50% increase

[April]

Well, here it is. Remember- I got the email from TA wanting me to agree to new rules and regulations. Just had that feeling that somebody is about to kick me in the belly. The new rules state that they can renew your annual listing and may not even notify you in advance, so you may be renewed without knowing how much it is going to cost you. If you than cancel within 30 days they prorate for that period (at the new rate for sure) and if you cancel after 30 days - you out of lack. The other issue I had was that they only guarantee one ofhone #, address or web link. Our renewal is coming in mid September so before I click on "agree" I was trying to see how much it is going to cost me. It took some time as my email and voice calls went unanswered. Last Friday I was "lucky" to speak with somebody but surly "my" rep was not in. He got back to me by email this morning. All the usual BS how much they contributed to my income. I called him to talk.They want 50% increase over the last year fees!!!! After the exchange the pleasure to have your website link, phone # and address will cost me nearly $3200. Than he offer a couple of hundred discount (a joke!!) When I told him he will need to do a bit better he quickly offer me to cancel the listing. Guess what?!- it is being cancelled. Wonder how may other B&B's will get the same treatment.

 

[user 26]

woah .... time to renew and they weren't even going to TELL you how much? You'd have to be getting a $$$$ of reservations through them to justify that kind of cost. Good for you for being persistent!

 

[April]

woah .... time to renew and they weren't even going to TELL you how much? You'd have to be getting a $$$$ of reservations through them to justify that kind of cost. Good for you for being persistent!.

Hell will freezes over first before I pay them that kind of $. They want 12.5% of what they say I made thanks to them. If I want to pay a commission I will list with boo king and pay 15% but at least I get 24 hour support.

 

[Breakfast Diva]

They will call you and offer you the same thing for less. Over and over. As we all know, their stats are VERY inflated for the amount of reservation they claim they're sending you. There's no way for them to prove their percentage of booking.
If anyone does want to continue their business listing, change credit cards on your owner's account and make it a credit card that expires BEFORE the renewal date. Another idea is to buy a VISA gift card and use that as your credit card. When the auto renew comes around, they'll be expired and TA will not be able to charge you without you going in and renewing.
It's a big ripoff

 

[April]

They will call you and offer you the same thing for less. Over and over. As we all know, their stats are VERY inflated for the amount of reservation they claim they're sending you. There's no way for them to prove their percentage of booking.
If anyone does want to continue their business listing, change credit cards on your owner's account and make it a credit card that expires BEFORE the renewal date. Another idea is to buy a VISA gift card and use that as your credit card. When the auto renew comes around, they'll be expired and TA will not be able to charge you without you going in and renewing.
It's a big ripoff.

I have now an email from them confirming the cancellation. If they charge my card I will dispute i same day.

 

[Morticia]

They will call you and offer you the same thing for less. Over and over. As we all know, their stats are VERY inflated for the amount of reservation they claim they're sending you. There's no way for them to prove their percentage of booking.
If anyone does want to continue their business listing, change credit cards on your owner's account and make it a credit card that expires BEFORE the renewal date. Another idea is to buy a VISA gift card and use that as your credit card. When the auto renew comes around, they'll be expired and TA will not be able to charge you without you going in and renewing.
It's a big ripoff.

Good ideas! Using a soon-to-expire cc saves the aggro of fighting the charge after the fact.

 

[Highlands John]

Their argument with me is always "look how many clicks we're sending your website", so I sat down and did a comparison between ta and goog le adw ords and goo gle came out much cheaper per click and the bounce rate was lower.
So if I were going to spend that amount on advertising I'd be much better off spending it with goo gle.
And the other thing that hacks me off about ta is you spend all that money with them and all you get is a tiny text link on your page, whilst there's a very dominant date search box on your page encouraging people to go to your competitors or to a booking engine who charge more commission.

 

[Generic]

You can negotiate the rate with them. Refuse the rate and they come back with a better rate. Make them show you their numbers on you. They are likely wrong. Mine were wrong. I refused to pay even a penny more than last year.

 

[Highlands John]

They will call you and offer you the same thing for less. Over and over. As we all know, their stats are VERY inflated for the amount of reservation they claim they're sending you. There's no way for them to prove their percentage of booking.
If anyone does want to continue their business listing, change credit cards on your owner's account and make it a credit card that expires BEFORE the renewal date. Another idea is to buy a VISA gift card and use that as your credit card. When the auto renew comes around, they'll be expired and TA will not be able to charge you without you going in and renewing.
It's a big ripoff.

Good ideas! Using a soon-to-expire cc saves the aggro of fighting the charge after the fact.
.

I cancelled my subscription, they still took the money out of my account. I told my bank and they money was back in my account within 48 hours.

 

[Silverspoon]

Just another example of why we do not have a business listing with TA! Good for you for checking the fine print!

 

[undersea]

Their argument with me is always "look how many clicks we're sending your website", so I sat down and did a comparison between ta and goog le adw ords and goo gle came out much cheaper per click and the bounce rate was lower.
So if I were going to spend that amount on advertising I'd be much better off spending it with goo gle.
And the other thing that hacks me off about ta is you spend all that money with them and all you get is a tiny text link on your page, whilst there's a very dominant date search box on your page encouraging people to go to your competitors or to a booking engine who charge more commission..

And Adwords go to YOUR website and represent YOUR customers without the commissions, all the way. So even if more expensive, it still makes more sense.

 

[Aussie Innkeeper]

When any company employs tactics such as this (renewing at unpublished price without notice or consent), doesn't it just tell you that they KNOW they're up to something shady? That's why I dropped them like a rock!

