Ikon Pass Details Are Out

[Lorenzzo]

The original script from this year's Park City Follies, an annual play spoofing all thing Park City, coined the term Icrowds. Deleted from the final script - too many DV employees involved in the production. They did retain "vote yes on the School Bond Initiative. Save our kids or we'll shoot a dog" (photo showing gun pointed at dog's head, dog looking terrified).

 

[4ster]

One of the other things that I like about the IKON pass, summer access. Granted, you have to get bike specific pass for bike transport, but still.

Anyone know if there is a break on bike transport for pass holders?

 

[Tricia]

Anyone know if there is a break on bike transport for pass holders?

I haven't been able to find that information, but hoping someone will post if they experience it.

 

[John Webb]

View attachment 45064
Last day before prices go up.

Pulled the trigger and bought one for Patricia (my Trish as opposed to Tricia) tonight.
Not sure if it will be used much due to a non ski injury. Almost talking her into Big Sky
next year !

 

[princo]

Seems like Epic and Ikon are playing chicken in terms of who bumps their pass price first. No one wants to be the first $1k pass!! Ikon posted that their passes would go up $100 on 5/1 but are still showing the $899 price. Epic first started with a $899 price with 6 buddy tickets, then lowered it to two buddy tickets with no announced dates for a price hike. Now Epic can offer their pass with no buddy tickets at $899 for a little while. it I guess Epic is going to let Ikon take the lead on the price hikes.

 

[John Webb]

Ikon Pass today went to $1000 . . . ($999 to be exact)
Ikon Base is now $699

Shows that "If you snooze you lose" !

 

[fatbob]

Yep didn't kick in straightaway but if you are going to use FOMO as a sales technique you have to follow through or the punters don't believe you next time.

 

[mdf]

I bought mine yesterday. I decided to go "full" since I expect to use all 7 days at Big Sky, and chances are good I'll use beyond 5 somewhere else.

 

[princo]

Yep didn't kick in straightaway but if you are going to use FOMO as a sales technique you have to follow through or the punters don't believe you next time.

I find it interesting the way that they have handle their pricing and marketing approach. Ikon used FOMO and already fulfilled their threat with a significant price ($100) increase. They have not announced additional price increase dates at this point. Epic, on the other hand, used a low down payment ($49) with low-cost-to-them "perks" to attract customers. Initially it was 6 buddy tickets, now until May 28th 2 buddy tickets (buddy tickets are the chance to buy tickets for a not so cheap fixed price ~$129).That gives them the option to leave their $899 price for a while (with no perks), maybe later remove the option of the $49 down payment. In the meantime, Epic had a great opportunity (for an extended period) to market their pass using the price differential. I think iKon was too aggressive with their FOMO approach and now don't have a lot to respond with if Epic starts a price-based marketing campaign.

 

[Karen_skier2.0]

Last year, I did RMSP+ with the monthly payment option. That was the gentlest way to buy the pass.

 

[tball]

I've heard from a bunch of people they are very annoyed that Ikon doesn't have a payment plan. RMSP+ did. Epic does. It sucks to pay money for something you can't use for six or seven months.

Not having a payment option seems like a poor business decision to me. Why?

 

[DanoT]

I've heard from a bunch of people they are very annoyed that Ikon doesn't have a payment plan. RMSP+ did. Epic does. It sucks to pay money for something you can't use for six or seven months.

Not having a payment option seems like a poor business decision to me. Why?

I'm thinking that Alterra, with their Ikon Pass are looking for a clientele that doesn't need financing or care about payment plans. So compared to Epic, they are quite content to have less customers but ones that can spend more money. So why not?

 

[tball]

I'm thinking that Alterra, with their Ikon Pass are looking for a clientele that doesn't need financing or care about payment plans. So compared to Epic, they are quite content to have less customers but ones that can spend more money. So why not?

Maybe, but then why compete with Epic on price? If they want fewer but richer customers they could raise the price of the pass.

 

[DanoT]

Maybe, but then why compete with Epic on price? If they want fewer but richer customers they could raise the price of the pass.

Ikon has 2 price points with the 5 day base pass or 7 day pass so they are targeting a couple of income groups, and besides wealthy people didn't usually get that way by passing up value, and the 2 Ikon passes can offer a lot of value for some.

 

[tball]

besides wealthy people didn't usually get that way by passing up value, and the 2 Ikon passes can offer a lot of value for some.

Agreed. A lot of wealthy people are frugal and will also be annoyed by paying for something now that they don't use for half a year. I can't think of many other products where you do that. It's a pretty big psychological hurdle, especially when there are other options available.

 

[Karen_skier2.0]

I always found it amusing when the first push to put down an EPIC down payment was mid-April. After paying taxes, it was a lot easier to shell out $49 instead of the full pass price.

 

[Jilly]

I'm thinking that Alterra, with their Ikon Pass are looking for a clientele that doesn't need financing or care about payment plans. So compared to Epic, they are quite content to have less customers but ones that can spend more money. So why not?

Intrawest never had a payment plan. But the first cut out was later....end of May, so after income taxes. I agree with the above statement though. And why should a large organization finance your fun. Let your credit card do it. Sorry to be blunt, but I run a business too and like to see my money ASAP!

 

[coskigirl]

Intrawest never had a payment plan. But the first cut out was later....end of May, so after income taxes. I agree with the above statement though. And why should a large organization finance your fun. Let your credit card do it. Sorry to be blunt, but I run a business too and like to see my money ASAP!

That's not true. Maybe they didn't for Tremblant but RMSP+ had either a payment plan or a down payment with full payment in the fall for at least the 2016-2017 and the 2017-2018 seasons.

I do understand the frustration as a business owner. Part of my job is negotiating payment terms and I'm seeing requests for payment terms of up to 180 days which is INSANE. Our company isn't small but these requests generally come from enormous global organizations so the expectation for the little guys (comparatively) to finance their business is audacious. Doing it to truly small businesses is really horrible.

 

[tball]

This is what Alterra's existing RMSP+ users are accustomed to:

And a FREE child pass with adult purchase!

That's a substantial change for a large swath of their customers. Maybe they don't want those customers, but Epic and the single mountain pass front range sellers do.

I think, maybe, this was a business decision to prioritize free skiing the remainder of this year over the down payment option. Systems probably can't handle both, yet. I bet they will next year or they will drop the free spring skiing after they lose a bunch of RMSP+ customers this year.

 

[Wilhelmson]

I've heard from a bunch of people they are very annoyed that Ikon doesn't have a payment plan. RMSP+ did. Epic does. It sucks to pay money for something you can't use for six or seven months.

Not having a payment option seems like a poor business decision to me. Why?

It seems they might get more customers if they had a payment plan. I prefer to pay in full, but April is alwyas a big month with season passes, taxes, and signing kids up for summer camp. The summer camps don't have payment plans either. The IRS will loan you money but at a cost.