie. Seen guys say a girl
is worth 260 but not 300.
We're talking difference of
40. If that isn't cheap I
honestly don't what is.
 

Avery

Gentleman Horndog
Jul 7, 2003
4,816
14
38
Winnipeg
A local Winnipeg lady, who is still active, used to tell clients after a session to pay her what they thought it was worth. I saw her once, over five years ago, and the session was lacklustre. I still paid her around the going market rate at that time, because I didn't want to look cheap. However, I definitely felt I overpaid for the level of service I received, and I've never repeated.

Interestingly, she now has fixed rates, and, IMO, she is way overpriced.
 

nickcan

Active member
Nov 6, 2011
707
56
28
Pretty much.
Guys are often cheap
and will take advantage
by underpaying if it's a
pay structure as the OP
suggested.
ie. Seen guys say a girl
is worth 260 but not 300.
We're talking difference of
40. If that isn't cheap I
honestly don't what is.
Almost everybody is cheap, gas drops a nickel a litre, watch the lineups for people filling up.
 

steverino

Well-known member
Feb 15, 2004
1,563
1,030
113
Interesting thread Nicole. I have studied some services that tried such an approach generally in a more limited way (e,g,, restaurants doing it on Monday's). The challenge is one of selection bias. Many of the people who are enticed by the offer may be those who would take advantage.
 

badbadboy

Well-known member
Nov 2, 2006
9,576
277
83
In Lust Mostly
I was watching Anthony Bourdain in Tuscany the other night.

At a steakhouse, the waiter brought a huge steak on the bone to show the diner. They negotiated a price and then the restaurant flame broiled it for the customer. An Italian friend of mine said it's common to negotiate after the meal while this steakhouse negotiates up front.

Can you imagine how these scenarios would play out with an SP? Unlikely IMHO
 

Damaged

New member
May 2, 2005
440
1
0
Pretty much.
Guys are often cheap
and will take advantage
by underpaying if it's a
pay structure as the OP
suggested.
ie. Seen guys say a girl
is worth 260 but not 300.
We're talking difference of
40. If that isn't cheap I
honestly don't what is.
I really don' t think $260-$300 per hour can be called cheap. You're insinuating that being unwilling to pay $40 more per hour for a SP is being cheap but the line has to be drawn somewhere. Maybe they thought her service was marginal at $260.
 

westwoody

Well-known member
Jun 10, 2004
6,457
4,040
113
Westwood
Sociobiology has a concept called "the tragedy of the Commons"...there are always those who take advantage of anything like this.

Someone else already posted that this would attract leeches.
 
Interesting comments. I think you guys are right in stating lots will probably try to get away paying low amounts. I just did this again with a regular and I was totally fine with what I was given so yea I think regulars will be respectful and give at least a reasonable amount.
My risk taking side of me wants to totally see what would happen if I did it with the general public, but common sense tells me not to lol. Common sense is currently winning the debate :p Watch this space tho...
 

felixthecat

Well-known member
Aug 28, 2011
1,581
34
48
I just did this again with a regular and I was totally fine with what I was given so yea I think regulars will be respectful and give at least a reasonable amount.
It wasn't a clean experiment and not reflective of the general public. What you do with regulars is different. I suppose this is one way for them to feel appreciated, which is the feeling everybody likes. It may work better for things that don't have a standard rate as you mentioned (extending dates, travel etc.)

Other than attracting wrong people, lack of clear pricing can be a turn off for normal clients. I personally don't even contact SPs who don't publish their rates; that looks to me as unnecessary waste of time. Also recognizing that the same SP could choose to charge a different amount - say 250/hr or 350/hr - and both could be "right" depending on her availability, preference on paid time vs marketing, having a rainy day fund, etc. She might make more or less money with the higher rate. I could pay the higher rate if it's consistent, but wouldn't do that if her rate is known to fluctuate back and forth quickly. It may indicate she's as high volume as her low rate suggests, or less organized, or having problems that require money urgently. There is some "don't want to pay more than the other guy" thinking as well.

You could get flak from other providers too, for breaking "paying for her time" principle and implicitly encouraging negotiating. They are so upset by hagglers that tend to ignore the situations where client's input and compromise could be useful.
 

Jethro Bodine

Well-known member
Feb 17, 2009
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Beverly Hills. In the Kitchen eatin' vittles.
Someone else already posted that this would attract leeches.
I've heard of this in different industries and for some it works out and for some not.
One would have to look at their unique situation and determine, based on market norms and averages, if it would be good for them or not.

I think in this biz a concept like this would work for some and be a detriment to others. It all depends on the individual SP.
As Avery said, a lot of guys would pay what they normally pay an SP so a low level provider could find herself making more money.
The upper level ladies would find themselves seeing clients that normally wouldn't even call and likely the "leeches" would significantly lower their average monthly income.

Lets say a guy here in Wpg is used to paying $150/hh. If he goes to see a lady who would usually charge $100 or $120 then it works out for her. If it is a lady who charges $200/hh then she loses out.
 

huggzy

Banned
May 30, 2010
616
2
0
I think its an interesting concept.

