Thursday, April 2, 2009

Voluntary Pricing at Museums

After my post the other day about flexible pricing for hair cuts, I was thinking about other situations where how much one pays may be somewhat self-determined. Museums are a prime example. I went to the Philadelphia Museum of Art not long ago, on a Sunday when they offer “pay as you wish” entry pricing. The normal price is $14, so I just paid $14. The Metropolitan Museum in New York offers “suggested” rates all the time. It’s $20, which starts to feel a little steep, but even $20, to me, doesn’t feel like something I should be trying to skimp out on. I’ve spent $20 on far stupider things than a great art museum. I can afford $20, and I’m happy to support the museum being able to offer discounted rates to other people for whom $20 would be prohibitive. But if the entry fee was $50, or $100, I’m sure I’d be more likely to opt out of paying full price!

How do you decide whether you can pay full price when it’s optional? If a museum offers flexible pricing, should you pay less just because it’s the frugal thing to do?

Read more about Voluntary Pricing at Museums…



No comments: