We use it, but are always evaluating whether or not it is worth it.
B B . c o m will tell you that the 25-30% commission isn't high for several reasons, including that it is standard in the industry and that it doesn't represent true commission, as some will see your listing but book direct (as if you weren't paying for that listing already), so you should amortize the commission across all bookings that came via their site, plus you make a new relationship with a guest who will come back many times (without commission), so it is an investment in future business.
We may not be the best test of success with their program, as we limit how many rooms are available on it, and when they are available. We have not had more than a few bookings through that program each year, and we always cringe at the high commission. Not a single one of these guests has ever returned (with or without commisson on the subsequent visit), so the argument that we're building future business has not held water for us.
Why do we use it? It gets us exposure on Expedia and its partners. However, as best we can determine, we get very few visitors to our website from them - so it really isn't having the desired result.
Is that commission really standard in the industry? What industry? Lodging/hotels (who have dozens, if not hundreds, of rooms)? Why, yes, it is standard in that industry, because that is the GDS rate (more or less). Is it standard among travel agents? Of course not! Is it standard for OTA's (online travel agencies)? Of course not.
Is it worth it to fill rooms which might otherwise be empty? Yes - if you actually do fill those rooms. We've tried several different approaches to making rooms available on that system, from all rooms, to only select rooms; from all the time to only filling weak spots (mid-week, off-season, etc.). The bottom line hasn't changed - we don't get many bookings from that system.
Your mileage may (probably will) vary..
Not true. I know a couple who owns 3 major hotels and when I told them the bb.com/expedia/hotels.com partnership was charging us 30% they were appalled. They stated they would never pay that much.Scott said:Is that commission really standard in the industry? What industry? Lodging/hotels (who have dozens, if not hundreds, of rooms)? Why, yes, it is standard in that industry, because that is the GDS rate (more or less). Is it standard among travel agents? Of course not! Is it standard for OTA's (online travel agencies)? Of course not.
We use it, but are always evaluating whether or not it is worth it.
B B . c o m will tell you that the 25-30% commission isn't high for several reasons, including that it is standard in the industry and that it doesn't represent true commission, as some will see your listing but book direct (as if you weren't paying for that listing already), so you should amortize the commission across all bookings that came via their site, plus you make a new relationship with a guest who will come back many times (without commission), so it is an investment in future business.
We may not be the best test of success with their program, as we limit how many rooms are available on it, and when they are available. We have not had more than a few bookings through that program each year, and we always cringe at the high commission. Not a single one of these guests has ever returned (with or without commisson on the subsequent visit), so the argument that we're building future business has not held water for us.
Why do we use it? It gets us exposure on Expedia and its partners. However, as best we can determine, we get very few visitors to our website from them - so it really isn't having the desired result.
Is that commission really standard in the industry? What industry? Lodging/hotels (who have dozens, if not hundreds, of rooms)? Why, yes, it is standard in that industry, because that is the GDS rate (more or less). Is it standard among travel agents? Of course not! Is it standard for OTA's (online travel agencies)? Of course not.
Is it worth it to fill rooms which might otherwise be empty? Yes - if you actually do fill those rooms. We've tried several different approaches to making rooms available on that system, from all rooms, to only select rooms; from all the time to only filling weak spots (mid-week, off-season, etc.). The bottom line hasn't changed - we don't get many bookings from that system.
Your mileage may (probably will) vary..Not true. I know a couple who owns 3 major hotels and when I told them the bb.com/expedia/hotels.com partnership was charging us 30% they were appalled. They stated they would never pay that much.Scott said:Is that commission really standard in the industry? What industry? Lodging/hotels (who have dozens, if not hundreds, of rooms)? Why, yes, it is standard in that industry, because that is the GDS rate (more or less). Is it standard among travel agents? Of course not! Is it standard for OTA's (online travel agencies)? Of course not.
It only makes sense that the commission we have to pay is higher, because bb.com is also getting a cut of the commission instead of the big hotels going directly through the gds system. We pay more because we have a smaller cut of the pie.
.
But why must we go though b&b.com to be listed on Expedia when the hotels get on directly with the GDS? Also, as an fyi, the GDS system also takes a cut of the commission just not as steep as b&b.com so everyone has tier commissions. I was on Expedia through a GDS management sys. (about 23-25%) It worked well until b&b.com got their contract and they (Expedia) booted me without informing me.Breakfast Diva said:Not true. I know a couple who owns 3 major hotels and when I told them the bb.com/expedia/hotels.com partnership was charging us 30% they were appalled. They stated they would never pay that much.Scott said:Is that commission really standard in the industry? What industry? Lodging/hotels (who have dozens, if not hundreds, of rooms)? Why, yes, it is standard in that industry, because that is the GDS rate (more or less). Is it standard among travel agents? Of course not! Is it standard for OTA's (online travel agencies)? Of course not.
