Are you sure you didn't just misread their argument and that they're actually saying the below?
Because it does stand to reason that people who think a lot of themselves would be less likely to offer discounts. That's literally what pride is.
In another thread on giving gifts, there are a few comments saying "Why give a gift? She'll just raise her rates?" - something to that effect. Yes in theory you could say it's price discrimination to offer some discounts and others no discount but IMO that's part of any business. Some customers buy certain volumes or agree to be your customer over other options in exchange for a discount. Not every customer gets a discount or the same terms. Standard practice in normal business so I think if it happens with SW it's simply a standard business practice.
And there in lies the challenge of the industry in a nutshell. I didn't realize it was a competition, I wasn't here to win but apparently you were and I missed it; naively assuming you simply wanted to have an intelligent, fact based discussion. I was here to try to share some perspective and insight hard earned thru my life in our brilliantly bizarre corner of the world. That there is no win or lose , there is no us or them. There is only human beings here trying to figure out how to be. How to be human, how to be happy, how to make life work. Keep seeking the unattainable understanding of our side of the coin while never, never hearing. You asked, I answered. You ignored.
But ok, O'big, brainy master philosopher of The Escort Review Board, you can most certainly claim the win if it makes you feel like you think you're suppose to feel after such dialogue...
smiles, cat
I guess you've either arrived late to the Terb party or have been around all night but in the corner on your phone. Post count means nothing, in particular mine. I get the occasional comment about it in fact. That's why I said what I said, because I was joking knowing all the stuff/history behind it. You don't have the background so that comment didn't make sense to you.
Lighten up, take a chill pill, relax. Not sure why you seem so defensive (or offended) because I am having a simple, unbiased discussion, no judgement, no anger, and there is no winning/losing or attempt to do so. You're reading way too much into things. If I am at work, playing sports, or gambling, or if it's a matter of principle, yes there will be times I like to or want to win an argument. This is not one of those times.
Maybe I am dumb, but I actually used a real dictionary, not some organization focussed on money.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary:
Definition of price discrimination
: the setting of a price differential on similar goods that is not based on differences in the cost of production
It has been agreed that the SPs have to provide different levels of effort to different clients. Hence, by a real dictionary's definition it is not discrimination. Please do not tell us that your definition outweighs that of a classic dictionary.
BTW, what are you trying to prove here anyway? It seems you just love to debate over trivialities ad nauseam and you are becoming tedious.
Do you always do a half-assed job in order to skew things in your direction? First of all, Investopedia is a well known source, not some guy sitting in a barn making shit up. Second, the Merriam Webster Dictionary has TWO definitions, yet you conveniently didn't copy down the first one. Here's both of them.
Definition of price discrimination
1: the offering of similar or identical goods at different prices to different buyers
2: the setting of a price differential on similar goods that is not based on differences in the cost of production
Either way, pretty much says the same thing and is similar to the Investopedia definition.
"Effort" can mean many things. A more energetic client takes more effort as the girl probably has to display the same level of energy. Conversely a slow, low-energy client requires little energy to be expended. But the services provided are the same in this case. OTOH, if a guy requests a specific mani/pedi, a specific outfit, and for the girl to memorize certain responses to be given on cue, that's also more effort than a standard no frills client too. But the difference is there is clearly more/different services involved so charging them more is not price discrimination.
Sempel - yes it is ironic. However they did not blacklist me - they were regulars for YEARS , then I upped my rates they seen me once/ twice paid the new rate and then started asking for discounts again. So I took the liberty of asking them since they were on a "budget" not to come back. Sorry if i was unclear. Us ladies charge what we charge for a reason. Yes most of the time our rates are for time and companionship and yes the rates can also go up depending on what services/ extras you would like.
I guess it is fair to say that BOTH parties do price discrimination because
1.) the sp will not see u unless you pay a minimum of 100$ ( perfectly reasonable standard hh rate)
2.) The client can/will not see anybody charging more than 80 a hh because he cannot afford it. Therefore causing him to negotiate / haggle rates and try the " I only have 80$ right now" line.
When clients negotiate rates and services it makes us feel like we aren't worth what we are charging but yet we are providing the service and it is our bodies so we should reserve the right to charge what we wish without anyone telling us otherwise.
So again to answer your question yes and no. It depends what your definition of price discrimination is.
Yes- because some girls charge regulars different rates then new clients
No- Because some clients ask for services that aren't normally offered which causes a rate increase.
Price discrimination is one thing as defined above. Discrimination in general is another thing and the two don't necessarily meet in every instance. Yes, an SP who's charging $1000/hour is perhaps discriminating against certain customers who cannot afford it. But I don't see this as discrimination, simply pricing strategy. Pros/cons to it and everything else. At $1000/hour, your clients are likely well-to-do, money is no object so they might easily be able to tip/gift you, etc. Does that rate invite potential clients to haggle? Perhaps. Does that rate create a certain level of expectation and entitlement? Perhaps. Does that rate potentially kill volume to the point where the lady doesn't make enough to support herself? Perhaps. Pros/cons to every decision. Even a lady who charges $100/hour, pros/cons. Probably great volume, guys might also gift/tip, less likely to haggle since it's affordable (sure there might be one-offs who are broke/cheap). Problem is SP needs to do high volume to support herself, guys may not be the nicest/cleanest, etc.
I don't see discrimination in general as being linked to pricing discrimination. Girl sets her rate, guys can decide - simple. It's when she says customer A has to pay $X and customer B has to pay $Y for the exact same thing, that's price discrimination and again, I don't see discounting as price discrimination if it's based on regular/new.
+1
surprisingly this time Jessica , I pretty much agree with everything u r saying.
Actually I would disagree because it's turning nothing into something and it's way off-base. I can't argue on the definition of "discrimination" but "price discrimination" is a term used in economics - it has nothing to do with gender/race/etc or any other type of discrimination that is being brought up to turn this into an argument about something else. If I used "game theory" to discuss some aspect of SW work, does that mean I think it's a game, it's meant to be won/lost, that it's not serious? No - I'm just using a standard term that describes a particular field of study.
At the end of the day, I was simply trying to find out if price discrimination takes place (seems the answer is yes) and if it happens in two cases
1) Does it happen when an SP sees a client can afford to pay more so she ups her rates with him specifically. This is because some members have stated in another thread that an SP will raise her rates if she's getting showered with gifts.
2) If a client is getting the same service as another client except he's loud/annoying/bad breath/BO/rough/etc. He's not asking for anything more than the next guy but for some reason he's disliked or intolerable. So the SP says she'll charge him more because he's not bad enough to be blacklisted but it doesn't seem worth it at her regular rate. Catherine has implied she does this but when she goes into detail, I'm unclear whether she is actually doing this or just charging more because the guy is making specific requests. Price discrimination would be solely the choice of the provider and not because the client has requested anything above/beyond the norm.
