UWE Sunboard - Viable Upgrade Option From Ergo 600?

[VirginiaTan]

Would love to have some insight on upgrades I'm considering. A few items to consider:

Current Bed Mix / EFT Pricing:
Level 1 $24.95
(3) Laydown Sunmasters 32 lamp x 100w 15 mins

Level 2 $39.95
(2) Tan America Pacificas 36 lamps, 160w top, HP Facials, 12min.
(1) VHR Suncapsule VHR Standup, 52 lamp 160w

Level 3 $54.95
(1) Ergoline 600 Classic, 54 x 160w lamps, HP Facials, 12min.
(1) Sundazzler Standup, 54 x 220w lamps, 9 mins

Level 4 $79.95
(1) Saturn Standup HP, 18 x 1000w lamps
(1) MysticTan MT Blue Box, Spray Tanning

Considerations:
>I have limited space, with all 10 rooms being used
>My biggest wait times are on Level 3, for the ergoline
>My room sizes are small, with fixed walls (not euro walls)
>rooms are approx 8x8, except the ergo room

Proposed changes:
>Offer an upgrade laydown option on Level 4 to increase revenues and take some of the pressure off of the Level 3 Ergoline when it gets business
>My Level 1 isn't the highest demand, but currently has more bed options than the Level 3 and Level 4. With that said, the Laydown Level 4 Option will be replacing a Level 1 unit
>I will be increasing my Level 1 price to $26.95 to have a lower disparity between Level 1 and 2, to encourage more upgrades now that 1 less bed will be available.
>I will be decreasing my Level 4 price to $69.95, to lower the disparity between levels, and make the upgraded level purchase easier to justify.

If everyone thinks these changes make sense... then the biggest question is two fold. I have limited space (8x8) for a laydown bed to be a Level 4 upgrade, that clients would pay to get a better result than the Level 3 Ergoline 600 Classic currently gives.

options:
Matrix L18 Glammy
UWE Sunboard

I know the Glammy will offer a logical upgrade for the client from the Ergoline 600. However, would a UWE Sunboard also be a popular choice for clients to upgrade to from a Ergoline 600? I've never owned, or tanned in a UWE Sunboard - so I'm looking for thougths and feedback. Thank you!

Roger

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[peach2]

Your moves sound logical to me. Your salon sounds similar to mine in terms of equipment and levels. My monthly rates are; level # 1-$40, 2-$50, 3-$60, 4-$70. I think your level 1 price is too low. I would only have 2 level one beds. If space, elec are issues, Id go with the sunboard.

[sunsally]

Your EFT pricing for the various levels are all in line, other than maybe the Mystic. I find that most spray EFT's are now in more like the $39.95 range and probably the max you see them for in most markets is $54.95. Especially for the Blue Box rather than upgraded HD, Pura, etc

If you said it was the Saturn where you had way too much demand, bringing in the Sunboard or Glammy would make sense. Not so for the 600. The Sunboard and Glammy are going to be lay down versions of the Saturn - and the customer that REALLY wants the 600 isn't going to find those a good "substitute" in most cases.

For the demand you are having, results given and your room size, it would make more sense to bring in another large VHR unit. It could be priced WITH the Level 3 and just boost that level. Alternatively, bring in a VHR that tans noticeably better, has a noticeably better experience, or is a mix HP/VHR like an Ergo 650.

My recommendation would be as follows:

1. Level 1 - cut to 2 beds as you suggested - keep EFT pricing at the 24.95.

2. Level 2 - keep as is - pending more info re your spray usage currently, consider dropping Mystic to this price point

3. Level 3 - add a VHR to this level OR something better at L4

4. Level 4 - keep EFT pricing the same (it is more than fair for your Saturn and an "all access pass" to any unit in your salon, any time). If you bring in a significantly better performing and "experience" VHR - put at this level. Or a mix HP/VHR. But from what you shared, probably NOT a full HP laydown.

[Robert K]

Get a big VHR type unit and add it to level 4.

[JOHN @ URI]

If you go Sunboard make sure it is the Xtt version. Not the old Blue ones.

[VirginiaTan]

Thank you for all the feedback guys! Very helpful in weighing in on these decisions... In general, the ergoline 600 is my nicest lay down in the salon, and the only stronger bed is the Saturn, which is a standup.

I understand that there is a % of customers that prefer a bed like the ergoline, even over a high pressure unit - but my question is... OVERALL - would most customers consider the Sunboard HP as an upgrade to the Ergoline? Also does the Sunboard perform as well as the Saturn, in the form of a laydown?

If I put the Sunboard on Level 4, I know a % will stay on Level 3 with the ergoline, but I'm hopeful that it will encourage more to be more likely to upgrade with an laydown option on Level 4, that can give them a great result.

[VirginiaTan]

Hey John - thank you as well for responding! What are the pros and cons of the sunboard xtt, vs the old blue ones?

My only concern with the model, is I've never tanned in it or tried it before. And I don't know what the customer experience is like vs a typical laydown, since it has such a unique bed design.

[sunsally]

Originally Posted by VirginiaTan

Thank you for all the feedback guys! Very helpful in weighing in on these decisions... In general, the ergoline 600 is my nicest lay down in the salon, and the only stronger bed is the Saturn, which is a standup.

I understand that there is a % of customers that prefer a bed like the ergoline, even over a high pressure unit - but my question is... OVERALL - would most customers consider the Sunboard HP as an upgrade to the Ergoline? Also does the Sunboard perform as well as the Saturn, in the form of a laydown?

If I put the Sunboard on Level 4, I know a % will stay on Level 3 with the ergoline, but I'm hopeful that it will encourage more to be more likely to upgrade with an laydown option on Level 4, that can give them a great result.

Sunboard won't be seen as "stronger" - it will be seen as "different".

However, it will be "different" in a similar way to how the Saturn is "different" - you already have that option.

"Stronger" - and can be priced at the level with the Saturn - would be a better performing VHR - or a VHR/HP combo.

But at that point you are also suggesting you would LOWER the price of the Level 4 eft - why?

Some number of customers are just NOT going to be your top tier EFT. You aren't going to push them to that level on a recurring basis just by lowering the price. You WILL however then get less money for that level than the people who are already willing to pay the L4 EFT now.

Aren't they allowed to upgrade - on a daily basis - to the L4 now from their L3 EFT?

You need another VHR laydown - or a VHR/HP laydown - not a HP laydown.

[sunrisetan]

Originally Posted by JOHN @ URI

If you go Sunboard make sure it is the Xtt version. Not the old Blue ones.

Curious why?

[Black Sun]

Originally Posted by sunrisetan

Curious why?

Never had one nor tanned in one, but I believe the difference is in the lamp glass, plus the wattage in the xxt is higher.

Also, the XXT is a 15 minute version, an upgrade from when the Sunboard Plus was introduced (Blue bed) which is 20minutes...due to the glass filters being different, they are single pane which permits more uvb...

I would think it is a toss up...I remember when the Sunboard 20minute version was introduced years ago by UWE, folks on the boards raved about customers enjoying the open-air tanning experience for 20 minutes and getting good results.

I would imagine a used one today is going for about $1500--my guess.

By the way...the filter glass is not interchangeable from the Sunboard to xxt ..do not think that if you get the Sunboard, you could change it into an xxt by swapping the glass...could prove dangerous to anyone tanning...leave glass designed for the particular bed you have