It only makes sense that the commission we have to pay is higher, because bb.com is also getting a cut of the commission instead of the big hotels going directly through the gds system. We pay more because we have a smaller cut of the pie.
we use the book now button from Bo king . com as if people book through your own web site using it you only pay 2% commission compared to the 15% you pay through the main site and as we use them anyway it saves us one more thing to update. so it is worth shopping around for a better deal..
Okay, how do you ensure that you don't double book? Are you only using Booking.com for live booking or are your own on-website bookings in real-time? I'm deathly afraid of a double booking. I hate having to cancel someone.[email protected] said:we use the book now button from Bo king . com as if people book through your own web site using it you only pay 2% commission compared to the 15% you pay through the main site and as we use them anyway it saves us one more thing to update. so it is worth shopping around for a better deal.
That is another of the advantages if they book through your own web site using my book now button it automatically updates boo.com (using an abbrev) so not a problem. However we also use Late roo M.s so when we get a booking through either from book, phone etc you have to go and close the other outlets out. We are 12 rooms so i have a bit more to play with but when I get down to say 3 rooms for a date I close everything out except book to prevent double booking. It is just a case of keeping everthing right up to date all the time. We also go to lat and book and print out the next 4 weeks arrivals and double check them on a monday to catch any problem early.we use the book now button from Bo king . com as if people book through your own web site using it you only pay 2% commission compared to the 15% you pay through the main site and as we use them anyway it saves us one more thing to update. so it is worth shopping around for a better deal..Okay, how do you ensure that you don't double book? Are you only using Booking.com for live booking or are your own on-website bookings in real-time? I'm deathly afraid of a double booking. I hate having to cancel someone.[email protected] said:we use the book now button from Bo king . com as if people book through your own web site using it you only pay 2% commission compared to the 15% you pay through the main site and as we use them anyway it saves us one more thing to update. so it is worth shopping around for a better deal.
.
We used to use laterooms, but it was to absolutely no avail. It was more work than actual bookings. Not to mention the phone calls from London at odd hours, the accounting problems, the ever changing rates and with all that, not even ONE of the bookings was really a last minute bookingThat is another of the advantages if they book through your own web site using my book now button it automatically updates boo.com (using an abbrev) so not a problem. However we also use Late roo M.s so when we get a booking through either from book, phone etc you have to go and close the other outlets out. We are 12 rooms so i have a bit more to play with but when I get down to say 3 rooms for a date I close everything out except book to prevent double booking. It is just a case of keeping everthing right up to date all the time. We also go to lat and book and print out the next 4 weeks arrivals and double check them on a monday to catch any problem early.we use the book now button from Bo king . com as if people book through your own web site using it you only pay 2% commission compared to the 15% you pay through the main site and as we use them anyway it saves us one more thing to update. so it is worth shopping around for a better deal..Okay, how do you ensure that you don't double book? Are you only using Booking.com for live booking or are your own on-website bookings in real-time? I'm deathly afraid of a double booking. I hate having to cancel someone.[email protected] said:we use the book now button from Bo king . com as if people book through your own web site using it you only pay 2% commission compared to the 15% you pay through the main site and as we use them anyway it saves us one more thing to update. so it is worth shopping around for a better deal.
.
.
That is another of the advantages if they book through your own web site using my book now button it automatically updates boo.com (using an abbrev) so not a problem. However we also use Late roo M.s so when we get a booking through either from book, phone etc you have to go and close the other outlets out. We are 12 rooms so i have a bit more to play with but when I get down to say 3 rooms for a date I close everything out except book to prevent double booking. It is just a case of keeping everthing right up to date all the time. We also go to lat and book and print out the next 4 weeks arrivals and double check them on a monday to catch any problem early.we use the book now button from Bo king . com as if people book through your own web site using it you only pay 2% commission compared to the 15% you pay through the main site and as we use them anyway it saves us one more thing to update. so it is worth shopping around for a better deal..Okay, how do you ensure that you don't double book? Are you only using Booking.com for live booking or are your own on-website bookings in real-time? I'm deathly afraid of a double booking. I hate having to cancel someone.[email protected] said:we use the book now button from Bo king . com as if people book through your own web site using it you only pay 2% commission compared to the 15% you pay through the main site and as we use them anyway it saves us one more thing to update. so it is worth shopping around for a better deal.
.
.
A good PMS with a channel manager will save you all that hassle and heartache, camberleyhotelharrogate.[email protected] said:...we also use LateRooms.com so when we get a booking through either from book, phone etc you have to go and close the other outlets out. We are 12 rooms so i have a bit more to play with but when I get down to say 3 rooms for a date I close everything out except book to prevent double booking.
Enter your email address to join:
Enter your email address to join:
Register today and take advantage of membership benefits.
Enter your email address to join: