Competitive sets

What is a competitive set?

A competitive set is a list of vacation rentals that offer travelers a similar experience to your own. It includes the other properties that travelers are most likely also considering when they’re looking at yours. Your competitive set* can help you understand your market, how your property compares, and how to price your property. 

Your competitive set also determines which types of data you see in MarketMaker™, our revenue management tool. Data from your competitive set feeds into the MarketMaker dashboard, so you can easily compare your performance. 

What factors go into the selection of a competitive set? 

Since travelers make trade-offs when they choose a property, your competitive set is based on several factors that may change in real time according to traveler data, including:

• Same geographic area as your vacation rental
• Similar amenities, such as swimming pools or waterfront access
• Property size, including the number of guests it can sleep
• Closeness to local attractions, like the beach, museums, and other places of interest to travelers
• Traveler behavior when they search, such as which properties they've viewed and booked. If several travelers who book your property have also considered the same three competing properties, those properties are likely to show up in your competitive set.

Integrated partners who use Escapia have access to competitive sets through MarketMaker. Learn more about MarketMaker eligibility for integrated partners.

*Competitive sets are customizable in every region. However, in Japan and Singapore they're solely used to provide rank metric insights and can only be viewed under "Ranking metrics" and not used for MarketMaker.

Edit competitive set

From your dashboard, visit “MarketMaker” then “Comp Set”.

How it works

To view your competitive set, log in to your account and choose the property you want to view. Then go to "MarketMaker" in the left-hand menu and click on "Comp set," which is above the insights graph. 

To add a competitor, click on "Other properties." When you find the property you want to include, click "Add" — or click "Remove" to delete the property. Use the "Draw Rectangle" tool to add or remove properties in an entire area.

Note that your competitive set can also be viewed under "Ranking metrics" on the left-hand side in the dashboard, where you can get a high-level summary of your performance.

How to use the data from your competitive set 

Your competitive set can help you understand how you compare to other vacation rentals in your market. It can also help you find ways to improve your performance and set competitive rates.  

Seeing how similar properties are priced, their amenities, and how other features can give you valuable information about your own property and rates.

For example, if your property is under booked, it could be because you’ve priced your property too high. Check your competitive set to see if others in your area are priced lower and adjust your rates or strategy as needed.  

Another reason your property is under booked may be because your property offers different amenities, location, or bed/bath counts than others in your area. If so, consider adding more amenities or better showcasing what you do have to offer.

Your competitive set may also show that you charge less than other properties in your area. This is common during seasonal or special events. In this case, you can raise your price to stay competitive.

If you see most of your competitive set is booked on any given day or weekend, raise your prices to take advantage of the high demand and low supply. 

How to make changes to your competitive set 

Competitive sets must be accurate and representative to provide helpful insights into your market. An accurate competitive set helps you set competitive rates, understand booking trends, and see how you compare to other properties.

For the best results, combine your firsthand experience and knowledge with traveler search data. We trust the data and the competitive sets we provide, but you know your market best. 

If you think some properties shouldn't be included in your competitive set, or that others should, you can easily add or remove properties in MarketMaker™. 

But be sure to consider both your property and your guests when adding or removing properties from your competitive set. Here are some helpful questions to ask: 

• Who are my guests – families, couples, groups, business travelers?
• Do I offer my guests the same value as similar properties?
• What amenities or features do I provide that are important to travelers?

Edit competitive set

From your dashboard, visit “MarketMaker” then “Comp Set”.