When I first started out hobbying with pornstars, like most newbies not schooled in the art of finding PSEs, I used agencies... the big ones were Adult Star Fantasies and Exotica-2000.  Body Miracle was around but specialized in mega-boobed PSEs like Minka and Kayla Kleevage.  The big UTR agencies were Nici's Girls and Centerfolds International, who dealt primarily in long-format dates from evenings to weekends... they had little or no interest in booking hourly dates and they were more invested in Playmates and Centerfolds than pornstars.

Now, there are those here that say they never use agencies.  There's certainly nothing wrong with that philosophy, but I feel that agencies DO serve a purpose in this hobby.

Without agencies, there are a lot of cities that would never see a pornstar.  Philadelphia, Chicago, Minneapolis, Atlanta and many others would be PSE barren... no offense to some of the PSEs out there, but many of them just don't have the business sense or are capable of scheduling advertising, booking flights and hotels and setting up appointments on their own.

Also, there are some PSEs who ONLY work through an agency for various reasons; verification, advertising, etc., not to mention UTRs who for obvious reasons primarily book through an agency. And for the services they provide to the girls these agencies are entitled to make a profit.

There is a reason why agencies and independent PSEs can and do co-exist.  Granted, booking directly usually means a dollar savings, but booking through an agency gives you access to girls you otherwise wouldn't be able to see.

It boils down to a matter of priorities.  If keeping the price down is the most important one to you, than booking directly is the way to go... but if you want to see an ATF like Briana Banks or Any Reid or such, then that's your priority and money becomes, at least to an extent, secondary.

TER members make up a relatively small segment of the hobbying community.  Our discussions about contact info and direct bookings don't really affect the agencies as much as one might think, especially the UTR agencies.  Believe it or not, many of the PSEs I know who DO book directly tell me that a large percentage of their clients have never heard of TER.  And keep in mind that many hobbyists, particularly the high-rollers who use the UTR agencies, aren't necessarily looking for a specific girl; they're looking for a specific TYPE of girl.  They're well-off businessmen traveling to a city and they call the agecny and tell them "I'd like to see a tall blond with big boobs".  They don't have time to research and track down a certain escort, and many don't like the idea of 20 different girls having their personal info, so it's just more convenient for them to use an agency.

Where the agencies ARE suffering in this resession isn't in the price they charge per hour, it's the guys who used to book evenings and overnights who are now booking one or two hours instead... if they're going to discount their rates, it's going to be for the long dates, not the short ones.

So don't assume it's just a matter of time before the agencies go out of business or "see the light" and reduce their hourly rates.  I'm not saying that it won't eventually happen, but it's not going to be as soon as many think.

well said Eddie!!
All this talk about the agencies going out of business and how the girls will charge less is getting old. I have been hobbying for about 6 years and i used agencies when i first started also. I now have seen enough stars wher i have networked and can book directly. There are a few UTR that Lita has on her roster that if they come to NY i will jump at the opportunity to see. It does get annoying hearing people say you should do this or do that. Living on the east coast i have to pay more than a guy who lives in LA.
I was texting a pornstar friend last night who said exactly what you said Eddie that TER is a small segment of the Hobbying community.It seems that the conversation of rates comes up every 2 months or so. I remember 2 or 3 years ago where all the talk was of who we would see next not how can i make this girl cheaper.
Also to me saying wait till her rent is do or her car payment is do and than i will get her cheaper is a little weird to me. I see the same 2-3 stars and i actually go on vacations with one every other month for 3 or 4 days. Now my rate is discounted but i have known her for 2 years now.It does take time to get their rates to go down for you but i rather become somewhat friends than have it do to them being desperate for rent money.
Finally i don't think their is anything wrong with the 300 club if those are the pornstars that you are interested in, i just hate how guys on this board say you should do this or that. I also hate when guys pick on a girl if her rates are too much for them to pay.

One of the regulars I see, I pay her $2k for 2 hrs....I never try to negotiate w/her (I have such a soft spot for her that I can't - nor is it in my personality to do so)...She's fine with non-condom, I'm fine w/her rate....PERIOD


spicoli said "i just hate how guys on this board say you should do this or that"..

I agree, regardless of what topic it is....I can't stand lectures or preaching on what people should/should not do....

I agree with you guys 100%. There are people who have personal assistants, personal shoppers, etc. Could they do these things themselves? sure. But they choose to pay for the extra service. Isn't an agency very much the same thing.

Essentially, I agree with what you wrote about the rates charged by agencies and girls.  I too have a history of using agencies, and booking direct, and I used the agencies you mentioned, and others.

What most people forget is that, for all our talk about democracy, freedom, etc., we really live in a capitalistic society.  In such a society anyone is free to set the rate that they choose to charge for the products or services they are offering.  It is entirely up to the seller to decide.  If the buyer doesn't like the price, the buyer goes elsewhere.  That's why I'll never buy a Mercedes or a Lexus or a Porsche - I think the cars cost too much money and I can find cars that do everything I want and need for half the cost.

Why should escorts and agencies be any different?  They can charge whatever price they want to charge for their services.  If you don't want to pay the charge you go somewhere else.  That's it.  

On the other hand, I don't think there's anything wrong with attempting to negotiate.  Just like you might negotiate a deal on a car, you might be able to negotiate a deal with an escort - unless of course she posts clearly on her website that rates are non-negotiable.  But, even then, I don't see anything wrong with saying to an escort: "I'm sorry, but I would love to see you and spend time with you but I cannot afford that rate" (or something similar) and letting them come back with another offer if they're so inclined.  There's nothing wrong with being honest and polite.  I've even had a few who have said their rates were non-negotiable come back with a better offer.

NOTE: By no means do I intend to imply that hiring an escort is like buying a car or that women are objects like cars.  I simply intended to use the experience of buying a car to explain the philosophy by way of analogy.

speaking of who the real big-spender clients of these agencies are, i'm reminded of that one madame who recently claimed to have most of Hollywood's A-list on her client list (i forget her name or the details of the bust)

but in one interview she recalled a conversation with BW in which he had asked her to send over a *couple* of girls.

when she asked well what are you into? he impatiently replied: "Look honey, I don't have time for that. Just make sure they're real hot and they know how to fuck!"

news of this broke right around the time BW got married to Emma Hemmings ...  how embarrasing!

http://cdn.buzznet.com/media-cdn/jj1/headlines/2009/06/bruce-willis-w-magazine-july-2009-cover.jpg

I've found that most likely I'll be on the independent road but here's a thought...Maybe if "agencies" didn't have such an issue with black providers and clients alike, their future wouldn't be as bleak.

I'm starting to realize that the unjustifiable "snobbishness" that the adult industry has harbored in exotic dancer world, porn world and in this provider arena alike over the years is most likely the real reason for the adult industry's financial woes.

Karma pops up everywhere I suppose.