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Arks

Arks

Well-known member
Joined
May 22, 2010
Messages
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Maybe this is not new, but I've just noticed it. I've never had it set where people can make reservations from my TA page, but I've just noticed that since I signed up with Bookingdotcom, my TA page now lets people make reservations. It's all handled through Booking.
And the "management photos" I used to have posted on my TA page seem to be gone. When you click the "professional photos" on TA now, it takes you to my page on Booking and you see the photos I put there.
I'll bet TA has worked a deal to refer people to Booking and the two big agencies split the Booking commission.
I guess this is OK with me. Might be a good thing. I suspect as many or more people find me on TA than through my own website and FB and all. It's kind of nice to have these big agencies out there working to promote my place, as long as it just costs me what I was willing to pay Booking anyway.
 
Sorry, but I just think it's more evidence of book.com trying to monopolize all of your reservations.
 
Yes, the jury's out, but they're probably better at filling beds than I am, so if they send me enough business to offset their commission, I'll be happy, and might even bump my rates up a little.
I know how much business I had without them, so we'll see how things change over time with them. I can always cut them off if I decide it's not working for me. So far, no problems.
 
Booking.com belongs to Priceline which is owned by pension funds. Their interest is to get as much profit from you and your guests. Though it may seem pleasant to be taken care nicely by such big company, you should ensure not to become dependant from them. They are very efficient companies. Do not let them take the keys of your business. You are the manager, not them.
 
souslechene said:
Booking.com belongs to Priceline which is owned by pension funds. Their interest is to get as much profit from you and your guests. Though it may seem pleasant to be taken care nicely by such big company, you should ensure not to become dependant from them. They are very efficient companies. Do not let them take the keys of your business. You are the manager, not them..
Click to expand...
great advice souslechene.
 
[h2]
Anecdotal Evidence Warning[/h2]
My sister has a store across the street from my guesthouse. Gifts, souvenirs of our area, etc. Today she said two tourists came in, who are in town for a seminar this weekend at the local college.
She asked them where they were staying and got around to mentioning my place across the street. They said, oh, we wanted to stay there, but there were no prices listed on TA so we couldn't book there.
There's no way of knowing how often that happens, but I'm sure it's more than we ever know about. I guess a TA business listing would get my rates listed, but this new connection to Booking can serve the same purpose.
We drive people to our websites in every way we can think of, but if we want the most occupancy we can get, we've probably also got to play the game of the companies most people go to for their bookings.
 
Arks said:
[h2]
Anecdotal Evidence Warning[/h2]
My sister has a store across the street from my guesthouse. Gifts, souvenirs of our area, etc. Today she said two tourists came in, who are in town for a seminar this weekend at the local college.
She asked them where they were staying and got around to mentioning my place across the street. They said, oh, we wanted to stay there, but there were no prices listed on TA so we couldn't book there.
There's no way of knowing how often that happens, but I'm sure it's more than we ever know about. I guess a TA business listing would get my rates listed, but this new connection to Booking can serve the same purpose.
We drive people to our websites in every way we can think of, but if we want the most occupancy we can get, we've probably also got to play the game of the companies most people go to for their bookings..
Click to expand...
More anecdotal evidence...
Booking. Com reservation last week. Why? It said, 'only one room left!' She booked. Looked no further. I had 5 rooms open but only 1 on booking.
Apologized to me when she got here and said she panicked but should have looked more closely and booked direct.
 
Arks, this is another change that happened when they included a listing of inns based on availability instead of rank. Those who subscribe to a booking engine are listed first and visitors are whisked away to the booking engine. TA must have made a deal.
 
For me that was the killer on booking. We're fairly top rated on ta and get lots of bookings from it. Having all those people who used to find us on ta getting sent to booking meant no extra bookings but 15% less income.
What annoyed me most about this situation is that I'm paying ta £400+ a year for a business listing and yet I get a tiny link at the top of the page but booking takes up almost a quarter of my ta page.
After we left booking the box remained on our ta page but when you put in dates it took you to our competitors which
angry_smile.gif
me off even more. I wrote and complained to TA and they said there was nothing they could do about it.
Anyone who tells you that their website does something over which they have no control is lying, in my book.
 
Silverspoon said:
Arks, this is another change that happened when they included a listing of inns based on availability instead of rank. Those who subscribe to a booking engine are listed first and visitors are whisked away to the booking engine. TA must have made a deal..
Click to expand...
Silverspoon said:
TA must have made a deal.
Click to expand...
Yep. Makes you wonder what they'll come up with next week. It seems like things change about that often now.
I also noticed yesterday that on TA if I click the "B&Bs and Inns" link at the top of their page for my town's lodging, it still shows all the hotels and motels at the top, and the B&Bs and Inns at the bottom.
 
So the chicken and egg scenario is at play:
Are you NOT getting reservations because it is not showing an availability and price, or
Are you losing MORE $, because booking.com is taking them at ease, and paying 15% on every room.
?
 
