September 2020
Case
HBS Case Collection

Getaway

By: Ryan W. Buell and Amy Klopfenstein

Format:Print
| Language:English
| Pages:32

Abstract

Since its founding, Getaway’s service offering – tiny, modern cabins in the woods, located within a two-hour drive of major metropolitan areas – had been met with tremendous demand. Overworked and overconnected city dwellers reveled in the opportunity to take a break from their hectic lives, disconnecting in nature, and savoring meaningful moments with the people closest to them. What began with a fixed, nightly cabin rate of $99 a night had graduated over time to daily yield management, and a steady increase in prices to match rising demand. $159.. $179... $199.. With the onset of the global pandemic in March of 2020, the prospect of getting away to the woods, in rigorously-cleaned, socially-distanced cabins, became even more appealing to homebound consumers, and there was a step change in demand, and prices skyrocketed, crossing $369 in some markets. Should the company make as much money as quickly as possible to fund further growth, or does that risk that consumers will determine Getaway is too expensive and either never come, or never come more than once?