I'm not sure in this industry its a good idea to offer pwyw in setting up the appointment though just because there will be guys that abuse it, and because escort services are inherently expensive compared to most other services out there I'm not sure you're often going to end out "up" compared to just charging your normal rate unless you are a provider who typically would be fine with getting a less expensive rate in general, because maybe then you'll get guys who will pay you a higher rate (when they get good service from you) because in general they might typically spend more as a rule.

I think an SP would be far more prudent to offer a mix as opposed to a straight pwyw model if they choose to experiment like this. Put in your advertising a base rate - which is cheap comparatively - and explain to prospective clients that they can tip what they want, but that your expectations are that they are to tip "generously" if they feel they are getting extraordinary service. Most guys (not all mind you!) don't want to be perceived as cheap, especially if they get outstanding service and would like to come back and see that lady again. I know there are times when I've booked with a lady and her rates were actually quite inexpensive compared to most, and then they absolutely blew my mind!! I couldn't empty my pockets quick enough with a hefty tip, and a few times wished I had more on me because what I had truly wasn't paying value for the effort provided.

One time I had booked a 1 hour appointment with a new lady and I swear to you that she wouldn't let me leave - we had an incredible time. Hours later I finally had to stumble out because it was 7am and we both had to go to our day jobs. I had no expectation coming in than to go the hour and pay the hour plus a standard tip. She never asked for a penny more, however fortunately for her I had a couple more hundreds in my pocket and emptied them out - which certainly wasn't value for dollar. However she was telling me "what are you doing - you know you don't need to do that?" But I felt like I had to because even then it really wasn't enough from a professional standpoint, although I know she probably enjoyed herself as much as I did which is why she played with me for so long. So it was a win-win I think, and if I had just come to that appointment after a big win at the casino she might have gotten a $1000 from me too.

So maybe in a sense you could provide a pwyw model when you book an appointment with a client, and you haven't got anything booked after the appointment, and then if you're enjoying yourself with the client just rock his world and freely extend the session without asking for more $$ to do it and don't have any expectations for it. And what's going to happen is that some guys might not have any extra cash so it might not benefit financially then, but there will be other guys that will empty their wallets (especially because in a sense they think you like them - and its way easier to empty the wallet then!!) But only do that with guys you enjoy so that its never a lose-win situation...hopefully you can just enjoy the extra companionship yourself in the times you're not getting the extra tip.
 

huggzy

Banned
May 30, 2010
616
2
0
Interesting comments. I think you guys are right in stating lots will probably try to get away paying low amounts. I just did this again with a regular and I was totally fine with what I was given so yea I think regulars will be respectful and give at least a reasonable amount.
My risk taking side of me wants to totally see what would happen if I did it with the general public, but common sense tells me not to lol. Common sense is currently winning the debate :p Watch this space tho...
Here's one other thought that you might appreciate Nicole.

I see escorts quite regularly myself. Of course this is not an inexpensive hobby so while I do see ladies quite often (maybe 3-4 times a month) I certainly don't have the budget to go each and every single time I have a hard on! lol! But with that large expenditure I do find that I see different ladies because if I'm spending in the thousands I suppose I'm going to want some variety as well.

However I suppose if a girl that I was happy to seeing had offered a pwyw to me knowing that I might not pay her a full session rate, but rather what $$ I have available to me at that time, I would change my spending habits for sure. If I could get more sessions in a month by seeing her relatively exclusively my lifestyle satisfaction will increase somewhat dramatically too. She might not get the same hourly rate from me and it might require more of her time - but she's probably going to get all my money (and maybe get me to spend more even) because now every time I've got the need I'm just going straight to her instead of checking out ads and maybe not checking the bank account.
 

Lady Companion

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Sep 21, 2004
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www.ClassyAngel.com
I don't think it is a good idea in this industry, unless you set a minimum that you would be willing to accept. If you simply advertised that openly, you are going to end up with a lot of guys who will book you specifically to take advantage of the situation.

Regulars are a different story. They wouldn't be regulars if they didn't see the value in what you offered. Nor would they be regulars if they were the sort of person you felt would take advantage of you.

Much like you, I have offered my friends "pay what you feel" when I didn't have a rate structure in place for what transpired, or when it was a strictly social outing which I really wanted to do. Interestingly, all but one gentleman paid me substantially MORE than multiplying my full hourly rate by the number of hours we were together. I think they were worried about offending me or coming across as cheap, so they massively overshot any reasonable price for our time together.

I think agreeing to a price takes the stress away from both parties.
 
You all make really awesome points. I totally don't want hagglers bugging my phone, SPs getting annoyed, guys feeling ripped off, or just having it all confusing and unclear... but I got interested in what will happen, so I'm doing it one time only for Christmas.

It's all in good spirits so will just keep it anonymous by using envelopes and open them in the evening.
Happy Holidays
 

resercher

Member
Apr 30, 2006
388
11
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Pay what you want (or PWYW) is a pricing strategy where buyers pay their desired amount for a given commodity, sometimes including zero...
I have been reading about restaurants and other businesses using this strategy. Some are really successful and others lose loads of profit in the first few months of opening. What do you think would happen if some of the service providers did this strategy?
I sometimes do it accidentally when it is a regular and they have had added extra time or tried something new. I let them pay what they think it was worth.

made me think of this

http://home.assets.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2017/11/06
 
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