What is Smart Pricing? How is it useful?

STAAH MAX - What is Smart Pricing? How is it useful?


A tool designed to create and set discounts for direct bookers.


The Smart Pricing feature offers 5 discount types:

  • Advance Purchase: Allows you to scale the discount based on number of days booking is made in advance
  • Device: Identify and target bookers using mobile device
  • Multi Nights: Allows you to scale the discount based on number of stay nights
  • Region: Allows you to set discount targeting bookings from specific country(s)
  • Pay Now: Allows a property to reward bookers who pay at the time of booking. Properties must have a payment gateway integrated with MAX Booking Engine.
  • Last Minute Deal: Allows property to attract Last Minute booker

Who can use Smart Pricing?

  • Properties subscribing to MAX Booking Engine
  • No additional charges - FREE
  • Easy setup


Where is the Smart Pricing feature found?

This feature is available via Booking Engine Module > Smart Pricing





Some standard rules and conditions:

  • Enter discount as multiplier value – ie, if discount is 15%, value is 0.85
  • You need to link Package(s) to a Smart Pricing discount during setup
  • If more than 1 Smart Pricing discount applies to a rate searched, STAAH will apply/ consider the lowest rate, meaning the discount type with the maximum discount
  • Pay Now discount is additional to any other applicable Smart Pricing discount. Pay Now discount is calculated on top of applicable Smart Pricing discount (if available)
  • Enable ‘Apply Validity flag’ to set applicable validity period – based on booking date and stay date. 
  • Multi-validity supported
  • Black out dates:  Available when validity dates applied.
  • Blackout stay dates – Select ‘stay dates’ where discount is not applicable. 
  • Blackout booking dates – Select ‘stay dates’ where discount is not applicable.
  • Smart Pricing discount can only be applied to packages that are available for public access
  • Extra Adult/Child discount – enable toggle to apply discount to Extra Adult/Child prices.
  • Discount calculated from daily rate
  • Discount applies to all guests booked (incl extra guests)
  • Option to apply cancellation policy to Smart pricing discount. Default policy is package cancellation policy.



How to setup Smart Pricing discounts?

Setup > Booking engine

Smart Pricing > ‘Add’.





Discount Type: Advance Purchase 

Set discounts to attract early bookers.




1.       Enter discount name

2.       Select Advance Purchase

3.       Enter number of days in advance required for discount to apply and applicable discount.

a.       You can scale discount based on number of days in advance booking is made. Click on ‘+’ to add more

ie: 2 nights @ 0.90

     5 nights @ 0.85

     7 nights @ 0.80

4.       Select package(s) you wish to link to this discount.

5.       Apply Validity (if required)

a.       Custom days: ability apply promotion to custom days of the week, default is All days.

6.       Apply blackout dates (if required)

7.       Apply cancellation policy (if required)

8.       Save


Note: You may want to consider retiring advance purchase rate plans and replace with Smart Pricing









Discount type: Device 



Target on the ‘Go’ bookers by setting discounts for mobile bookers.







1.       Enter discount name

2.       Select Device

3.       Enter applicable discount

4.       Select package(s) you wish to link to this discount.

5.       Apply validity (if required)

a.       Custom days: ability apply promotion to custom days of the week, default is All days.

6.       Apply blackout dates (if required)

7.       Apply cancellation policy (if required)

8.       Save




Discount Type: Last Minute Deals 

Discounts for Last minute bookers.






  1. Enter discount name
  2. Select Last Minute Deals
  3. Select packages) you wish to link to this discount. 
  4. Enter number of days prior to arrival required for discount to apply and applicable discount
  5. You can scale discount based on length of stay. Click on ‘+’ to add more 
  1. Apply validity (if required)
  2. Apply cancellation policy (if required)

  3. Save






Discount Type: Multi Nights 

Discounts for longer staying guests. The longer you stay the more you save!




1.       Enter discount name

2.       Select Multi Nights

3.       Enter minimum nights required for discount to apply and applicable discount

                                                               i.      ie: 2 nights @ 0.90

                                                             ii.      5 nights @ 0.85

                                                           iii.      7 nights @ 0.80

4.       Select packages) you wish to link to this discount.

5.       Apply validity (if required)

a.       Custom days: ability apply promotion to custom days of the week, default is All days.

6.       Apply cancellation policy (if required)

7.       Save


Note: You may want to consider retiring minimum night rate plans and replace with Smart Pricing.

_______________________________________________________________________________





Discount Type: Pay Now



Encourage customers to pay at time of booking by offering a discount. Customer will have option to 'Pay Now' with a discount of 'Pay On Arrival.' Remember, property needs to have payment gateway integrated with MAX Booking engine to offer this discount. If property has no payment gateway integrated, it is not possible to select this discount type.




1.       Enter discount name

2.       Select Pay Now

3.       Enter applicable discount

4.       Select packages) you wish to link to this discount.

5.       Apply validity (if required)

a.       Custom days: ability apply promotion to custom days of the week, default is All days.

6.       Apply blackout dates (if required)

7.       Apply cancellation policy (if required)

8.       Save


Note: Pay Now option will display price with discount. Pay Later option will display price with no discount. 




Total amount, discount amount and amount paid displayed in bookings module.








Discount Type: Region

Increase bookings by targeting guests from specific region. Designed, targeted discounts that you can offer to guests from a market of your choice. Follow prompts and complete as required




1.       Enter discount name

2.       Select Region

3.       Select Countries that will receive discount

4.       Enter applicable discount

5.       Select packages) you wish to link to this discount.

6.       Apply validity (if required)

a.       Custom days: ability apply promotion to custom days of the week, default is All days.

7.       Apply cancellation policy (if required)

8.       Save



How do I see Smart Pricing discounts already setup?

Smart Pricing Details Page 

  • On Smart Pricing details page, you will see a list of created Smart Pricing discounts
  • Click on ‘View’ to see full details



  • Click on ‘Edit’ to update discount details. 


  • Click on ‘Select Packages’ to add/remove a package to a discount.




Package setup


In package setup:

  • View Smart pricing discount(s) applied to package.
  • Option to link/remove smart pricing discount to package.


How is this information displayed in Bookings Module?

Bookings module

  1. Smart Pricing - Discount type and amount indicated. Displayed in extranet only.


2. Export booking document: Discount Type and Discount indicated



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