£51 Wedding on EBay

[Jonny Boy]

Saw a throw away article in both The Metro and (ahem) The Sun today (someone left it on the cafe table, ok?!) about a couple who bid-and-bagged a cancelled date at a local (to them) hotel @ £51 for their wedding reception and evening.

The Sun lists some of the items included in the package: meal for 25? buffet for 50? bubbly and cake and evening party which also included a "£200 DJ" .... presumably the hotel paid the DJ as contracted and they swallowed any loss on this date.... but the hotel have generated an enourmous amount of good (and free...) publicity for themselves.

It just got me thinking: would any one on here consider marketing their unfilled/cancelled dates on ebay or the like? Explain why...discuss and enjoy.

Don't suppose the £200 DJ was anyone we know, was it?

[rob1963]

would any one on here consider marketing their unfilled/cancelled dates on ebay or the like? Explain why...discuss and enjoy.


No, because I don't think too many professional businesses sell their services on ebay.

It's certainly not for me...I'd rather have the night off.

[NKR]

I wouldn't sell my empty dates on ebay as I only work for people I want to work for and ebay is binding.

You think I am going to do a shindig for some undesirables then no way (not saying that would be the case but you run the risk). I trust the agency that fill half my dates not to send me to work for said types. Yes I have to take a reduced fee for that, but at least I know where I am going.

The £200 DJ wasn't me, but thats my fee.

I would assumed the cancelled date was on contract and so whoever cancelled it had already paid up or will be legally bound to, so effectively the hotel got a load of good publicity and made another £51 to boot.

[Larry B Entertainment]

I cant imagine offering or hiring a disco on ebay although I know some people do, seen a few members from here on ebay.

[rob1963]

I know some people do, seen a few members from here on ebay.

I'm guessing they're the ones at the cheaper end of the market?

[Dynamic Entertainment]

I cant imagine offering or hiring a disco on ebay although I know some people do, seen a few members from here on ebay.

Spill the beans then :D

Ps, i dont, and wouldnt, advertise on ebay. ;)

[rob1963]

I'm guessing they're the ones at the cheaper end of the market?

Having checked mobile discos on ebay, I found one that says it has prices from £40.....and we moan about Sid!

:shrug:

[Dynamic Entertainment]

Isnt that £40 listing by Rob James Entertainments

:p :p :D :D

[rob1963]

Isnt that £40 listing by Rob James Entertainments

:p :p :D :D

:Laugh:

[Penfold42]

Not for me and this seems to me like a 'best before date'.

...as for e-bay, all it will do is increase my phone calls with people who want to haggle/barter the price from an already deflated price.

£200 - can't remember the last time I went out for that......:p :D

[Dynamic Entertainment]

£200 - can't remember the last time I went out for that......:p :D

All the good, expensive, gigs dried up then Tone? :sofa: :D

[Spirits High]

£200 - can't remember the last time I went out for that......:p :D


You need to find a way of boosting you're fee then Tony......like buying an LED dancefloor :p :D :D

Or know someone that's got one ;)

[Penfold42]

All the good, expensive, gigs dried up then Tone? :sofa: :D
Work smarter not harder! :p ;) :D

You need to find a way of boosting you're fee then Tony......like buying an LED dancefloor :p :D :D

Or know someone that's got one ;)

:jumping:

[UltraBeat Entertainment]

I'm all up for advertising and free publicity but i think ebay is a step to far.

[NKR]

£200 - can't remember the last time I went out for that......:p :D

I get what I can get and thats not bad round here (agency work is less).

I feel that may be opening the door to a barrage of 'lay off the fees discussion, its been done to death'

Yeah I think that may be it approaching over the hill. There doesn't appear to be a smiley wearing a steel helmet and digging!!!!!!

[andyw]

personally wouldn't use ebay to fill dates like that, rather spend time with family then go out at a loss. listening to the wife in the background now i might start going out for nothing(but thats another story:) and i am joking)

[DeckstarDeluxe]

no chance!

[DJMaxG]

No, because I don't think too many professional businesses sell their services on ebay

Before even reading Rob's Post, I thought the same :approve:

You'd be required to Publish your prices possibly (no good for custom quotes), and nobody would probably bid if it's an immidiate date.

Think, If you were booking a Wedding for yourself, son, daughter etc, would ebay be your first port of all - Really ? :attn:

[Penfold42]

I get what I can get and thats not bad round here (agency work is less).
What you can or what you think you can?


I feel that may be opening the door to a barrage of 'lay off the fees discussion, its been done to death'
:confused: I thought the OP mentioned price not me. :)

I don't think flea-bay is the way forward....to many tyre kickers for my liking.
Not a market i'm interested in...but I do have a 1st job as well.....even after 3yrs ....i'm still trying to shake it off.

[NKR]

What you can or what you think you can?


:confused: I thought the OP mentioned price not me. :)



No that really is what I can get its the market rate up here.

The mention of a barrage was aimed at myself for opening up a fee discussion not at you or anyone else.

