Web Rates is the NightsBridge feature that lets you assign specific rates to specific booking channels. This allows that booking channel to view and book on the correct contracted rates assigned to them.
How it works & when to use it
While your RACK rate is set to provide your highest, commission-inclusive rate to the general public and regular booking channels, Web Rates is designed to provide your contracted booking channels with access to their negotiated rates and the ability to book on these rates.
Web Rates should be used when you have contracted or negotiated rates with a specific booking channel.
The tool is mainly geared for sending rates to tour operators.
RACK Rates vs Web Rates
| RACK Rates | Web Rates |
|---|---|
| Your RACK Rates should always be your highest rate that already includes the highest commission you're willing to offer. | Your Web Rates should always be less than your RACK rates. These are the rates you negotiated. It won't make sense if they're higher than the rates publicly available to everyone. |
| These rates are displayed on your Booking Engine and sent to all your booking channels. These are the rates available to the general public. | These rates are only available to the booking channels you link them to using Web Rates. |
Lets look at how your rates are used.
These two flows will explain how the application of your RACK rates differ from your Web Rates:
How your RACK rates are used
Let's first look at what happens to your RACK rates so we can establish a difference.
- Your RACK rates would be your highest available rate, inclusive of your highest commission charged. So if you're highest commission charged by a connected channel is 15%, make sure this is calculated into your RACK rate.
- These RACK rates are presented on your Booking Engine for guests to book.
- These RACK rates are also sent to your connected booking channels.
- Although this is your highest rate, the guests on your Booking Engine will then be convinced to book if you're offering a direct-booking discount on this rate. This discount can be equal to your highest commission percentage - because these bookings are commission free.
- The guests that book on your connected booking channels book on your RACK rate that already accounts for any commission up to 15% - so you are covered there.
How Web Rates are used
Let's say you have a contract in place directly with a booking channel. You'll use Web Rates to provide that specific booking channel with the ability to make online bookings at their negotiated rates, directly on NightsBridge.
- You set up your rates and link them to the correct contracted booking channel.
- The negotiated rates are made available to that booking channel via Web Rates.
- The specific booking channel can book directly on their negotiated rates.
These negotiated rates are generally packaged along with other services as part of a tour package.
Which steps are involved?
Correctly sending your negotiated to a contracted channel involves two steps:
- Contracting with the booking channel (if not already done).
- Creating an STO Rate Sheet - this is where you set up the specific rates and seasons.
- Linking the STO Rate Sheet to the correct channel on Web Rates.
In tourism, STO stands for 'Sell To Operators' or 'Standard Tour Operator'
A full guide is available in our tutorial, How to provide negotiated rates to a contracted booking channel using Web Rates.
Why aren't all booking channels listed on my Web Rates page?
Certain booking channels* become available on Web Rates, once you've contracted with them via the Links Manager, or directly with the booking channel.
Once your link to a booking channel is active, it will be available on Web Rates.
You are then able to create the appropriate STO rate sheet and link it to the booking channel on Web Rates.
* Not all channels available on the Links Manager will display.
Certain channels on the Links Manager have fixed commissions and calculate the rates based on your RACK Rates. These booking channels will not display within your Web Rates list. Rate sheets cannot be applied to them.
How payments generally work
Since you'd have an agreement with the booking channel that outlines your negotiated rates, this would also cover the booking payment process.
Payments are normally handled by the booking channel directly (without NightsBridge).
You would invoice the booking channel directly, and the booking channel will pay you according to your agreement.
What could go wrong?
When used incorrectly, Web Rates could end up costing you on your profit margin.
- When connected to the wrong booking channel:
- the wrong booking channel will receive the lower rate.
- If a booking channel finds the lower rate on within your RACK Rates, the booking channel could book it. You could then end up having commission deducted from an already discounted rate.
- Booking channels do visit your website to look at your rate parity - what's available there, compared to what they're offered.