To me this means a segment of members from the NCR have a firm budget booking 1h and that’s absolutely fair! A lot of members are here specifically looking for more affordable options and that’s fair too. Others get rate-shamed into not posting so just lurk. And then there’s the world outside this niche forum both on the lower end of fees and the much higher.
None of this is data though. Industry data would need a much broader representative sample and would also need nuanced stratification on services, location, experience & marketing collateral to name just a few. But I really like your suggestion. And at some point would love to be involved in industry polling.
At the moment we don’t have statistics available to us as providers, so we use other methods such as crossover business, supply & demand and net profits over expenses to decide on fees. Most SWs I know spend a lot of time considering and researching rates and do know what is right for them personally and their business so rest assured we are not just throwing darts at a board to select these!
Quite a lot of providers at the deeper end of the pool have a national or even international profile and so not necessarily pricing for just the local market. Others might be so popular, offering a look or service in demand so can do well at a higher rate and are still booked solid. And I think it bears mentioning most SWs have been slammed hard by the affordability crisis which exponentially increased costs for incalls, hotels, Ubers & airfares which had a domino effect on how we do things.
I think there will always be a bit of push-pull with rates to find the sweet spot no different from any industry. Hopefully we can remain a healthy one where both clients and providers feel well taken care of. Ultimately gents rebook with SPs at a budget they feel comfortable offering and a provider with which they had a great time so that kind of speaks for itself.
Whatever serves you best, we’re in the smile-making business and meant to have fun together which has a value well above rubies