Bedandbreakfast.com listing platinum members first in other cities with priority

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beachdriveinn

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Has anyone noticed that bedandbreakfast.com is listing B&B's with priority in other cities that they do not belong. I can understand wanting to list in another city that may be close. But it should not be listed first when other members pay to have their listing in that city. I have also noticed they are listing establishments that are not even licensed and should not even be labeled as a Bed and Breakfast.
 
From what I remember they rotate the listings. We have had this issue in the past, as they list in the same city an inn that is not in that city, and in fact may be 50 minutes drive, but they list AS THE BIRD FLIES, which is really funny here, as I am in the mountains, so as the bird flies actually takes longer on winding mountain roads.
If they are not B&B's I would complain about that. I don't think they feel it is necessary to check any licensing, and as you may find on this forum, not everyone is LICENSED as not all states/locales require any sort of inspection and licensing process. You would hope so for health and safety reasons.
 
If you check our town, Charlottesville, VA there are always at least 3-4 B&Bs that come up first that are not in Charlottesville. The "inn of the month" has usually been one that is a good 45 minutes drive away. We always have guests complaining about this to us as they think it's just outside town. I just checked and today the "inn of the month" is one in another town about 30 minutes away. Then in the "Charlottesville Area" where we are all lumped together, there are 3 inns in other towns before any Charlottesville inn shows up. They pay for the "diamond" listing so come up before any Charlottesville inn which will not pay those high listing prices.

This directory gives placement to who pays the most. Period.
Check those that are not in your town that are showing up first. I will bet they either pay for "inn of the month" or are paying to be in the "diamond" category.
RIki
 
Show them the money. You want to be the first place listed? Pay for Inn of the Month. You want to be at the top? Buy Platinum or their new Diamond listing.
There are 3-4 B&B's listed in my town as well that are at least 45-60 minutes away. Pay them and they'll put your listing wherever you want it.
 
PS it is the same thing if you go into their inns for sale section (which aint' cheap, btw, even if you are a member!) and find POTENTIAL INNS for sale, this is basically any house that has 4 bedrooms. !!!
I am done done done with them and have never looked back. It did not affect my bottom line in the least...I won't be bullied by them any longer. They can take their high priced listing and shove it. Yes I said shove it.
That gal who called last night and was very upset we don't take the flippin' gift cards from BandB.com I said well for $500 listing we paid annually and the high commission, it was not worth it to us.
Look at the home page, it is so confusing! Where to go what to do: http://www.bedandbreakfast.com/
This year is a good year to get the most bang for your buck!
 
I dont think it is up to bedandbreakfast.com to determine who is licensed or who it not, I DON'T LIKE that they would NOT be licensed but bandb.com is not a govt or regulatory agency
If you feel someone is not operating as they should then report them to the local authorities .. none of us want to be lumped with other B&B's where guests have got sick from food poisening or died in fires ...
 
Show them the money. You want to be the first place listed? Pay for Inn of the Month. You want to be at the top? Buy Platinum or their new Diamond listing.
There are 3-4 B&B's listed in my town as well that are at least 45-60 minutes away. Pay them and they'll put your listing wherever you want it..
I see they are listed as Platinum and much larger than us in this area. It just does not seem fair they should be listed above those that are actually paying for placement in the same city. Although you might be paying for that status to include other cities that are local, it should not be given priority because it may confuse that traveler.
 
Show them the money. You want to be the first place listed? Pay for Inn of the Month. You want to be at the top? Buy Platinum or their new Diamond listing.
There are 3-4 B&B's listed in my town as well that are at least 45-60 minutes away. Pay them and they'll put your listing wherever you want it..
I see they are listed as Platinum and much larger than us in this area. It just does not seem fair they should be listed above those that are actually paying for placement in the same city. Although you might be paying for that status to include other cities that are local, it should not be given priority because it may confuse that traveler.
.
beachdriveinn said:
I see they are listed as Platinum and much larger than us in this area. It just does not seem fair they should be listed above those that are actually paying for placement in the same city. Although you might be paying for that status to include other cities that are local, it should not be given priority because it may confuse that traveler.
Life is not fair. And when it comes to MONEY, ALL is fair. What is fair about a 3-room B & B paying the same rate as a 30-room inn? The ROI is certainly different. But if they can get those $$, they will. They just no longer get MY $$$ - and I have not looked back.
 