I guess people who have plenty of business have the additional benefit of allowing bookings only from their website, and those who need more business have the additional burden of having to give up 15% to increase the likelihood of getting heads in beds.
I think a lot of us who find Booking attractive after a long slow winter will see some drawbacks to Booking during the busy vacation season.
How hard it is to turn Booking off and on? Use them when you need them and turn them off when you don't.
As was mentioned above, when you turn Booking off, TA offers to search places nearby that do have online prices posted. But I think it's that way for EVERYONE now. Any lodging page I go to now on TA either has a way to book, or it says
We can't find prices for this accommodation
Our online travel partners don't provide prices for this accommodation, but we can search other options in [the town you're searching]
I think they've got us, folks. Either let them book your place, and they take a cut, or they will do everything they can to send people to places that do give them a cut.
 
Arks said:
I guess people who have plenty of business have the additional benefit of allowing bookings only from their website, and those who need more business have the additional burden of having to give up 15% to increase the likelihood of getting heads in beds.
I think a lot of us who find Booking attractive after a long slow winter will see some drawbacks to Booking during the busy vacation season.
How hard it is to turn Booking off and on? Use them when you need them and turn them off when you don't.
As was mentioned above, when you turn Booking off, TA offers to search places nearby that do have online prices posted. But I think it's that way for EVERYONE now. Any lodging page I go to now on TA either has a way to book, or it says
We can't find prices for this accommodation
Our online travel partners don't provide prices for this accommodation, but we can search other options in [the town you're searching]
I think they've got us, folks. Either let them book your place, and they take a cut, or they will do everything they can to send people to places that do give them a cut..
Click to expand...
Tis a quandary.
 
Is TA publicly held? I may want to buy some stock! If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!
 
Arks said:
Is TA publicly held? I may want to buy some stock! If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!.
Click to expand...
Arks said:
Is TA publicly held? I may want to buy some stock! If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!
Click to expand...
I was thinking about that, better the devil you know and all that good stuff.
Tripadvisor Inc
NASDAQ: TRIP - Mar 7 4:00 PM ET
108.06-0.32 (-0.30%)
 
Arks said:
I guess people who have plenty of business have the additional benefit of allowing bookings only from their website, and those who need more business have the additional burden of having to give up 15% to increase the likelihood of getting heads in beds.
I think a lot of us who find Booking attractive after a long slow winter will see some drawbacks to Booking during the busy vacation season.
How hard it is to turn Booking off and on? Use them when you need them and turn them off when you don't.
As was mentioned above, when you turn Booking off, TA offers to search places nearby that do have online prices posted. But I think it's that way for EVERYONE now. Any lodging page I go to now on TA either has a way to book, or it says
We can't find prices for this accommodation
Our online travel partners don't provide prices for this accommodation, but we can search other options in [the town you're searching]
I think they've got us, folks. Either let them book your place, and they take a cut, or they will do everything they can to send people to places that do give them a cut..
Click to expand...
Just block the rooms during the season you don't want them to show up. Your listing doesn't show if you don't have rooms. (At least that's what I've noticed.) However, the honking big ad that covers the whole top of your TA listing doesn't go away.
 
Arks said:
I guess people who have plenty of business have the additional benefit of allowing bookings only from their website, and those who need more business have the additional burden of having to give up 15% to increase the likelihood of getting heads in beds.
I think a lot of us who find Booking attractive after a long slow winter will see some drawbacks to Booking during the busy vacation season.
How hard it is to turn Booking off and on? Use them when you need them and turn them off when you don't.
As was mentioned above, when you turn Booking off, TA offers to search places nearby that do have online prices posted. But I think it's that way for EVERYONE now. Any lodging page I go to now on TA either has a way to book, or it says
We can't find prices for this accommodation
Our online travel partners don't provide prices for this accommodation, but we can search other options in [the town you're searching]
I think they've got us, folks. Either let them book your place, and they take a cut, or they will do everything they can to send people to places that do give them a cut..
Click to expand...
Arks said:
I guess people who have plenty of business have the additional benefit of allowing bookings only from their website, and those who need more business have the additional burden of having to give up 15% to increase the likelihood of getting heads in beds.
I think a lot of us who find Booking attractive after a long slow winter will see some drawbacks to Booking during the busy vacation season.
How hard it is to turn Booking off and on? Use them when you need them and turn them off when you don't.
As was mentioned above, when you turn Booking off, TA offers to search places nearby that do have online prices posted. But I think it's that way for EVERYONE now. Any lodging page I go to now on TA either has a way to book, or it says
We can't find prices for this accommodation
Our online travel partners don't provide prices for this accommodation, but we can search other options in [the town you're searching]
I think they've got us, folks. Either let them book your place, and they take a cut, or they will do everything they can to send people to places that do give them a cut.
Click to expand...
There is an alternative, which is to use TAs TripConnect. When a guest does a search with the dates box on your listing, it goes directly to your own reservation system. No commission when they book, but there is a pay per click charge from TA. Which is more expensive? I don't have a clue...it will depend on how big of a city you're in and the PPC rate.
I'm trying to get hooked up with TripConnect, but there's a glitch between my ResKey and TripConnect with my available dates.
 
