Reservations Transient Pricing

Modified on Wed, 15 Jan at 12:08 AM

Topics Discussed

Transient Pricing
Transient Booking
How to Create Transient Pricings
Updating Transient Pricings
Additional Transient Pricing Information
In-Depth Look: Valid Times

Transient Pricing

ParkWhizTransient pricing on the ParkWhiz platform is used to facilitate transient/daily parking for ParkWhiz locations. This rate is available anytime unless blacked out or the location has active event pricing.

Transient Booking

If a user searches for an address or neighborhood, they will be quoted the cheapest rate available for their parking search. These bookings are listed as “Transient” under the Bookings Tab of ParkWhiz Admin.

How to Create Transient Pricings

Log in to the ParkWhiz Seller Console
Identify and click the location in ParkWhiz Admin (Seller Console) where you want to add/update the transient pricing.

Go to Pricings
Go to Reservations tab
Go to Transient
Click the green add New Pricing button

Input/enable the transient pricing settings.

Pricing Name

This is the name of the pricing (aka rate band).

Any text is allowed. The most common conventions for pricing names are:

Name it according to the pricing’s use (for example: Hourly Rates, Evening rate, etc.)
Use a pricing name that describes the Days/Times the rates are available (Weekday Evening, etc.)
Examples:
- Daily Rates — for rates available everyday
- Early Bird Rate — for rates with early morning entry time (ie. enter 7am-9am).
- Evening Rates — for rates to start at late afternoon or early evening (ie. 5pm-12am or 5pm-5am).
  Note: Consider this pricing name if there is NO Overnight Rates provided.
- Overnight Rates — for rates that starts at late afternoon or early evening but ends the next day (ie. 5pm-6am).
  Note: Consider using Overnight Rates if there is a separate Evening Rates provided.
- Weekday Rates — for rates valid Mon-Fri only
- Weekend Rates — for rates valid Sat-Sun only

Pricing Code

This field is NOT required.
When enabled, the pricing code reflects on the customer's pass and Bookings tab.

Quantity

Maximum number of spaces that can be concurrently booked at any given time under the pricing.

Valid Times

This is the availability of the pricing/rate band.

Start Day — The day of the week that the pricing starts.
Start Time — The time of the day that this pricing starts.
End Time — The time of the day that this pricing ends.
Days — The number of days after the start day of the week that this pricing ends.
- Examples:
- +0 — pricing ends the same day only
- +1 — pricing ends the next day
- +2 — pricing ends 2 days after the start day
- +3 — pricing ends 3 days after the start day
- +4 — pricing ends 4 days after the start day
- +5 — pricing ends 5 days after the start day
- +6 — pricing ends 6 days after the start day
- +7 — pricing is always available

Hours

The number of hours to list for the specific rate.

IMPORTANT ?

The hours field accepts numeric value with up to (2) decimal places
The following are invalid input and will result in an error:
- Empty field
- Alphabetical
- Alphanumeric
- Special characters

Note: Error messages will not be displayed and fields with errors will not be highlighted.

Price

The rate to list.

IMPORTANT:

The price box accepts numeric digits and the decimal point only.
You will be unable to input most invalid characters (like “$” or “,” or letters).
A dash (“-”) can be typed into the box, but that will prevent the page from saving (i.e., you will receive an error message).

Use ARTs instead of Valid Times and Rates

Skip this setting. This is for automated rate table pricings.

Customer must arrive after

This box requires that the arrival time be on or after the time inputted.

This restricts the booking start time of the customer.
The must arrive after time SHOULD NOT be earlier than the valid time’s start time.

Customer must arrive by

This box requires that the arrival time be on or before the time inputted.

This restricts the booking cutoff (aka entry time or rate end time) of the pricing.
Skip if the pricing does not have a booking cutoff.
This is always set to a minute before the exact cutoff time to minimize customer issues. (ie. Cutoff time is 10am = must arrive by time is 9:59am)
For Reservations, this prompts an alert before a customer completes the checkout informing them that they should enter by the specified time.
This accepts hours within the same day only (ie. 00:00 to 23:59 only)
The must arrive by time should not be earlier than the valid time’s start time on the same day.

This set up allows booking from 4pm through 11:59pm

This set up allows booking from 4pm through 11:59pm

Set this when the customers should enter between specific hours, OR if the rate ends at a specific time.
- Examples:
  - Enter between 6am-9am = must arrive by time is 8:59am
  - Enter 7am-8am = must arrive by time is 7:59am
  - In by 10am = must arrive by time is 9:59am
  - Event Pricing End 8pm = must arrive by time is 7:59pm
  - 6pm-8:30pm; Exp 10pm = must arrive by time is 8:29pm
  - Until 12 Noon = must arrive by time is 11:59am
This is also set when a location is NOT open 24/7, OR with a close time, BUT a pricing is valid after the close time.
- Example:
  - Location hours is 6am-12am
  - Pricing is 5pm-8am ► must arrive by time should be 11:59pm
  - This is because the location closes at 12am and customers should enter before the location closes.

Customer must depart after

This requires that the departure time be on or after the time inputted.

This restricts the booking end time (aka parking end time)
Skip if the pricing does not have a booking end time restriction.
The must depart after time SHOULD NOT be later than the valid time’s end time.
Set this when customers should exit AFTER a specific time
- Examples:
  - Exit between 6pm-9pm = must depart after time is 6pm, valid time’s end time is 9pm
  - Exit 7pm-8pm = must depart after time is 7pm, valid time’s end time is 8pm
This is also set when a location is NOT open 24/7, OR with an opening and closing time, but a pricing is valid after the closing time.
- Example:
  - Location hours is 6am-12am
  - Pricing is 5pm-8am ► must depart after time should be 6am
  - This is because the location opens at 6am and customers can only retrieve their cars once the location opens.

Customer must depart before

This requires that the departure time be on or before the time inputted.

This also restricts the booking end time (aka parking end time)
This restricts multiday booking.
Skip if the pricing does not have a booking end time restriction.
The must depart before time SHOULD NOT be later than the valid time’s end time.
Set this only when the parking ends at a specific time as this will not allow booking after the customer must depart before time.

This location offers overnight parking

The overnight checkbox has a specific function: It is to allow the rates to jump over and stack over the period of time that is not included in the valid times.

Rule of thumb:

The rule of thumb for enabling the Overnight checkbox is that you MUST intend for the rates to be able to cross over the periods outside of the Valid Times.

Example:

Daily Rates:
12hrs - $20
24hrs - $40
Overnight rate: 7 days, 5pm to 8am - $25
Weekend Special
Fri, Sat & Sun all day
24hrs - $15

Pricing	Scenario A: 24/7	Scenario B: non-24/7
Daily Rates	No need to tick Overnight checkbox Explanation: Since the Valid times cover the full 24/7 period, the overnight checkbox makes no difference to how the pricing functions. However, our internal preference is to not enable the checkbox.	YES, tick Overnight Checkbox. Additional action: If a location is not 24/7; but allows overnight parking, the following verbiage should be added to the location’s parking description and parking disclaimer: If parking overnight, you must drop off and pick up your vehicles within the following hours: <location hours> Reach out to Digital Solutions Support team at [email protected] to add the disclaimer.
Overnight Rate	Do NOT enable overnight checkbox Even though the rate is referred to as an “overnight” rate, it doesn’t mean we need to enable the overnight checkbox. The overnight checkbox has a very specific function, and is not required in this scenario	Do NOT enable overnight checkbox Additional set up: Enable a must arrive by time to a minute before the location closes (ie. close at 11pm = 10:59pm just arrive by time) to ensure that customers can only book and park within location hours.
Weekend Rate	Do NOT enable overnight checkbox	YES, tick Overnight Checkbox. Additional action: Add a Max Parking Hrs - 72 hrs restriction Why: To prevent the rate from crossing over from weekends to weekdays.

Early Bird Special

Always enable when setting up an Early Bird Rate.
This prompts an alert before a customer completes the checkout informing them that they are purchasing an Early Bird Special.

Minimum parking hours

Set this up when there is a minimum number of parking hours for the pricing.
Value must be equal or less than parking duration.
Only whole numbers accepted

Maximum parking hours

Sets a limit to the number of hours that can be booked.
Value must be equal or more than parking duration.
Only whole numbers accepted.

Rule of thumb (important):

When working with special rates that are essentially discounted pricings for specific times of day, max parking hours usually need to be enabled even when the above terms are not present to keep the rates from repeating.

