Sandals
has launched a new Best Price Guarantee initiative designed to “to give retail agents peace of mind” by protecting them from being undersold by intermediary web sites and distribution systems.
Retailers who have been threatened with losing a sale to a lower price can now call Sandals’ toll-free number and be guaranteed that the lower price will be matched.
Gordan “Butch” Stewart revealed that the decision to implement this year-round guarantee is the result of the explosion of price-cutting by discounters, Web sites and a variety of distribution systems; all of which, according to Stewart, Sandals has been watching closely.
This move is hardly surprising, as Sandals has always built on their relationship with travel agents and attributes their own success and growth of brands to agents: “It is imperative that agents have the confidence not only to sell but also to sell up without fear,” Stewart commented: “This guarantee is the first step in creating an agent community that is able to promote our product and, ultimately, close more sales.”
In response to the news, SuperClubs has announced that they have no plans to match Sandals’ Best Price Guarantee initiative, claiming they already provide travel agent partners with the lowest rates available in the marketplace.
——-