Detroit Pricing in Reviews

I'm on the fence about it - on the one hand what happens b/w a dancer and custy is b/w them - OTOH knowing what dancers are asking or what custies are paying is helpful info.

I would say if the reviewer doesn't state it then don't ask (kinda none of your biz) - but if the reviewer states X dancers asked too much for VIP then he should state what too much was so others know what girls are quoting.

What I find more annoying is guys publicly asking dancer names when a reviewer states he had a good time in VIP.

For the reasons outlined by the OP, as a standard policy I don't disclose full details or pricing. If I'm asked via review comment or PM for more information, whether and how I respond has a lot to do with the person asking - if they're a known contributor by reviews and/or the forum, I'm inclined to share more details because I have a reasonable degree of confidence the info will remain confidential and not be misused.

Also on the fence here. Pricing for dances and other stuff varies not only by club, but widely by state and city as well. So if I'm heading to another city it's very helpful to calibrate my budget to the local "stripper economy" (or SDP = Stripper Domestic Product :p).

I think there is a middle ground that could be adapted. If the reviewer does not want to provide specifics, he/she can give a "tip factor" which is a % or multiplier of the base rate for the dance/session. For example, if a 30 minute VIP base rate is $200 and the dancer agrees to extras for $50, the tip is 25% or .25 of the session. So the review could say "negotiated for VIP +25% tip for all the fun I wanted."

My opinion is that prices should always be included. It’s the most valuable intel you can get this site: the average going rate for various services. Of course, if the services involve extras, then no names or identifying information should be disclosed. I understand that just because you got X for $Y dollars doesn’t mean I will, but it’s still useful to get a sense of the economics of a particular club.

I don't answer questions about dancers or clubs that could be misinterpreted by LE. This includes PM messages.

I agree with the Doctor, I think prices are critical for reviews. It gives an idea of the general consensus of what's value, standard, and overpriced. Without having the prices as a guideline it can lead to indirect inflation such as what's happening at FC. In regards to posting the names of dancers I'm fine with keeping that private for VIP activities. If you want to describe them by looks and list their name that's fine but a girl that I completed a VIP with I don't want to post her name on the forum.

Stating prices can also help identify instances where dancers may be colluding to keep prices high - not saying this is a constant problem but I'm sure it happens

Posting some information about pricing expectations conveys valuable information to the potential customer and it provides a counter control for unrealistic pricing (often a result of informal dancer/club price fixing efforts). But, like others, I recommend that reviewers do NOT link prices or VIP details to specific dancer names.

Thoughts after this (good) conversation:

1. I agree that high quotes may be fine to post because, presumably, they aren't being taken up. "She said I could meet her later for $900. I said that, for that many Ben Franklins, she could tie a key to a string and go fly a kite."

2. Turning back to why not to post actual agreements, though, the key phrase in #1 is "not taken up." Please consider the end of this clip from The Wire when thinking about why you shouldn't post a price for deals negotiated and accepted: https://youtu.be/hGo5bxWy21g

3. I agree that, with PMs, considering the person asking is also great advice. Don't tell just anyone what can go on someplace. Look at number of reviews, other discussion topics, etc.

4. This in no way is referring to prices for "set" things, like the cost for a single dance or a set amount of time in a CR. That info can and should be posted. This is referring to, ahem, negotiated services. I thought that was implied simply by saying we were discussing Detroit.

There's definitely a difference of opinion here, but because I see reviewing dancer quality as one of the most important parts of a review, I find it almost impossible not to include prices and create a potential link between a price and a dancer, even without names, because I'm inevitably going to describe the dancer and give the night of the week I was there, which will narrow things down a lot. I'd rather just not give a price at all.

I again refer folks to The Wire clip above. We are engaging in a far more victimless act, but I think we should all exercise some caution.

OMG. Writing a review is becoming more complicated than the NFL's Calvin Johnson "when is a catch a catch" rule.

Dunno if I'd say it's that bad yet.

Plus, it's moreso a matter of being careful we don't accidentally ruin the fun for everyone here, or for ourselves.

As AnonJim noted, this becomes a much more complicated question if additional services are part of the mix. Unlike most markets where VIP sessions are based on a set block of time, in Detroit (metro suburbs) dances almost universally happen in the same private area as what would otherwise be called a VIP area in most markets. Thus dances are priced by the song (generally a fixed price, possibly with a fixed fee to the house) but a savvy customer can request pricing by level of service (no song count), making the numbers more variable. Obviously getting explicit on what "services" may be involved is potentially sensitive on several levels.

By comparison, in a COI club you'll pay a fixed fee for a set amount of time in a private VIP room. But although the dancer makes a cut of that fee, in most cases they also expect a tip - sometimes even equal or greater than the base price - for extracurricular activities.

My approach on reporting on these places is to always state the fixed costs clearly, and usually to give some kind of "order of magnitude" range without specifying exact level of service. This way a reader knows the ballpark "all in" cost but isn't expecting to walk into VIP with exact change counted out in advance for whatever he wants to do.

The most important part of the "range" pricing is establishing a top end so newcomers and less frequent guests don't get gouged. As an example, I know from multiple visits that in Metro Detroit if you're identified as a non-regular you will almost invariably be quoted double the "normal" rate if you let a dancer put the first number in play.

Good clarifications, Will. Expanding on your thoughts.

In my experience, in Detroit, if you establish fairly early on that you're familiar with the game, per-song costs sometimes aren't even discussed. You agree on a fee for a level of service and go from there. The fee may even change if you decide to change the level of service. It's even possible you may go to "the back" without an agreement, do a dance, try to come up with a number for something more, not agree, then just end the session by paying the fee for the dance(s), which you may not have even known ahead of time and wouldn't have known if you had agreed upon something more.

So fixed costs aren't always clear. If they are, I try to state them, but they aren't always. My concern is moreso guys asking about negotiated costs.

I do see some reviewers be explicit about costs, which is their prerogative, I guess. I think it's smart for any newcomer or non-regular to read a lot of reviews. Odds are on that at least one of 10 will say something about prices. But I think it's not the kind of thing we should be expected to provide all the time, nor should we be asked for it if we don't provide it. If we're not providing prices, it's probably for a good reason.

Like I say, I think asking and answering those questions via PM is a better way to go if you're that interested.

I have also said before that it's smart to do everything possible to not look or act like a newbie, period. If I'm in an extras-friendly area, I will sometimes tell the dancer I live in the area, even though I don't. Her thinking I may end up being repeat business may buy me a discount.

I am suggesting newbies do their homework. I'm also suggesting we all think about what level of discretion we use when telling people what we're doing, and that we shouldn't out-and-out expect other people to, perhaps unwisely, not have that discretion.