Example:

Hours of Op: Mon-Sun 6am to 1am

Daily Rates:

Up to 12hrs - $20
Up to 24hrs - $40

Early Bird: M-F 5 days, In 6a-10a, up to 12 hrs - $12

Weekday Evening Special (6pm to close)

3-Hr Rate - $15

Weekend Rates

Up to 12hrs - $15
Up to 24 hrs - $20 (max)

Rate

Setup Description

Explanation

Daily Rates

Up to 12hrs - $20
Up to 24hrs - $40

Valid Times:

Mon 6a-1a, +1
Tue 6a-1a, +1
Wed 6a-1a, +1
Thu 6a-1a, +1
Fri 6a-1a, +1
Sat 6a-1a, +1
Sun 6a-1a, +1

Hours and Price

12hrs - $20
24hrs - $40

Overnight enabled

Max parking hrs → do not enable

Because these are the highest prices throughout the day and it includes a “24-hr rate”, it is safe to allow the rates to repeat even though the rates are expressed with an “up to” restriction.

Early Bird

M-F 5 days, In 6a-10a, up to 12 hrs - $12

Valid Times:

Mon 6a-10p, +0
Tue 6a-10p, +0
Wed 6a-10p, +0
Thu 6a-10p, +0
Fri 6a-10p, +0

Hours and Price

12hrs - $15

Overnight not enabled

Maximum parking hrs: 12hrs

Why add the max parking hours:

To keep the special rate from repeating within the 6a-10p window, which is usually not the intention for special rates.

Weekday Evening Special

3-Hr Rate - $15

Valid Times:

Mon 6p-1a, +1
Tue 6p-1a, +1
Wed 6p-1a, +1
Thu 6p-1a, +1
Fri 6p-1a, +1

Hours and Price

3hrs - $15

Overnight not enabled

Maximum parking hrs: 3hrs

Why add the max parking hrs:

To keep the 3Hr rate from repeating within the 6p-1a window, which is usually not the intention for special rates.

Weekend Rates

Up to 12hrs - $15
Up to 24 hrs - $20 (max)

Valid Times:

Sat 6a-1a, +1
Sun 6a-1a, +1

Hours and Price

12hrs - $15
24hrs - $20

Overnight enabled

Maximum parking hrs: 48hrs

For this example, it is safe to allow the 12-hr and 24-hr rates to repeat within a single weekend because the rate band includes a 24-hr rate.

We would likely recommend setting the max hours to 48 hrs to keep the 12-hr and 24-hr rate from being able to repeat across the week.

Blackout Dates

Add blackout dates when the pricing should NOT be available for specific dates. Check Blackout Dates for more details.

Amenities

Manually set according to known properties of the facility.

Covered and protected from rain or snow	For indoor parking facilities
On-site security guard	This informs the customer that the location has retained the services of at least one person to guard the location and customer property.
Attendant on-site	This amenity has two selections in the drop-down right next to it. The "at all times" selection means that at least one attendant should be at the location for the duration of the customer's stay. The "for arrival" selection results in an attendant staying only for the customer's arrival at the location and no attendant is likely to be present for the customer's departure.
Restrooms available to customers	This amenity indicates that the parking location offers restrooms.
Tailgating is allowed	This option tells the customer that they can cook and consume food and drink at the parking location.
Handicap accessible	This selection means that a given location can handle customers with wheelchairs, powerchairs, or other motorized conveyances without causing inconvenience to them.
Electric vehicle charging available	This indicates that there is an EV charger at the location. The icon does not promise that the charging is "included" with any given purchase or rate, so it can be enabled even when there is a fee for EV charging. If there is a fee for EV charging, it must either be stated in the location description or disclaimer or set up as an Optional Add-on.
Customers allowed to leave and re-enter with same pass	This amenity allows customers to park, depart, and re-enter as many times as needed for as long as their pass is valid. Unless this is enabled, customers cannot come and go as they please -- one pass for one entry and exit. This is not enabled often for many locations. Please note that some customers unfamiliar with city parking may misunderstand and think this is the norm. NOTE: If in/out is allowed on a transient pricing, include this in the pricing name: in/out allowed
Accepts smartphone mobile parking passes	This amenity makes the location bookable through the Parkwhiz App. Note: Do not tick if the location requires printed passes for validation.
Free shuttle service offered to	This is a specialized amenity for only locations that offer shuttle service to and from the venue to the parking location, typically if they are located outside the normal one-mile max range of walking distance. To enable this amenity, a venue must be selected. The system will display all venues in range by proximity.
This is parking for Recreational Vehicles (RVs)	This amenity designates that the pricing is for oversized vehicles, particularly RVs.