Breakfast Diva said:
Arks said:
I guess people who have plenty of business have the additional benefit of allowing bookings only from their website, and those who need more business have the additional burden of having to give up 15% to increase the likelihood of getting heads in beds.
I think a lot of us who find Booking attractive after a long slow winter will see some drawbacks to Booking during the busy vacation season.
How hard it is to turn Booking off and on? Use them when you need them and turn them off when you don't.
As was mentioned above, when you turn Booking off, TA offers to search places nearby that do have online prices posted. But I think it's that way for EVERYONE now. Any lodging page I go to now on TA either has a way to book, or it says
We can't find prices for this accommodation
Our online travel partners don't provide prices for this accommodation, but we can search other options in [the town you're searching]
I think they've got us, folks. Either let them book your place, and they take a cut, or they will do everything they can to send people to places that do give them a cut..
Click to expand...
Arks said:
I guess people who have plenty of business have the additional benefit of allowing bookings only from their website, and those who need more business have the additional burden of having to give up 15% to increase the likelihood of getting heads in beds.
I think a lot of us who find Booking attractive after a long slow winter will see some drawbacks to Booking during the busy vacation season.
How hard it is to turn Booking off and on? Use them when you need them and turn them off when you don't.
As was mentioned above, when you turn Booking off, TA offers to search places nearby that do have online prices posted. But I think it's that way for EVERYONE now. Any lodging page I go to now on TA either has a way to book, or it says
We can't find prices for this accommodation
Our online travel partners don't provide prices for this accommodation, but we can search other options in [the town you're searching]
I think they've got us, folks. Either let them book your place, and they take a cut, or they will do everything they can to send people to places that do give them a cut.
Click to expand...
There is an alternative, which is to use TAs TripConnect. When a guest does a search with the dates box on your listing, it goes directly to your own reservation system. No commission when they book, but there is a pay per click charge from TA. Which is more expensive? I don't have a clue...it will depend on how big of a city you're in and the PPC rate.
I'm trying to get hooked up with TripConnect, but there's a glitch between my ResKey and TripConnect with my available dates.
.
Click to expand...
Breakfast Diva said:
I'm trying to get hooked up with TripConnect, but there's a glitch between my ResKey and TripConnect with my available dates.
Click to expand...
Do you need to buy a TA listing to get the trip connect portion?
 
Madeleine said:
Breakfast Diva said:
Arks said:
I guess people who have plenty of business have the additional benefit of allowing bookings only from their website, and those who need more business have the additional burden of having to give up 15% to increase the likelihood of getting heads in beds.
I think a lot of us who find Booking attractive after a long slow winter will see some drawbacks to Booking during the busy vacation season.
How hard it is to turn Booking off and on? Use them when you need them and turn them off when you don't.
As was mentioned above, when you turn Booking off, TA offers to search places nearby that do have online prices posted. But I think it's that way for EVERYONE now. Any lodging page I go to now on TA either has a way to book, or it says
We can't find prices for this accommodation
Our online travel partners don't provide prices for this accommodation, but we can search other options in [the town you're searching]
I think they've got us, folks. Either let them book your place, and they take a cut, or they will do everything they can to send people to places that do give them a cut..
Click to expand...
Arks said:
I guess people who have plenty of business have the additional benefit of allowing bookings only from their website, and those who need more business have the additional burden of having to give up 15% to increase the likelihood of getting heads in beds.
I think a lot of us who find Booking attractive after a long slow winter will see some drawbacks to Booking during the busy vacation season.
How hard it is to turn Booking off and on? Use them when you need them and turn them off when you don't.
As was mentioned above, when you turn Booking off, TA offers to search places nearby that do have online prices posted. But I think it's that way for EVERYONE now. Any lodging page I go to now on TA either has a way to book, or it says
We can't find prices for this accommodation
Our online travel partners don't provide prices for this accommodation, but we can search other options in [the town you're searching]
I think they've got us, folks. Either let them book your place, and they take a cut, or they will do everything they can to send people to places that do give them a cut.
Click to expand...
There is an alternative, which is to use TAs TripConnect. When a guest does a search with the dates box on your listing, it goes directly to your own reservation system. No commission when they book, but there is a pay per click charge from TA. Which is more expensive? I don't have a clue...it will depend on how big of a city you're in and the PPC rate.
I'm trying to get hooked up with TripConnect, but there's a glitch between my ResKey and TripConnect with my available dates.
.
Click to expand...
Breakfast Diva said:
I'm trying to get hooked up with TripConnect, but there's a glitch between my ResKey and TripConnect with my available dates.
Click to expand...
Do you need to buy a TA listing to get the trip connect portion?
.
Click to expand...
Madeleine said:
Breakfast Diva said:
I'm trying to get hooked up with TripConnect, but there's a glitch between my ResKey and TripConnect with my available dates.
Click to expand...
Do you need to buy a TA listing to get the trip connect portion?
Click to expand...
yes
 

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