Did raising your rates hurt your bookings?

I raised my rates twice since I started Rover in Jan 2016, didn't lose a client!! Don't devalue the service you give to your clients, good clients are willing to pay reasonable rates knowing their fur babies are well cared for. I set my rates after looking at what the independent pet care companies charge in my local area. I used to look at Rover sitters but there are too many folks low balling and that hurts everyone in the community

When I raised my rates, it seemed to help weed out the "price shopping" clients who were generally not the greatest clients to work with anyways. Instead, I have received clients who book in advance, acknowledge my experience, and seem to have their pets' best interest in mind rather than looking for the cheapest possible care. Are you considering keeping your rate as-is for your current clients, or raising their cost as well? Either way, I would suggest giving them about a month's notice that you are going to be raising your rates, your reasoning (perhaps reflecting on your last year as a sitter and the costs associated with providing in-home care), and whether you intend to honor their current price or that their cost will be increased as well. I can't imagine that many would mind a $2/night increase, but you never know with some!

No. I think it may have helped a little. Depending on your area and the prevailing mentality, some owners avoid the cheapest Sitter because they feel that they are paying for better (true or not). I think that as long as your rates are fairly in line with the Sitters in your area, it should be fine and shows a bit of confidence in your ability :)

There is a rule of thumb of sort in real estate property management suggesting that if your rental units are 100% occupied, your rents are too low. I created a profile with DogVacay in 2011 with the highest rates in the area, wasn't sure that I really wanted to be a host. I still have the highest boarding rates in my locale of 500-750K people though I have so much repeat business now that I am becoming overwhelmed. And I hate turning repeat clients away. Of course I note the low-ballers in the area, and the clients who are shopping for a "deal". Seems like my business is going to continue to grow, and I have searched Rover FAQ's and this community for guidance regards "growing pains", how to be more selective with clientele, different rate structures, etc, not much information available. I am reasonably comfortable with three guest dogs, today I have six with yet another reservation request. I know that there is a Rover Match service to help clients find the right though it would be nice to know a few other hosts in the area (I don't) to whom to refer overflow, and vice versa. Plus, having too much business can be exhausting, how do I find the energy or even the interest to clean my home, walk ways, etc knowing they will be filthy again in a matter of days?

I had to raise mine when other sitters started matching them. I believe that some people see perceived value in a higher rate. Depends on the client.

Yes and no. It does attract more responsible owners though.

At that rate, you are still on the very low side for your area. Do a search in your area and doublecheck what the going rate is. Drill down on the map, as I did, and you'll see that most sitters in your specific area are higher.

As you raise your rates also pay attention to your other service rates: Additional Dog, Extended Stay etc. You want to make sure that your extended stay rate is not such that the dog being left an extra day ends up being basically free. The math can get tricky but work out different scenarios on paper to figure out what makes sense.

I haven't so far experienced a rejection or cancellation regarding my rates changing to a much pricey cost than usual but I have had a repeat client contact me to inform in advance of their arranged schedule and wanted to know if the rates would be any different around the time they booked. As I occasionally change my rates I don't find it necessary to constantly remind my previous clients. If your clients love the quality of your service they'll always come back no matter the price. And any client can be that client if you give them the benefit, that's why at times I lower my rates below my original rate to allow everyone whom are interested the chance to personally experience my service. I see it as a fair opportunity, and a great way to bring in more clients. And for repeat clients I offer promotional discounts randomly as an appreciation for their dedication to my service.

I recently raised mine, and it actually helped! Since my prices were a little below the standard, I think it left potential clients wondering what was it about the service that devalued it enough for the price to be lowered. Said in a different way, I think it made potential clients think that there was something worse about the service I would be providing compared to the quality of service everyone else would be providing. Am I making any sense? So essentially, I was coming off as a worse dog sitter than my competitors because there must be something wrong with me that made me need to lower my prices. Now that I am competitively priced, I think I come off as a competitive in the quality of service I provide.