Site Lock Guarantee

[bpaikman]

This reminds me of the discussion of people buying a new coach and not wanting to pay the $90'ish or whatever it is for windshield protection...

What?? Windshield protection?

 

[Jim]

I think we’re all so tired of being taken advantage of that this sort of thing sits poorly. Everywhere we go, someone is trying to get in our pocket. Banks are some of the worst. Put money in their bank and watch them find ways to charge you for the privilege.

An hour ago, Trish brought in our credit card statement, and she had highlighted some of the recurring debits that she couldn’t identify. As I’m the one who has the majority of recurring debits, i.e. Spotify, Go Daddy, Google, etc., I naturally became the primary suspect. Long story short, it turned out to be a company called “Catalog Favorites”, and for $14.95 you can join their club, which gives you free shipping on the product you are buying today. It’s vaguely worded, and difficult to understand, but when you check the box, you are agreeing to a “monthly” debit of $14.95. And that’s what she did, way back in November of 2018. So, for the last 3 years, Catalog Favorites (under an ambiguous identifier) has been debiting $14.95 from our account.

And while the idea behind “site guarantee” and “join our club” are dissimilar, they both tend to cultivate distrust and make us a bit more skeptical to the motivation behind the creation of said services.

 

[bpaikman]

I think we’re all so tired of being taken advantage of that this sort of thing sits poorly. Everywhere we go, someone is trying to get in our pocket. Banks are some of the worst. Put money in their bank and watch them find ways to charge you for the privilege.

An hour ago, Trish brought in our credit card statement, and she had highlighted some of the recurring debits that she couldn’t identify. As I’m the one who has the majority of recurring debits, i.e. Spotify, Go Daddy, Google, etc., I naturally became the primary suspect. Long story short, it turned out to be a company called “Catalog Favorites”, and for $14.95 you can join their club, which gives you free shipping on the product you are buying today. It’s vaguely worded, and difficult to understand, but when you check the box, you are agreeing to a “monthly” debit of $14.95. And that’s what she did, way back in November of 2018. So, for the last 3 years, Catalog Favorites (under an ambiguous identifier) has been debiting $14.95 from our account.

And while the idea behind “site guarantee” and “join our club” are dissimilar, they both tend to cultivate distrust and make us a bit more skeptical to the motivation behind the creation of said services.

That happened to me once with Serengeti catalog. Infuriating.

 

[Jay58]

As a member of several RV Park Forums dedicated to sharing information between campground owners, one of the ways RV Parks are generating additional income, is to sell the visitor a "Site Lock Guarantee". For a minimal fee, say $10-$30, they guarantee your site (or one with similar attributes) will be available when you arrive.

I understand there are different models that RV parks operate under, and I suppose that in some rare models there "may" be justification for buying insurance. But IMO, and in most of the cases I'm seeing, it's simply a way of generating additional income without actually providing a tangible service. If I were booking a site and was told that the only way to guarantee my site would be available when I arrived was to buy insurance, then I would go somewhere else.

I'm interested in others opinions on the matter.

I agree. Why should I pay to assure they will do their job. ( won't happen)

 

[bpaikman]

I agree. Why should I pay to assure they will do their job. ( won't happen)

well their reasoning is say they have 100 sites available but as in most parks, some might be more desirable to some people... so they sell you a site but they only guarantee one of those 100 sites... they guarantee a Particular site to the people who are willing to pay a few extra bucks to get that site, say, by the river, or with a special view. You'll still get A site, but maybe not assigned until check-in. You can request site number 37 and they'll give it to you if no one else "locks" that site.
It's kind of like some airlines: if you don't pay for first class you might get first come first serve.

 

[redbaron]

This reminds me of the discussion of people buying a new coach and not wanting to pay the $90'ish or whatever it is for windshield protection...

I was that guy!

 

[AbdRahim]

Site locks are a $$$ grab, like a restaurant charging for coffee/tea refills. You can do it, but you shouldn’t. Guaranteeing a guest, a requested site is just good business and something that the business should do.

If I see there is a 2 night stay that has been orphaned, I like to offer it as a “Special” to the campers that live geographically close to the campground. I have a list of these people and I can usually book the space with a simple email or phone call.

Pretty savvy for a new owner.

 

[D Magee]

As a member of several RV Park Forums dedicated to sharing information between campground owners, one of the ways RV Parks are generating additional income, is to sell the visitor a "Site Lock Guarantee". For a minimal fee, say $10-$30, they guarantee your site (or one with similar attributes) will be available when you arrive.

I understand there are different models that RV parks operate under, and I suppose that in some rare models there "may" be justification for buying insurance. But IMO, and in most of the cases I'm seeing, it's simply a way of generating additional income without actually providing a tangible service. If I were booking a site and was told that the only way to guarantee my site would be available when I arrived was to buy insurance, then I would go somewhere else.

I'm interested in others opinions on the matter.

