Revenue management strategies require combining multiple data sources and processes to drive decision-making.
Today’s competitiveness demands faster and smarter changes to take advantage of real-time. On our path to building and providing the bus industry’s #1 revenue management system, we have included new features and capabilities for bus companies such as:
Alert settings.
Availability to set early alerts based on services and historical data.
Types of alerts
Demand – Finds positive and negative changes in the purchase interest, on each route.
Occupation – Indicates an “unusually” low or high occupation.
Sold Tickets – In advance and same-day alerts.
Time changes – Takes the last 14 days’ historical data to perform and validate the scheduling.
Price changes – Checks the previous day and current trips for comparative analysis.
Currently, it is impossible to have an eCommerce without using a dynamic prices strategy.
Nowadays, it is impossible to say that you have an eCommerce without knowing what dynamic prices are. Although the concept is not new, it is one of the trends sweeping the digital market and that you must implement as a strategy in your eCommerce.
Players
To all this, what are dynamic prices? It is simply a strategy for companies to establish flexible prices based on current market demand and supply. It is also known as “price discrimination”, and the purpose is to maximize the average income margin of your products and/or services, adapting them in a matter of minutes, hours or days, depending on the type of market and in accordance to variables you set. It is such a necessary practice that José Luis Moreno, Regional Vice President of Hispanic Operations for Greyhound Lines (and Reservamos SaaS client), commented in our webinar:
What company doesn’t do revenue management today? If we hadn’t launched with the dynamic pricing strategy, we wouldn’t have had the impact and growth that we have had.
The game strategy
There are several ways to execute dynamic prices, a tool that we can help you implement in your eCommerce:
Segmented prices: based on segmentation, companies use machine learning to offer different prices to different groups based on some demographic data and using A/B tests.
Penetration Pricing: based on your competitors you can be the one that sells the cheapest, the one that offers the most expensive, or a hybrid of the two, which is the most recommended. Depending on the relevance of your competitor and your position in the market, you can choose to sell above or below their prices, without punishing your margin and positioning yourself in a market segment.
Time-Based Pricing: In the case of the tourism industry, travel costs vary depending on anticipated purchases. Using lower prices with greater anticipation of purchase and higher when the date of the trip approaches.
Quantity-based pricing: If your service or product is in short supply, your pricing strategy is crucial. With a greater shortage, you can increase prices with a more assertive strategy.
Changing market conditions: the industry situation can change due to diverse factors, and you must act accordingly. During Covid 19 we have seen a lot that companies modifying their prices to adjust to the new normal.
Marker
What are the benefits of dynamic pricing? You can make faster and more profitable changes in terms of sales to increase your company revenue and act with much more flexibility and anticipation. Another great benefit is that you automatically learn from your market trends, which will help you move your product. You can use dynamic prices to encourage recurrence and loyalty to your brand. And finally, this strategy allows you to reach more passenger segments. For example, through an attractive pricing strategy, a family group planning to travel by car may choose to take the bus. With this solution, you are accurate to your pricing strategy, with controlled margins, without losing competitiveness in the industry.
The winner
Some of the largest eCommerce in the world, such as Amazon, have implemented dynamic prices, having unprecedented success, in addition to this, from retail stores to supermarkets with online sales. However, in the air ticket prices, we see a better example of this strategy, being the airline industry the forerunner of this implementation.
What makes airfare so tending to price fluctuations? First of all, they know their users and their needs. Leisure travelers often plan their vacations well in advance, and business travelers often make reservations days or hours in advance. As the departure date approaches, the seats are more expensive. In addition to the periodicity, they modify prices during holiday seasons, increasing their margin due to high demand.
With dynamic prices, you take advantage of market opportunities and compete on equal terms, often with an advantage over your competitors. To maximize the benefit of your bus line eCommerce through dynamic prices, contact us.
These are the trends that will grow your eCommerce platform and your business.
The first step in developing your eCommerce platform should be the implementation of new technologies, according to Jose Luis Moreno, Regional Vice President of Hispanic Operations for Greyhound Lines.
In Mexico, eCommerce is one of the fast-growing areas both in the national and international markets, so having allies that help you implement these 5 eCommerce trends is essential to succeed in your business:
Voice Assistant
According to Google, using voice assistants can drive more conversions from smart speakers, improving revenue for eCommerce stores. According to Statista 3.25 billion people worldwide are currently using voice-activated search assistants.
Multi-channel sales
It is no longer enough to have a single storefront, or sale point, from which you sell all your products. Currently, having an omnichannel or multi-store strategy is key to growing your eCommerce platform. Whether a company focuses on different niches or markets, take advantage of existing markets or new sales channels. An example is Pinduoduo, China’s second-largest eCommerce company, which grew to be valued in public markets at $100 billion in just five years by exploring new sales channels such as social media.
Mobile Optimization
It’s a fact that mobile usage beats desktop, so mobile optimization and compatibility are crucial as it directly affects your online store’s ability to rank on Google. According to OuterBox, 40% of mobile users will look to a competitor after a bad mobile experience.
Machine Learning
One of the great benefits of having an eCommerce platform is to managing data from users and understanding their needs based on the analysis of that information. Through machine learning, you will be able to make more personalized sales suggestions and predict the behavior of your travelers. According to Business Insider, a digital business, technology, and innovation magazine, eCommerce that implements personalization strategies increases its sales profits from 6% to 10%.
Cybersecurity
Your business needs to have a good security system for data protection. Not only do you need strong control procedures, but simplify the authenticity process. For this, a feature such as an e-wallet is ideal.
Greyhound Lines has focused on applying new technologies to its eCommerce platform, which has allowed it to reach 60% of online sales of total ticket sales. Through these tools, you can offer unique experiences and greater interaction with your customers and increase transactions.