 

[Copperhead]

When any company employs tactics such as this (renewing at unpublished price without notice or consent), doesn't it just tell you that they KNOW they're up to something shady? That's why I dropped them like a rock!.

When any company employs tactics such as this (renewing at unpublished price without notice or consent), doesn't it just tell you that they KNOW they're up to something shady? That's why I dropped them like a rock!

Agreed!

 

[Flower]

woah .... time to renew and they weren't even going to TELL you how much? You'd have to be getting a $$$$ of reservations through them to justify that kind of cost. Good for you for being persistent!.

Hell will freezes over first before I pay them that kind of $. They want 12.5% of what they say I made thanks to them. If I want to pay a commission I will list with boo king and pay 15% but at least I get 24 hour support.
.

Well Well they have displayed their hand . It may very well be the bug that bits them in the butt. So be it.They will be off my list for ever and guess what??? they still can use our business for there profit. GRRRRRR I have asked repeatedly to please take my busyness off your web site . I have never want to have them use my name for they profit. It is wrong plain and simple. So I really do hope this blows up their sweet power play. Those that stay in well let just say you think about it long and hard. This may cost you more then money staying with them.
Honestly when one company feels they can and will rule the roost they may crow louder but not quietly either . This sounds like hard ball .When Price line took over another company...They did some thing every similar to this. We could not contact them until we read their rules and agreed.

 

[Copperhead]

Here is the BEST way to use TA: Sign up with their TripConnect.
It is a pay per click but the click goes to your reservation page on your site. Of course if you are listed with any OTAs your PPC is competing with each one of them and can drive up the cost of each click.

But the good thing is that you then can directly compete with the OTAs for your guests. Lots of guests would rather book direct and this allows them to see your price right along with theirs.

This is a far better way to market your business as you only pay when someone goes to your site. Once someone is on your site you have far better odds having them book so the $ for the click is far better spent.

 

[April]

You can negotiate the rate with them. Refuse the rate and they come back with a better rate. Make them show you their numbers on you. They are likely wrong. Mine were wrong. I refused to pay even a penny more than last year..

I questioned their numbers. All they offered me is a couple of hundred $ off. i told them I will cancel and was told "go ahead"

 

[Flower]

All were chatting about this. It was thought maybe one way of only having INNS and hotels is where the money is for them. They know it. Small business is not their value or where the money is.
Just like Pie. any other OTAs or directory's. Money is where they make their bottom line. It has been that way for all time . Maybe the reason why B&B were not displayed in the best of show. Now we need people Like Jay to fight . But then again Pie was only interested in the big Inn guest house. All the chat on forums was always about big INNs.the people that did pitures for Inns when at the conference only talked about Inns.The small guys were of no value to them . That's the way it is.
But you buy into them and it works for you then money is not a problem.

 

[undersea]

All were chatting about this. It was thought maybe one way of only having INNS and hotels is where the money is for them. They know it. Small business is not their value or where the money is.
Just like Pie. any other OTAs or directory's. Money is where they make their bottom line. It has been that way for all time . Maybe the reason why B&B were not displayed in the best of show. Now we need people Like Jay to fight . But then again Pie was only interested in the big Inn guest house. All the chat on forums was always about big INNs.the people that did pitures for Inns when at the conference only talked about Inns.The small guys were of no value to them . That's the way it is.
But you buy into them and it works for you then money is not a problem..

A similar battle was going on the last 5 years with theatres. The major film companies decided to go all digital (not reels). The small theatres complained they could not afford $80-100,000 per digital projector. The film companies stayed the course. Many small theatres, already struggling to stay open, lost. Many across the country closed, including a couple near me.

 

[undersea]

Here is the BEST way to use TA: Sign up with their TripConnect.
It is a pay per click but the click goes to your reservation page on your site. Of course if you are listed with any OTAs your PPC is competing with each one of them and can drive up the cost of each click.

But the good thing is that you then can directly compete with the OTAs for your guests. Lots of guests would rather book direct and this allows them to see your price right along with theirs.

This is a far better way to market your business as you only pay when someone goes to your site. Once someone is on your site you have far better odds having them book so the $ for the click is far better spent..

CH,
Did you compare your TC results against your prior TA results?
Is there any other similar things out there outside of Trip Advisor's TC? (don't mean adwords).

 

[Copperhead]

Here is the BEST way to use TA: Sign up with their TripConnect.
It is a pay per click but the click goes to your reservation page on your site. Of course if you are listed with any OTAs your PPC is competing with each one of them and can drive up the cost of each click.

But the good thing is that you then can directly compete with the OTAs for your guests. Lots of guests would rather book direct and this allows them to see your price right along with theirs.

This is a far better way to market your business as you only pay when someone goes to your site. Once someone is on your site you have far better odds having them book so the $ for the click is far better spent..

CH,
Did you compare your TC results against your prior TA results?
Is there any other similar things out there outside of Trip Advisor's TC? (don't mean adwords).
.

CH,
Did you compare your TC results against your prior TA results?
Is there any other similar things out there outside of Trip Advisor's TC? (don't mean adwords).

I canceled the business listing long ago - so no there are no stats, but I did weigh out how many PPC it would take using TC to equal the $ spent on a business listing at just under $1K, which was the last quoted price for me a couple yrs ago.
Well if you want to have direct booking to your site on TA, this is the only way to go otherwise you leave the OTAs to battle out which one will be taking your commission! TC is only used on TA, so if I am wanting to have direct booking for those looking on TA there are currently 2 choices = TC and direct booking (which is not available to me as of yet with ResKey) their direct booking program is commission based - about the same % as OTAs and you are not guaranteed everyone that visits your listing will see your price. (its a % like 50% or less)