Ebay is okay for buying bits of stuff off, but not for hiring a DJ.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

No that really is what I can get its the market rate up here.


:bang:

[Penfold42]

No that really is what I can get its the market rate up here.

Then may I make a suggestion - find a better market OR market yourself better OR offer what the competition does not.....OR do what I do....ignore everyone around you pitch yourself where you think you want to be and work at that.

Just a few pointers. :)

:bang:
Make that 2. :bang: :bang:

[NKR]

Thanks for the pointers chaps but the DJ'ing will eventually be the add on to what we offer, so we are happy doing volume work for that money whilst I build the rig again from scratch.

Only been back out there for 2 years since starting up again. Plus this is a second income and an hobby that pays for itself. That doesn't make us any less professional, etc its just the level we have reached.

Fees have increased from the £150 we charged last year and the £100 in the first 3 to 6 months we were back operating.

Supply and Demand my friends, the demand is going up so we will soon be in less supply.

I will refrain from banging my head if a may. Can I get anyone some ice for those heads or maybe a nice cool Fosters?

[Penfold42]

Only been back out there for 2 years since starting up again. Plus this is a second income and an hobby that pays for itself. That doesn't make us any less professional, etc its just the level we have reached.

Fees have increased from the £150 we charged last year and the £100 in the first 3 to 6 months we were back operating.

Supply and Demand my friends, the demand is going up so we will soon be in less supply.

I will refrain from banging my head if a may. Can I get anyone some ice for those heads or maybe a nice cool Fosters?
Whatever floats your boat - just don't pipe on about 'thats all I can get round here'...cause I don't believe any of it.
I to have 2 jobs but this is not a hobby....it's more of a passion for me and some thing to aim for....and spring onto other things.

Did you read post #13?

As for Fosters....nah...don't drink kangeroo wee....but i'll have a stella with you. :)

[NKR]

Yeah thats sounds cool - Stella it is then :beer1:

I did read post 13 and I will be working smarter, thats where I am getting to. Been a slog establishing ourselves again so its a needs must game sometimes. Sleeping rigs gather no cash and don't improve.

Okay hobby is a bit soft, I am passionate about what I do too, which is why I can discuss things with my clients and sound knowledgeable. I have been around a bit in terms of DJ'ing.

Takes time to build a business and exposure is the best thing for it. No I have never taken my pants off at a venue :) :)

[Jonny Boy]

Thanks for the pointers chaps but the DJ'ing will eventually be the add on to what we offer, so we are happy doing volume work for that money whilst I build the rig again from scratch.

Only been back out there for 2 years since starting up again. Plus this is a second income and an hobby that pays for itself. That doesn't make us any less professional, etc its just the level we have reached.

Fees have increased from the £150 we charged last year and the £100 in the first 3 to 6 months we were back operating.



Am I right in think NKR is the (one of the) other singer-DJ on here?
I have also now moved to disco as an add-on only: but previously I had to take on anything I could in order to get the capital to invest in gear to (help) justify higher prices.

It's also down to confidence and honing performance skills.

As a note, I don't think marketing via ebay would be a good idea either for businesses marketing themselves at the top of the market, trying to put over excellence/quality or exclusivity.

For quantity-based businesses, it coudl be a useful tool if used cleverly, by not one I'd want to associate with my business.

[NKR]

Jonny Boy its not me that sings but my DJ partner in crime Kev, but we are working on upselling (I am the bestest sound engineer ever and thats why he sounds so good). We take a DJ booking then go to the consultation armed with demo's etc and tried to upsell to DJ with evening vocal and we can even do full live Rat Pack swing set during the wedding breakfast. We are even now taking vocal bookings and adding the DJ on.

The Swing stuff really floats peoples boats and full day commands good money. Plus the DJ vocal act thing really lifts the fee and you were going to be there anyway so its just Kev belting out two 45 minute sets for much more money (he is very good by the way. If I can get his Bojangles MP3 on here then you can all listen).

So some of us are working smarter in a slightly different direction - its never straight forward. 2010 is looking pretty good even after 2009 being mostly DJ work with a few good singing jobs.

Businesses need time to build, so when we say its all we can get, it generally is. I still know guys doing £100 gigs, but they are youngsters starting out like we did once. I pass them my 'I can't afford that' work. Some people buy Fords, others buy Porsches. Thats the beauty of a free market economy.

Jonny Boy good to see another vocal man on here. High Five brother.

[Jonny Boy]

NKR - by all means please send mp3 or a link to your website. PM me or email via the email on my website.

I also run the UK Wedding Singers' Network, so would be pleased to add you guys to the list, passing on clients for dates when booked etc etc.

[NKR]

We haven't got a web site yet. I know that needs to be a priority.

[Jonny Boy]

We haven't got a web site yet. I know that needs to be a priority.

Absol-positively dude. Get Kevs mp3 demos into a free embedded media player and you'll find clients will vastly have made up they want you (or not) by the time they get in touch: it will THEN fall to your pricing to make or break that!