We did pay one site lock fee this past summer, basically because I wanted a drive through site and didn’t want to get bumped to a back in spot. We were towing a 26 ft travel trailer and we wanted an easy in and out at a campground with pretty tight back in spots.
I get why some places decide to charge the lock fees, but would probably opt for a campground that didn’t if choosing between two.
I also feel as long as they state clearly on their reservations page that we could be bumped, I have the choice to decide. If we got bumped or asked to move mid-stay without knowing ahead of time, it’d be unlikely that I’d ever book there again. I’m fine with people running their business how they’d like, just looking for them to be upfront.

 

[Jim]

We did pay one site lock fee this past summer, basically because I wanted a drive through site and didn’t want to get bumped to a back in spot.

In my opinion, I see it as inefficient to be manually assign sites. Put those sites online where people can look at them individually and book (online) the one they want. There is no reason for a “site lock” because the visitor has locked his site by default. Pricing can be set differently on each site depending upon amenities, pull-through, lake view, etc.

I know my park (Deer Springs RV Park) is small, but it’s efficient, and the model I use will scale nicely. A park that is employing someone to assign sites manually, or to manage a “site lock” system, is wasting money that could be better used to improve something elsewhere in the park.

Again, just my opinion.

 

[sheridany]

Article about site lock

Want to reserve a specific campsite? Then pay up!

You wearily pull your 40-footer and toad into one of your favorite parks. All you want is to set the stabilizers down at that wonderful site on the pond you res

www.rvtravel.com

 

[Neal]

Up next...your campground fee may increase after reserving.

 

[Old Bubblehead]

Article about site lock

Want to reserve a specific campsite? Then pay up!

You wearily pull your 40-footer and toad into one of your favorite parks. All you want is to set the stabilizers down at that wonderful site on the pond you res

www.rvtravel.com

written by a shill for the side that wants the revenue generation potential.

 

[Jim]

Hey RV’ers! We’ve listened and we’re responding. We know you don’t want to get caught with your locks down! No sir!
So, hang on to your hat as Deer Springs RV Park is now offering our exclusive Lock-A-Lot system.

Excited? Yes, we know you are! Feel that tremoring going up and down your spine? Yep, that’s the thrill of using the Lock-A-Lot system.

But wait! That’s not all! Now you can lock your lot as many times as you wish. Multiple lot lockers will be given a discount for locking their currently locked lots. Remember, the more times you lock your lot, the bigger the discount. Lock that rascal a dozen times and receive your next lot lock at ½ price.

Don’t get left out. Lock early, lock often and lock-a-lot.

Thank you!

 

[AbdRahim]

Hey RV’ers! We’ve listened and we’re responding. We know you don’t want to get caught with your locks down! No sir!
So, hang on to your hat as Deer Springs RV Park is now offering our exclusive Lock-A-Lot system.

Excited? Yes, we know you are! Feel that tremoring going up and down your spine? Yep, that’s the thrill of using the Lock-A-Lot system.

But wait! That’s not all! Now you can lock your site as many times as you wish. Multiple site lockers will be given a discount for locking their currently locked sites. Remember, the more times you lock your site, the bigger the discount. Lock that rascal a dozen times and receive your next site lock at ½ price.

Don’t get left out. Lock early, lock often and lock-a-lot.

Thank you!

You forgot to mention;
and thit’s not all. Lock two sites and you get to lock the third site FREE (just pay a small administrative fee).

This is only available for a limited time, So call now!

 

[Neal]

 

[Skipper N Martha Bishop]

I'll input on this thread. I'm retired Army. I've slept on the ground, in pup tents, and one time in Vietnam I laid down on the ground and slept in the rain, I use my steel pot helmet to rise my head out of the flowing water and covered my face and rifle with a cardboard box. So now I spent a little money to buy a nice travel trailer and spent some making the inside comfortable. We go camping as much as we can and I always book full hookup sites. So far we haven't had to pay extra on a site but if we are traveling on a long trip then if I'm required to pay an extra fee to make sure I get the site we want then so be it. No boon docking here. I camp with comfort. Skipper

 

[Neemer]

Ha! Skipper, I can relate. My service cured me of any desire I may have harbored for roughing it, so to speak.

 

[Skipper N Martha Bishop]

Ha! Skipper, I can relate. My service cured me of any desire I may have harbored for roughing it, so to speak.

I hear that bud

 

[GypsyR]

I find "locks" off putting. My first thought on hearing about them is "what part of reservation don't they understand?" My second thought would be to wonder what else they would nickel and dime me for? Dump fees? Wifi access? Metered power and water usage? Just gives me the urge to go elsewhere.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

The Campground Owners argument:

Park space is in high demand these days. If someone rents site #1 from the 1st-5th and someone else rents that same site from the 8th - 12th, then there is a 2 night dead spot that will end up as lost revenue to the campground. So if the campground can move either of the visitors to another site, then they may be able to rent the dead space and recapture the revenue that would have been lost. Campground owners argue that the "lock fee" is hardly enough to compensate for the actually lose they take by not being able to move their guests around.

If you need to charge more to turn a profit, then figure it out and average that cost over all customers, or according to precieved value of the site.

When you accept a contract you should honor your word.
People without honor don't deserve to have a business!!!