Sales Options

Require vehicle license plate	This informs the customers that they should provide/enter/input their license plate info before parking at the location. NOTE: Require vehicle license plate before user can purchase — This prevents customers from completing their purchase unless they provide their license plate information upon checkout. Reach out to Digital Solutions Support at [email protected] if you need this setting enabled.
Restrict when customers can book this pricing	This restricts the pricing’s availability based on the date and time when the customer makes the booking or searches for parking and the booking/parking start time. -------------------------------------------- Pricing must be booked at most __ hours before the booking start time This restricts the availability of the pricing for future/advance booking. For example: If 720, then customers would not be able to purchase this pricing more than 30 days in advance. Customer’s date and time of booking = Dec 14, 2024 5pm Pricing must be booked at most 720 hours before the booking start time. The pricing is not available/bookable if the customer searches for parking on or after Jan 13, 5:01pm. ------------------------------------------ Pricing must be booked at least __ hours before the booking start time This restricts the customers to book the pricing, hours before the booking start time. For example: Must be booked time is set to 0.5hrs > parking/booking start time is 10am > customers should book on or before 9:30am to get the pricing.
Limit number of spots customers can buy at this price	This limits the number of spots or passes that a specific customer/email address can purchase at any intersecting parking period Example: If the limit is set to 1 and a customer booked 1 space from 4p-7p, that specific customer can't book another between 4p-7p but CAN book another starting at 7:01p.
This pricing is private and only available to a group of users by their email address	This makes the pricing private or available only to the customer whose email address is added to this field.
This pricing is private and only available to users who have access to one of its pricing access codes	This makes the event pricing private and only available to customers who have access to the pricing access code link. Reach out to [email protected] or [email protected] if you need to enable this setting.
Pause pricing	When enabled, this makes the pricing unavailable.
Restrict when the pricing will be active Note: When the pricing will become active and eligible for purchase. Outside of these time ranges, the pricing will be effectively be paused.	Active after: This restricts the pricing’s eligibility for purchase based on the date and time the customer searches for parking or makes the booking. For example: If the Arrive after is Dec 14, 2024 5:30pm. The pricing is bookable ONLY when the customer is searching for parking ON or after Dec 14, 2024 5:30pm. Note that the pricing is NOT AVAILABLE when the customer is searching for parking before Dec 14, 2024 5:30pm (ie. Dec 14, 5:29pm) The pricing is listed under UPCOMING PRICINGS section until the start of the activation schedule. The pricing moves to the ACTIVE PRICINGS section on or after the activation schedule. IMPORTANT: Consider this restriction if you DO NOT want the pricing to be available in advance before the activation schedule. ---------------------------------------------- Active until: This restricts the pricing’s eligibility until the date and time enabled. For example: Active until Dec 14, 2024 6pm. The pricing is only bookable until Dec 14, 2024 6pm. The pricing is NO LONGER bookable on or after Dec 14, 2024 6:01pm. The pricing is listed under the ACTIVE PRICINGS section until the activation end date/time. The pricing moves to the INACTIVE PRICINGS section and automatically pauses on or after the activation end date/time. IMPORTANT: Consider this restriction over the indefinite blackout (ie. blackout until 2090) for the pricing to be automatically paused on or after the activation end date/time. ---------------------------------------------- A pricing can have both restrictions. On the example below, The pricing is only available when customers search for parking on or after Dec 15, 2024 12:01am. The pricing is bookable until Jan 1, 2025 12am.

Airport Options

This is only enabled for locations that offers airport parking with airport parking rates.

