Implementing dynamic pricing

Note: This feature is only available when using the Order based booking server for Things-To-Do inventory. If you wish to enable this, please reach out to your Reserve with Google contact.

When to implement dynamic pricing

This feature will update the price shown to the user of the ticket(s), and let the user to proceed with placing an order. Price increases or decreases are allowed. You would use dynamic pricing when:

• You offer a discount based on the number or combination of tickets
• The price has changed since you last updated the price through Feeds or Real-Time Updates

Note: To preserve a positive user experience, we do not allow large fluctuations in price and will fail the order if the updated price is too different from the original price displayed to the user (even if the price has been greatly lowered).

Changes to CheckOrderFulfillabilityResponse

If you are able to fulfill the order and the only difference between the request and response is the price, return OrderFulfillabilityResult set to CAN_FULFILL and the ItemFulfillabilityResult set to CAN_FULFILL (do not use INCORRECT_PRICE).

If the change in price is within the allowed range, we will show the user a message alerting them that the price has changed and show them the new price. If the change in price is too drastic or if your response is incorrect (such as using the wrong WarningReason or not including a requested TicketType) we will fail the request on our end (even if you return a successful response). You will be able to see these failed requests in the Partner Portal.

The two sections below will go into further detail about the changes required for the two use cases:

1. Quantity or cart based discount pricing
2. Price changes / fluctuations

These use cases for dynamic pricing have different implementation requirements.

Note: If the base price of a ticket has changed, you will still need to update the price of the ticket in the daily feeds and/or through a real-time update.

Quantity discount price changes

Price changes that occur due to the order placed (such as quantity discounts), and not changes to specific prices are supported. For example, if you offer a $2 discount per ticket if a user purchases 5 or more tickets, you will be able to specify that discount as part of the CheckOrderFulfillability Response. In this case, set the new price for each line item in the LineItem price field and populate WarningReason within the LineItemFulfillability message to the reason that corresponds with the change.

Example CheckOrderFulfillabilityRequest and CheckOrderFulfillabilityResponse

Request

    {
      "item": [
        {
          "duration_sec": "7200",
          "price": {
            "currency_code": "USD",
            "price_micros": "35000000"
          },
          "service_id": "escape_room",
          "start_sec": "1567000800",
          "tickets": [
            {
              "count": 10,
              "ticket_id": "adult"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "merchant_id": "awesome_escape_rooms"
    }
   

Response

    "fulfillability": {
      "result": "CAN_FULFILL",
      "item_fulfillability": [
        {
          "item": {
            "service_id": "escape_room",
            "start_sec": "1567000800",
            "duration_sec": "7200",
            "tickets": [
              {
                "ticket_id": "adult",
                "count": 10
              }
            ],
            "price": {
              "price_micros": "30000000",
              "currency_code": "USD"
            }
          },
          "result": "CAN_FULFILL",
          "warning_reason": "PRICE_DECREASE"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
   

This response indicates that the price is now $30 even though the original price was $35. To signal that the price has changed, the response includes the warning_reason which is set to PRICE_DECREASE.

Individual ticket type price fluctuations

If the price of a single ticket type changes, please implement the following:

• Set the new price for each line item in the LineItem price field.
• Populate ticket_type within LineItemFulfillability with all ticket types contained within the original request (including all ticket types even if the price has not changed for that specific ticket type). This is required should the order increase in price.
• Populate warning_reason within LineItemFulfillability and clearly indicate the reason for the change in price.

Note: You only need to populate the required fields within the TicketType.

Example CheckOrderFulfillabilityRequest and CheckOrderFulfillabilityResponse

Request

    {
    "item": [
      {
        "duration_sec": "7200",
        "price": {
          "currency_code": "USD",
          "price_micros": "28000000"
        },
        "service_id": "concert",
        "start_sec": "1567000800",
        "tickets": [
          {
            "count": 2,
            "ticket_id": "adult"
          }
        ]
      }
    ],
    "merchant_id": "concert_venue"
  }
   

Response

   {
    "fulfillability": {
      "result": "CAN_FULFILL",
      "item_fulfillability": [
        {
          "item": {
            "service_id": "concert",
            "start_sec": "1567000800",
            "duration_sec": "7200",
            "tickets": [
              {
                "ticket_id": "adult",
                "count": 2
              }
            ],
            "price": {
              "price_micros": "30000000",
              "currency_code": "USD"
            }
          },
          "result": "CAN_FULFILL",
          "warning_reason": "PRICE_INCREASE",
          "ticket_type": [
            {
              "ticket_type_id": "adult",
              "price": {
                "price_micros": 15000000,
                "currency_code": "USD"
              }
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  }