PS it is the same thing if you go into their inns for sale section (which aint' cheap, btw, even if you are a member!) and find POTENTIAL INNS for sale, this is basically any house that has 4 bedrooms. !!!
I am done done done with them and have never looked back. It did not affect my bottom line in the least...I won't be bullied by them any longer. They can take their high priced listing and shove it. Yes I said shove it.
That gal who called last night and was very upset we don't take the flippin' gift cards from BandB.com I said well for $500 listing we paid annually and the high commission, it was not worth it to us.
Look at the home page, it is so confusing! Where to go what to do: http://www.bedandbreakfast.com/
This year is a good year to get the most bang for your buck!.
Joey Bloggs said:
PS it is the same thing if you go into their inns for sale section (which aint' cheap, btw, even if you are a member!) and find POTENTIAL INNS for sale, this is basically any house that has 4 bedrooms. !!!
I am done done done with them and have never looked back. It did not affect my bottom line in the least...I won't be bullied by them any longer. They can take their high priced listing and shove it. Yes I said shove it.
That gal who called last night and was very upset we don't take the flippin' gift cards from BandB.com I said well for $500 listing we paid annually and the high commission, it was not worth it to us.
Look at the home page, it is so confusing! Where to go what to do: http://www.bedandbreakfast.com/
This year is a good year to get the most bang for your buck!
Yes, once we can get our website professionally done I'll probably be done with them, which is why I don't send our guests to their website for reviews. I would lose them all when I leave! I send them to TA. I don't have the time right now to learn how to check if they are sending us any real business but when we get our website done witll sit wtih my web creator and have then go over it with me. I find the way they list which inns take their gift certificates and which don't as very hidden to the viewer.
RIki
 
Show them the money. You want to be the first place listed? Pay for Inn of the Month. You want to be at the top? Buy Platinum or their new Diamond listing.
There are 3-4 B&B's listed in my town as well that are at least 45-60 minutes away. Pay them and they'll put your listing wherever you want it..
I see they are listed as Platinum and much larger than us in this area. It just does not seem fair they should be listed above those that are actually paying for placement in the same city. Although you might be paying for that status to include other cities that are local, it should not be given priority because it may confuse that traveler.
.
beachdriveinn said:
I see they are listed as Platinum and much larger than us in this area. It just does not seem fair they should be listed above those that are actually paying for placement in the same city. Although you might be paying for that status to include other cities that are local, it should not be given priority because it may confuse that traveler.
There's your first mistake....never use the word fair and bb.com in the same breath. Their motto should be "show me the money".
 
I do have to agree that the cost of membership should be based on the number of rooms, ex 1-4. 5-20 etc but then you know the person that has 5 will be pissed that they don't get the 4 room rate and the person that has 21 the same...
but remember bandb.com is a business like any other, they can charge and do what they like, they are not a charity .... that said it is up to each person to decide who they want to do business with, and hands down they are the best one out there, and I believe a lot of guests may go there first and then book with you but they may just say they found you through an internet / google search so it's difficult to quantify
 
I do have to agree that the cost of membership should be based on the number of rooms, ex 1-4. 5-20 etc but then you know the person that has 5 will be pissed that they don't get the 4 room rate and the person that has 21 the same...
but remember bandb.com is a business like any other, they can charge and do what they like, they are not a charity .... that said it is up to each person to decide who they want to do business with, and hands down they are the best one out there, and I believe a lot of guests may go there first and then book with you but they may just say they found you through an internet / google search so it's difficult to quantify.
agoodman said:
I do have to agree that the cost of membership should be based on the number of rooms, ex 1-4. 5-20 etc but then you know the person that has 5 will be pissed that they don't get the 4 room rate and the person that has 21 the same...
but remember bandb.com is a business like any other, they can charge and do what they like, they are not a charity .... that said it is up to each person to decide who they want to do business with, and hands down they are the best one out there, and I believe a lot of guests may go there first and then book with you but they may just say they found you through an internet / google search so it's difficult to quantify
That's why I'll be getting a tracking system to find out. That's the way to find out if you are actually getting the traffic that they claim. I don't know that they are of that much use to me. I get found by people looking for wine tours. Then they check me out on TA. I believe I get very few from them.
Riki
 