Click save changes

Updating Transient Pricings

Immediate Update	Go to the transient pricing that needs updating. Directly update the parameters of the existing transient pricing.
Future dated Update	Existing pricing Enable the Restrict when the pricing will be active > Active Until = The end date and time of the pricing. Future pricing Can either be the blackout dates or the Restrict when the pricing will be active > Active After. Pricing is BOOKABLE in advance for parking on the effectivity date and time Create the pricing. Valid times: Based on the future rate’s availability. If no change, replicate the valid times of existing pricing. Hours: Based on the future rate’s number of hours. If no change, replicate valid times of existing pricing's number of hours. Price: The new rate provided Blackout dates: Start date: The date you are creating the future-dated pricing. End date: The start date/time of the new rate. Pricing is NOT BOOKABLE until the effectivity date and time Create the pricing. Valid times: Based on the future rate’s availability. If no change, replicate valid times of existing pricing. Hours: Based on the future rate’s number of hours. If no change, replicate valid times of existing pricingnumber of hours. Price: The new rate provided Restrict when the pricing will be active > Active after: The start date/time of the new rate.
Transient Pricing Special/Event Rate Set Up	Follow Transient Pricing Special/Event Rate Set Up

Immediate Update

Go to the transient pricing that needs updating.
Directly update the parameters of the existing transient pricing.

Future dated Update

Existing pricing

Enable the Restrict when the pricing will be active > Active Until = The end date and time of the pricing.

Future pricing

Can either be the blackout dates or the Restrict when the pricing will be active > Active After.

Pricing is BOOKABLE in advance for parking on the effectivity date and time

Create the pricing.
Valid times: Based on the future rate’s availability. If no change, replicate the valid times of existing pricing.
Hours: Based on the future rate’s number of hours. If no change, replicate valid times of existing pricing's number of hours.
Price: The new rate provided
Blackout dates:
- Start date: The date you are creating the future-dated pricing.
- End date: The start date/time of the new rate.

Pricing is NOT BOOKABLE until the effectivity date and time

Create the pricing.
Valid times: Based on the future rate’s availability. If no change, replicate valid times of existing pricing.
Hours: Based on the future rate’s number of hours. If no change, replicate valid times of existing pricingnumber of hours.
Price: The new rate provided
Restrict when the pricing will be active > Active after: The start date/time of the new rate.

Transient Pricing Special/Event Rate Set Up

Follow Transient Pricing Special/Event Rate Set Up

Additional Transient Pricing Information

How multiple transient pricings interact:

The rate engine will return the cheapest price available for the period searched.
A booking can be made from ONE transient pricing or rate band only.
Separate reservations transient pricings do not stack.

In-Depth Look: Valid Times

Valid times determines the period that pricing is available for.
Pricing will only be returned if parking start and end time falls within Valid Times.

Valid Time” settings which translate to 24/7 availability

How pricing stacks over a 24/7 period:

Manipulating the Valid Times field for non-24/7 locations

The system reads 12:00 am as 00:00 or the first minute of the Day
What the +Days setting does is add 1 calendar date change to the start time

The way to read this is, from Sun 00:00 to Mon 00:00 (Sunday start of day to Monday start of Day)

Since the calendar date changes at midnight, setting “Days” to zero results in an error

Here is another example:

Monday, from 5:00 am to 5:00 pm that same day

In-Depth Look: Overnight Parking Checkbox

The overnight checkbox has a specific function: it is to allow the rates to jump over and stack over the period that is not included in the valid times.

Reservations Transient Pricing

Transient Pricing

Transient Booking

How to Create Transient Pricings

Pricing Name

Pricing Code

Quantity

Valid Times

Hours

Price

Use ARTs instead of Valid Times and Rates

Customer must arrive after

Customer must arrive by

Customer must depart after

Customer must depart before

This location offers overnight parking

Early Bird Special

Minimum parking hours

Maximum parking hours

Blackout Dates

Amenities

On-site security guard

Attendant on-site

Restrooms available to customers

Tailgating is allowed

Electric vehicle charging available

Customers allowed to leave and re-enter with same pass

Accepts smartphone mobile parking passes

Free shuttle service offered to

This is parking for Recreational Vehicles (RVs)

Sales Options

Require vehicle license plate

Restrict when customers can book this pricing

Limit number of spots customers can buy at this price

Pause pricing

Active after:

Active until:

Airport Options

Updating Transient Pricings

Immediate Update

Future dated Update

Existing pricing

Future pricing

Pricing is BOOKABLE in advance for parking on the effectivity date and time

Pricing is NOT BOOKABLE until the effectivity date and time

Transient Pricing Special/Event Rate Set Up

Additional Transient Pricing Information

How multiple transient pricings interact:

In-Depth Look: Valid Times

Valid Time” settings which translate to 24/7 availability

Manipulating the Valid Times field for non-24/7 locations

In-Depth Look: Overnight Parking Checkbox