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Wink

Dynamic Pricing

Wink’s pricing engine goes beyond simple nightly rates. It dynamically computes the final price a traveler sees by combining multiple pricing layers — master rates, rate plans, promotions, and room configurations.

How pricing works

Section titled “How pricing works”

The pricing engine evaluates several layers to compute the final rate:

1. Master rates

Section titled “1. Master rates”

The foundation of your pricing. Master rates define the base price for each room type or inventory item. You set these in the Extranet and they serve as the starting point for all price calculations.

Setting up master rates

2. Rate plans

Section titled “2. Rate plans”

Rate plans modify master rates for specific conditions. A rate plan can adjust pricing based on:

  • Occupancy — Different prices for single, double, or triple occupancy.
  • Length of stay — Discounts for longer stays.
  • Meal inclusion — Room-only, bed & breakfast, half-board, or all-inclusive.
  • Booking window — Early bird or last-minute pricing.

Configuring rate plans

3. Daily rates

Section titled “3. Daily rates”

Daily rates let you override pricing for specific dates. Use them for:

  • Seasonal pricing — Higher rates during peak season, lower during off-season.
  • Event pricing — Premium rates during local events or holidays.
  • Blackout dates — Dates when specific rates are unavailable.

Managing daily rates

4. Promotions

Section titled “4. Promotions”

Promotions apply discounts or special offers on top of the computed rate:

  • Percentage discounts — e.g., 20% off for early booking.
  • Value-add promotions — e.g., free breakfast, spa credit.
  • Date-restricted offers — Promotions valid only for specific travel or booking dates.

Creating promotions

Stay rate computation

Section titled “Stay rate computation”

When a traveler searches for a multi-night stay, the engine computes the total by:

  1. Looking up the master rate for the room type.
  2. Applying the relevant rate plan adjustments.
  3. Checking for daily rate overrides on each night of the stay.
  4. Applying any promotions that match the booking conditions.
  5. Summing the per-night rates into a total stay rate.

This means each night of a stay can have a different effective rate, and the traveler sees an accurate total that reflects all your pricing rules.

Cancellation policy impact

Section titled “Cancellation policy impact”

Cancellation policies can also affect the displayed price. Flexible cancellation policies may carry a small premium over non-refundable rates, giving travelers the choice between price and flexibility.

Cancellation policy setup

Tips

Section titled “Tips”
  • Use the Rate Tester. The Extranet includes a rate testing tool that lets you simulate searches to verify that your pricing layers produce the expected results.
  • Start with master rates, then layer. Set your master rates first, then add rate plans and promotions. This keeps your pricing logic manageable.
  • Review daily rates seasonally. Update daily rate overrides before each season to ensure your pricing stays competitive.

Test your rates

Further reading

Section titled “Further reading”