Show them the money. You want to be the first place listed? Pay for Inn of the Month. You want to be at the top? Buy Platinum or their new Diamond listing.
There are 3-4 B&B's listed in my town as well that are at least 45-60 minutes away. Pay them and they'll put your listing wherever you want it..
I see they are listed as Platinum and much larger than us in this area. It just does not seem fair they should be listed above those that are actually paying for placement in the same city. Although you might be paying for that status to include other cities that are local, it should not be given priority because it may confuse that traveler.
.
beachdriveinn said:
I see they are listed as Platinum and much larger than us in this area. It just does not seem fair they should be listed above those that are actually paying for placement in the same city. Although you might be paying for that status to include other cities that are local, it should not be given priority because it may confuse that traveler.
It DOES confuse the traveler. We had an inn 45 minutes away buying the "inn of the month" space. As a traveler, I always thought that kind of title meant the inn was the most popular, didn't realize it was paid advertisement.
Anyway, this inn had bookings during the university graduation weekend. They thought they would be in the Charlottesville area. My guests, the other half of this family, ended up asking if they could gather as a family in my living room to relax until dinner since they would face a 45 minute drive out and back otherwise. They felt very misled and were angry after arriving in Charlottesville only to drive way out of town in the middle of the countryside before finding their inn to check in. Left me in a very difficult position when they asked me about it.
RIki
 
Show them the money. You want to be the first place listed? Pay for Inn of the Month. You want to be at the top? Buy Platinum or their new Diamond listing.
There are 3-4 B&B's listed in my town as well that are at least 45-60 minutes away. Pay them and they'll put your listing wherever you want it..
I see they are listed as Platinum and much larger than us in this area. It just does not seem fair they should be listed above those that are actually paying for placement in the same city. Although you might be paying for that status to include other cities that are local, it should not be given priority because it may confuse that traveler.
.
beachdriveinn said:
I see they are listed as Platinum and much larger than us in this area. It just does not seem fair they should be listed above those that are actually paying for placement in the same city. Although you might be paying for that status to include other cities that are local, it should not be given priority because it may confuse that traveler.
It DOES confuse the traveler. We had an inn 45 minutes away buying the "inn of the month" space. As a traveler, I always thought that kind of title meant the inn was the most popular, didn't realize it was paid advertisement.
Anyway, this inn had bookings during the university graduation weekend. They thought they would be in the Charlottesville area. My guests, the other half of this family, ended up asking if they could gather as a family in my living room to relax until dinner since they would face a 45 minute drive out and back otherwise. They felt very misled and were angry after arriving in Charlottesville only to drive way out of town in the middle of the countryside before finding their inn to check in. Left me in a very difficult position when they asked me about it.
RIki
.
egoodell said:
It DOES confuse the traveler. We had an inn 45 minutes away buying the "inn of the month" space. As a traveler, I always thought that kind of title meant the inn was the most popular, didn't realize it was paid advertisement.
Until the travelers who are upset call bandb.com to complain en masse - and maybe even then - bandb.com will not care. Nor any of the other directories who have that practice, although bandb.com is the worst offender. Like the gift cards which can only be booked online, or listings that look like endorsements but are really paid advertisements, the person getting the brunt of the customer's anger is the innkeeper who's put on the spot and having to tell the customer they have it wrong. No skin off banb.com's nose.
We are the only B&B in our town, and someone with a platinum listing bought second city placement here even though they are not here. I spoke with Eric at a conference about how misleading the page was - at the time it said "B&Bs in my town." They changed it to say "Mytown area B&Bs and inns". Still, I have as the first words of my bandb.com listing - 'the only B&B in mytown. Why drive 20 minutes or more..." Now, sometimes an area B&B will buy the second city placement, but it usually drops away after a month or two.
I put in my online policies that I don't take the gift cards - the ones that have to be checked to make a reservation. I put it in my confirmation. People ask me why we don't, and I tell them. The people who have the gift cards say it's harder and harder to find a place that takes them.
 
and yet...they still sell them (gift certificates). with less and less inns accepting them
they have no use by date, and then what?
How can you sell something that right now you can use here and there, but tomorrow you can't? You have to go to another state to use it?
 
