This tutorial will outline the steps to create an "Early Bird" Rate Discount, which can motivate guests to make reservations ahead of time.
This article specifically covers adding a discount to your rates. If you would like to use the Rate Discount tool to temporarily increase your rates, please see our tutorial on How to increase your rates using the Rate Discounts feature. Keep in mind that rate discounts are only for online bookings. They do not apply to manual calendar bookings.
Go to Rate Discounts
Add an Early Bird Discount
- Click on the 'Add' button.
Set up the primary information
- The Type of Discount will default to 'Basic' - use the drop-down menu to select 'Early Bird'.
- The discount will default to active - this is where you can deactivate the discount without deleting it.
- Use the free-type field to add a minimum amount of days or months before arrival that the discount should apply.
- Use the drop-down menu to select either 'Days' or 'Months' (before arrival). Days is the default setting.
- If a minimum length of stay applies, activate the toggle and indicate the number of days in the field.
You don't need to set a minimum stay if it does not apply.
The longest minimum-stay promotion accepted by Booking.com is 7 nights.
- If the Early Bird discount you create has a minimum night stay of more than 7 nights, the discount won't be available on Booking.com.
- The 'Apply' setting will default to '% Decrease' - since you're applying a discount, no change is needed.
- Use the free-type field to enter the percentage discount you want to apply.
- Use the free-type field to name your Early Bird Discount.
Set the applicable dates
- Click on the date widget at 'Valid From' and select the start date.
- Click on the date widget at 'Valid Until' and select the end date.
- Select the specific days within the applicable dates, that you want the discount to be applied to, by ticking each applicable day.
Adding an additional date range
You're able to add additional date ranges to offer the same discount across multiple date ranges.
- Click on the '+Add a new date' button.
- Your system will provide another set of date widgets.
Use the date widgets to set the 'Valid From' and 'Valid Until' dates.
Additional date ranges can be added as required.
Set the price pointing
The price pointing feature will automatically round or point your discounted rate accordingly.
Detailed information on the concept of price pointing is covered within our article, What is Price Pointing?
Discounts without price pointing
Discounts are calculated at a percentage off the base rate.
If you don't apply price pointing the discounted rate may appear as an irregular amount, even though the discount itself is correctly applied.
Rounding
- Click on the drop-down menu and
- Select a rounding
Pointing
- Click on the drop-down menu and
- Select a price point.
Once your price pointing is set, the rate on your Booking Engine will automatically adjust once discounted.
Choose the room types and meal plans
By default, your system will be set to apply the discount to all room types and meal plans. This can be changed to fit your needs.
To individually select from your room types and meal plans:
- Click the toggle to turn if off.
- Tick each of the room types you would like the discount to be applied to.
Choose how the discount is distributed
Discounts can be distributed by Rate Sheet or by Channel.
Distribute by Rate Sheet
- 'Rate Sheet' will be selected by default.
- Review your list of rate sheets and tick those that the discount should be applied to.
Channels linked to the selected rate sheet will receive the applied Discount.
- Channels that can identify the update as a discount will display it as such on their platform.
- Channels that do not provide this feature may receive the discount but display it as just an updated base rate.
This Rate CAN'T display yet on the following channels:
- Expedia
- HRS
- Agoda
- Hotelbeds
- Hostelworld
- Airbnb
- Mr and Mrs Smith
- I-Escape
- Jumia
- Travelport
Distribute by Channel
- Select 'Channels'.
- Review your channel list and tick those channels that the discount should be applied to.
Channels selected will receive the applied Discount.
- Channels that can identify the update from NightsBridge as a discount will display it as such on their platform.
- Channels that do not support this feature may receive the discount, but display it as just an updated base rate.
This Rate CAN'T display yet on the following channels:
- Expedia
- HRS
- Agoda
- Hotelbeds
- Hostelworld
- Airbnb
- Mr and Mrs Smith
- I-Escape
- Jumia
- Travelport
Distributing by channel provides the option to discount a rate on your Own Web site only.
Publish your Setup
- Click 'Exit' to return to the Setup menu.
- Click on the 'Publish' button to distribute your Basic Discount.
- A confirmation message will display.
View your discount online
- Open your Booking Engine and search for your discount.
It will be applied according to the information you selected in Setup.
Remember that your search on your Booking Engine will need to match the conditions of the discount you created for it to display.
