Dynamic Pricing Rules#

Dynamic pricing automatically adjusts your rates based on conditions you set. Charge more on weekends, during peak season, or for last-minute bookings—all without manual intervention.

Why Dynamic Pricing?#

Dynamic pricing helps you:

• Maximize revenue during high-demand periods
• Fill gaps with discounts during slow times
• Automate pricing that would otherwise be manual
• Stay competitive with market-responsive rates

How Price Rules Work#

Price rules modify your base rates using one of four methods:

The price can never go below $0.

Creating a Price Rule#

Step 1: Go to Price Rules#

Navigate to Account → Pricing in the navbar.

Step 2: Create a New Rule#

Click Create with Rex to start the AI-guided rule creation. Describe what you want in plain English:

• 20% off for bookings made 30 days or more ahead
• Add $75 surcharge on Saturdays and Sundays
• 10% volume discount when booking 3 or more units

Rex will generate the configuration, show you a preview with calendar visualization and revenue impact, then let you select units and confirm.

You can also create rules manually by clicking New Price Rule.

Step 3: Configure the Rule#

Step 4: Set Conditions#

Define when the rule applies:

• Days of week — Select specific days (e.g., Saturday and Sunday for weekend pricing)
• Date ranges — Start and end dates for seasonal rules
• Booking window — How far in advance the booking is made (for early bird/last minute)
• Quantity threshold — Minimum units for volume discounts
• Units — Specific units or all units
• Timeslots — Specific timeslot types (hourly, daily, flexible) or all

Step 5: Set Priority and Stacking#

• Priority: Higher numbers are processed first. Use this to control which rules run first when multiple rules match.
• Cumulative: When enabled, the rule applies and the next matching rule also runs. When disabled (default), the rule applies and no further rules process.

Step 6: Save#

Click Save to activate the rule. You can toggle rules on/off at any time from the price rules list.

Rule Types#

Standard Rules#

General pricing adjustments based on conditions. The most versatile type.

Examples:

• Weekend surcharge (+25% Saturday/Sunday)
• Weekday discount (-10% Monday-Thursday)
• Holiday pricing (+50% July 4th weekend)

Last-Minute Rules#

Discounts for bookings made close to the rental date. Uses the booking window maximum setting.

Examples:

• Within 2 days of rental: -15%
• Same-day booking: -20%
• Under 1 week out: -10%

Early-Bird Rules#

Discounts for advance bookings. Uses the booking window minimum setting.

Examples:

• 30+ days advance: -10%
• 60+ days advance: -15%
• 90+ days advance: -20%

Volume Discount Rules#

Discounts based on the number of units booked together. Uses the quantity threshold setting.

Examples:

• 3+ units: -10%
• 5+ units: -15%

Demand-Based Rules#

Tag rules for different demand levels (low, medium, high, peak). Useful for organizing rules by intended use.

Automatic demand-level matching based on occupancy is not yet active. Use date ranges and days of week to target high-demand periods instead.

Common Pricing Strategies#

Weekend Pricing#

Settings:

• Days: Saturday, Sunday
• Modifier: +25% percentage
• Cumulative: Yes

Result: $300 base × 1.25 = $375 on weekends

Peak Season#

Settings:

• Dates: June 1 - August 31
• Modifier: +30% percentage
• Cumulative: Yes

Result: All summer bookings priced 30% higher

Holiday Surcharge#

Settings:

• Dates: July 3 - July 5 (for Independence Day)
• Modifier: +50% percentage
• Priority: High (e.g., 10)
• Cumulative: Yes

Result: Stacks on top of other rules for premium holiday pricing

Off-Peak Discount#

Settings:

• Days: Tuesday, Wednesday
• Dates: September 1 - May 31
• Modifier: -20% percentage

Result: Midweek off-season discount to fill availability

Last-Minute Deal#

Settings:

• Booking window maximum: 3 days
• Modifier: -15% percentage
• Rule type: Last Minute

Result: Bookings made within 3 days of the rental date get 15% off

Early-Bird Special#

Settings:

• Booking window minimum: 30 days
• Modifier: -10% percentage
• Rule type: Early Bird

Result: Bookings made 30+ days ahead get 10% off

Rule Priority and Stacking#

Priority#

Higher priority numbers are processed first. When multiple rules match a booking, priority determines the order.

Cumulative vs Non-Cumulative#

Cumulative rules (cumulative: on) — Apply and allow the next rule to also apply. Use when you want rules to stack.

Non-cumulative rules (cumulative: off, the default) — Apply and stop all further rule processing. No other rules run after a non-cumulative rule is applied.

Example: How Stacking Works#

Base price: $300/day

Saturday in July (peak + weekend):

1. Peak Season applies: $300 × 1.30 = $390 → cumulative, chain continues
2. Weekend Premium applies: $390 × 1.25 = $487.50 → non-cumulative, chain stops
3. Early Bird never runs

Final: $487.50

Important: Percentage rules compound multiplicatively. +30% then +25% = $300 × 1.30 × 1.25 = $487.50 (a 62.5% total increase), not $300 × 1.55 = $465.

Applying Rules to Specific Units#

Rules can apply to:

All Units#

Leave unit selection empty — rule applies to your entire fleet.

Specific Units#

Select particular units the rule affects. Useful when different boats or vehicles have different pricing strategies.

Specific Timeslots#

Apply only to certain rental types (hourly, daily, or flexible).

Testing Your Rules#

Before relying on rules:

1. Create a test booking — Walk through the booking flow
2. Verify pricing — Check that rules applied correctly
3. Try different scenarios — Weekend, weekday, different dates, different booking windows
4. Check the price breakdown — Applied rules should show in the pricing details

Managing Multiple Rules#

Keep It Simple#

Start with a few key rules:

• Weekend surcharge
• Peak season
• One discount type (early bird or last minute)

Avoid Conflicts#

• Use priority numbers to control processing order
• Be intentional about cumulative vs non-cumulative
• Remember: a non-cumulative rule stops the entire chain

Review Regularly#

• Are rules still appropriate for current demand?
• Should percentages change with market conditions?
• Are any rules underperforming?

Rule Examples by Business Type#

Boat Rental#

Jet Ski Rental#

RV Rental#

Troubleshooting#

Rule not applying#

• Verify the rule is active (not toggled off)
• Check that dates and days of week match the booking
• Confirm the rule is assigned to the correct unit and timeslot
• Check if a higher-priority non-cumulative rule is stopping the chain before your rule runs

Wrong price showing#

• Multiple cumulative rules may be stacking — check all active rules
• Percentages compound multiplicatively (+25% then +30% = 62.5%, not 55%)
• Check the priority order (higher numbers process first)
• A non-cumulative rule may be cutting off expected rules

Discounts not stacking#

• Both rules must be marked cumulative for stacking to work
• If one is non-cumulative (the default), it stops the chain
• Check priority — the non-cumulative rule may be running first

Discount codes#

• Promotional discount codes are managed through Gift Cards, not price rules
• Go to your Gift Cards settings to create coupon codes

Related Articles:

• Setting Base Rates
• Understanding Pricing
• Seasonal Schedules