Its the same as if you buy a GC or someone buys one for youfrom Target or Macy's or any other store because they know there is one near you, and then that store closes down. You can still use them, you just have to use them at another store. If someone wants a GC specifically for your Inn, they need to buy it from you, then you become the responsible party
How would you like it if bandb.com asked when someone was making a res "which inn do you intend to stay at"? Then before selling the GC they want a GUARANTEE from you that you will honor it INDEFINATELY and REFUND if you ever sell?? Hmm I certainly would not
Again they are a business, they set the rules, I don't like them (the rules) but they are dealing with thousands of Inns internationally and they are NOT working their business around the "needs" of every B&B. Maybe you think they should, well them maybe you should try running a similar business
Sorry to sound harsh people, again I don't agree with everything they do but you have to think practically and globally
 
Its the same as if you buy a GC or someone buys one for youfrom Target or Macy's or any other store because they know there is one near you, and then that store closes down. You can still use them, you just have to use them at another store. If someone wants a GC specifically for your Inn, they need to buy it from you, then you become the responsible party
How would you like it if bandb.com asked when someone was making a res "which inn do you intend to stay at"? Then before selling the GC they want a GUARANTEE from you that you will honor it INDEFINATELY and REFUND if you ever sell?? Hmm I certainly would not
Again they are a business, they set the rules, I don't like them (the rules) but they are dealing with thousands of Inns internationally and they are NOT working their business around the "needs" of every B&B. Maybe you think they should, well them maybe you should try running a similar business
Sorry to sound harsh people, again I don't agree with everything they do but you have to think practically and globally.
How would you like it if bandb.com asked when someone was making a res "which inn do you intend to stay at"? Then before selling the GC they want a GUARANTEE from you that you will honor it INDEFINATELY and REFUND if you ever sell?? Hmm I certainly would not
They need to make known VERY BOLDLY that only some of their listings accept the GC, they are only hurting themselves and over time it will be more and more obvious.
 
Its the same as if you buy a GC or someone buys one for youfrom Target or Macy's or any other store because they know there is one near you, and then that store closes down. You can still use them, you just have to use them at another store. If someone wants a GC specifically for your Inn, they need to buy it from you, then you become the responsible party
How would you like it if bandb.com asked when someone was making a res "which inn do you intend to stay at"? Then before selling the GC they want a GUARANTEE from you that you will honor it INDEFINATELY and REFUND if you ever sell?? Hmm I certainly would not
Again they are a business, they set the rules, I don't like them (the rules) but they are dealing with thousands of Inns internationally and they are NOT working their business around the "needs" of every B&B. Maybe you think they should, well them maybe you should try running a similar business
Sorry to sound harsh people, again I don't agree with everything they do but you have to think practically and globally.
How would you like it if bandb.com asked when someone was making a res "which inn do you intend to stay at"? Then before selling the GC they want a GUARANTEE from you that you will honor it INDEFINATELY and REFUND if you ever sell?? Hmm I certainly would not
They need to make known VERY BOLDLY that only some of their listings accept the GC, they are only hurting themselves and over time it will be more and more obvious.
.
copperhead said:
How would you like it if bandb.com asked when someone was making a res "which inn do you intend to stay at"? Then before selling the GC they want a GUARANTEE from you that you will honor it INDEFINATELY and REFUND if you ever sell?? Hmm I certainly would not
They need to make known VERY BOLDLY that only some of their listings accept the GC, they are only hurting themselves and over time it will be more and more obvious.
I doesn't matter to them. There is no place you can write a review saying you bought this GC and now there are no places you want to go that will take them. Of course there are websites where you can complain about anything, but I don't think anyone has.
They all complain to us and we tell every last one of them to contact the company whose name is on the GC and complain to them.
They did make it easier to find which B&B's take the GC but that is online. The books are another thing altogether. The guest has to read in order to understand how to find a valid B&B and it seems they are now doing that as I'm down to only 1 call/year now for someone wanting to use the GC's from there.
It's no different from anything else. Just had a caller who wanted 2 rooms for 4 nights. In Feb! Yippee! We were discussing rooms and prices and I asked of they needed one bed or two in the rooms and she said they only needed one bed but was there room for dog beds in each room? They never start with the hard questions first. Here's what I would like to hear, 'Do you have 2 dog rooms available for 4 nights starting Feb 2?' Easy peasy. (All of which has nothing to do with the topic, sorry.)
 
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