Disgusting - how to alienate your customers

Purrfecttune

Purrfecttune

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This refers to the Camping & Caravan Club

I booked their Bellingham site for April more than two months ago for a 3 night duration at a cost of £137.40 with member discount. Just noticed that the price now throughout April for exactly the same thing is £87, which is a very significant £50 cheaper!!!

I called the club and despite being a loyal club member who booked well in advance and thus helping to improve their cash flow during these difficult times, I was met with complete indifference and condescendingly told all about fluid pricing. The girl on the phone bluntly told me that I either lump it and like it or cancel.

Obviously I cancelled on the spot and not only will I look to stay somewhere else but will cancel my membership as well.

Well done Camping & Caravan Club, you obviously have more money than you know what to do with.
 
Did you try to book the cheaper rate and or cancel original booking...if possible, not a member so don't know T&C's
🍻
 
No, none of the above. I rechecked availability for myself (which was still there at £87) but I’m damned if I will rebook and give them my money now. The girl refunded the deposit in full back on to my card.
There are so many sites to choose from, I really don’t need to use them.

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CCC site Bellingham £45 a night booked well in advance.o_O
"adjusted" figure now, £29 per night with deposit, is still too much for me, for that location.

For a short stay, Park4nite/Search for sites, Britstops are my friends, I even share a pint with the later.;)
We dont have kids with us so that may be one reason people pay the site prices asked.

LES
 
I cancelled my membership to both caravan and camping club, and caravan and motorhome club for the same reasons.
Once membership is reduced the clubs MAY understand why, during covid, members were still subscribers with no benefits, thus supporting the clubs, but nothing about supporting members.
Aires and park for a night are the way to go, or pub stops with facilities for overnight stay if you buy a drink (or three)

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Popty said:
during covid, members were still subscribers with no benefits
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They did extend our CCC membership by some months as some sort of 'payment'.

We mainly use their THS which are excellent value... never use the Campsites in the high season, much too busy for us.
 
We cancelled CCC membership when they introduced dynamic pricing - but I must admit I didn’t expect prices to go down nearer arrival date!
 
Popty said:
I cancelled my membership to both caravan and camping club, and caravan and motorhome club for the same reasons.
Once membership is reduced the clubs MAY understand why, during covid, members were still subscribers with no benefits, thus supporting the clubs, but nothing about supporting members.
Aires and park for a night are the way to go, or pub stops with facilities for overnight stay if you buy a drink (or three)
Click to expand...
C&MC offered 20% discount vouchers. Less than 10 night bookings got your annual membership back.
 
Purrfecttune said:
This refers to the Camping & Caravan Club

I booked their Bellingham site for April more than two months ago for a 3 night duration at a cost of £137.40 with member discount. Just noticed that the price now throughout April for exactly the same thing is £87, which is a very significant £50 cheaper!!!

I called the club and despite being a loyal club member who booked well in advance and thus helping to improve their cash flow during these difficult times, I was met with complete indifference and condescendingly told all about fluid pricing. The girl on the phone bluntly told me that I either lump it and like it or cancel.

Obviously I cancelled on the spot and not only will I look to stay somewhere else but will cancel my membership as well.

Well done Camping & Caravan Club, you obviously have more money than you know what to do with.
Click to expand...
Beside the fact that I would never book a site for that amount (3nts = £137.40 :eek: is there a lot of you?)
I must have the gift of the gab or someone up there loves me because, IF I have ever found myself in a similar position, I have rung their booking number, cancelled my original booking and booked again knowing they must have a space?

I honestly have never had a problem but I do sympathise with you!
 
We never used to use the big sites only used the cl or cs when we used to go away
 
I don't see anything odd about the pricing system mentioned in the OP. Airlines and hotels do the same - if they have spare seats or rooms they will often sell them at a lower price to maximise revenue. It sounds to me as if the C&CC are doing the same. I can see how someone might be miffed having paid a premium price but the alternative would be to have not booked and take the chance of there being no space when it was required.
 
This reminds me of how certain petrol stations capitalise on certain situations and increase their prices unrealistically at no real cost to themselves (i.e. the petrol shortage, current oil increases etc).
In the same way, it looks like the CCC did the same with the Motorhome boom and has now had to reduce its prices back to normal due to people boycotting their sites.
 
Did anybody hold a gun to your head and make you accept the original price ? You must of been happy to go ahead with it. You moaned, they gave you your money back, your not out of pocket or lost anything, everyone is happy.

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Having previously worked in travel for many years, I understand dynamic pricing. However, I have never seen anything similar reduced by so much before (36%) unless it was a unique ‘one off’, and certainly not where it is obvious that the product has been ‘reduced’ back to its normal price.

I contacted CCC to query their policy, which was as above, so I cancelled. I am certainly happy with my outcome but I hate lack of customer empathy and sharp practises, hence my posting.

It is also my experience that some airlines and third party accommodation providers offer a price difference refund should your chosen purchase become available for less at a later date.
 
I love these petulant ‘I’ve cancelled…..that will teach them’
Have you ever looked at the annual accounts for both clubs?
 
Gellyneck said:
C&MC offered 20% discount vouchers. Less than 10 night bookings got your annual membership back.
Click to expand...
Yep, I bought a stack of them. I still have some left (they extended their expiry to the end of 2022).
 
Tigger-Tim said:
Yep, I bought a stack of them. I still have some left (they extended their expiry to the end of 2022).
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, finished off our stack of them at the end of last year!:crying:
 
Purrfecttune said:
No, none of the above. I rechecked availability for myself (which was still there at £87) but I’m damned if I will rebook and give them my money now. The girl refunded the deposit in full back on to my card.
There are so many sites to choose from, I really don’t need to use them.
Click to expand...
Nose. Spite.Face.Cut.... I'm sure you can make a sentence out of those words.... calm down dear, it's only an advert!

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LesW said:
They did extend our CCC membership by some months as some sort of 'payment'.

We mainly use their THS which are excellent value... never use the Campsites in the high season, much too busy for us.
Click to expand...
That’s why we stay with them, THS’s are great and gvm.
 
As above, CC&C are good for THS, we avoid over priced camp sites when we can.
 
Purrfecttune said:
Not case of ‘nose’, ‘spite’, ‘face’, ‘cut’, but a case of spending my hard earned where it’s appreciated.
And I don’t teach anyone lessons, I simply vote with my feet.
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You got a refund of your original amount. You could have rebooked at the reduced amount (by your own admission.) Can't honestly see what the problem is, there are far bigger issues going on in the World (and this continent) at the moment - but hey, give yourself a pat on the back for showing them you're not to be trifled with....jeez....
 
Ivory55 said:
Did anybody hold a gun to your head and make you accept the original price ? You must of been happy to go ahead with it. You moaned, they gave you your money back, your not out of pocket or lost anything, everyone is happy.
Click to expand...
No, he's obviously not, hence the whinge on here

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