Moral of the Story is...

[Breakfast Diva]

ALWAYS OWN YOUR OWN WEBSITE. Whether it's a private web designer or a company, make sure you own it all. You need to be able to take your website and move it any time you feel like it. Make sure you own it...all of it.
The Free Website Trap: Lessons From Priceline’s Rebranding of Buuteeq
In a nutshell: Buuteeq offered all those "free" Facebook apps, remember? Then they "scraped" most of our websites and made an ineffective directory. They offered cheap website development and a lot of innkeepers who didn't want to pay the big bucks hired them. Then Priceline bought them up. Now guess what, they are forcing those people who have their website to use their own booking engine and pay a 10% commission on EVERY booking that comes through the lodging property's website! Yes, what the innkeeper thought was their own website, is not. Now there's thousands of innkeepers scrambling to have new websites developed for them so they're not stuck with a 10% commission on every booking.

 

[Morticia]

That's a painful lesson. Thanks for sharing.

 

[scrambled_eggs]

So if we have the buteeq app on our Facebook page should we delete it? I forgot about it and i don't know if anyone has ever used it.

 

[Breakfast Diva]

So if we have the buteeq app on our Facebook page should we delete it? I forgot about it and i don't know if anyone has ever used it..

So if we have the buteeq app on our Facebook page should we delete it? I forgot about it and i don't know if anyone has ever used it.

My personal opinion is to get rid of it.

 

[Morticia]

So if we have the buteeq app on our Facebook page should we delete it? I forgot about it and i don't know if anyone has ever used it..

I got rid of mine.

 

[Iris]

I always wonder why any business would even consider "free" websites. Like the author says, "there's no free lunch".

 

[Copperhead]

I always wonder why any business would even consider "free" websites. Like the author says, "there's no free lunch"..

I always wonder why any business would even consider "free" websites. Like the author says, "there's no free lunch".

Those websites were not free at all. The FB app was free & some analysis offers were free but not the websites.

 

[Morticia]

I always wonder why any business would even consider "free" websites. Like the author says, "there's no free lunch"..

I always wonder why any business would even consider "free" websites. Like the author says, "there's no free lunch".

Those websites were not free at all. The FB app was free & some analysis offers were free but not the websites.
.

I always wonder why any business would even consider "free" websites. Like the author says, "there's no free lunch".

Those websites were not free at all. The FB app was free & some analysis offers were free but not the websites.

You're right. There was a pretty hard sell on those sites and they were hideous. $5000?

 

[Morticia]

This is a statement on here from the former CEO. He seems to be implying the cost of the website build is $3200.

 

[Generic]

This is a statement on here from the former CEO. He seems to be implying the cost of the website build is $3200..

I always love those calculations...
1.3 reservations per month, x 12 months = 16 reservations x $200 average ticket = $3200
Apparently, we have no overhead on the $200 average ticket.... because no one has to pay heat, electric, cleaning, city taxes, water, breakfast, etc etc etc. Apparently all that is FREE too. And of course my time. They never value my time.

 

[dumitru]

It is funny that I built my business pretty much anti-Buuteeq, as in a complete opposite of what they were offering.
People were emailing me like: "Why? Their service is great and modern, hassle-free websites, etc."
BOOM!
And by the way, on the old Buuteeq's website, right on the frontpage, there was an article/book they were pushing titled something like: "Reasons why you should NOT own your website". Well, there you go

 

[undersea]

It is also a good idea to separate your URL (www.XYZ.com) registrar from your web host, for several reasons.

 

[JBloggs]

There are still people on this forum who are using so called free websites, like (removed so I won't get sued by anyone) etc. and they will argue here that is the best thing since slices bread, it has to be, it's free. It is like building their B&B on sand...shifting sand.
Free, for now.
There are too many who come here for "sweet tea on the porch" and ignore the advise of so many who really have a lot to offer here. "I don't like their attitude" so throw the baby out with the bathwater. Seriously, if they only knew how valuable this forum is, there is no other place like it. We don't have to put our c.v. on the profiles to learn here.
But alas, they listen to the above mentioned, or other "experts" in the industry and get sold a bill of goods.

 

[gillumhouse]

There are still people on this forum who are using so called free websites, like (removed so I won't get sued by anyone) etc. and they will argue here that is the best thing since slices bread, it has to be, it's free. It is like building their B&B on sand...shifting sand.
Free, for now.
There are too many who come here for "sweet tea on the porch" and ignore the advise of so many who really have a lot to offer here. "I don't like their attitude" so throw the baby out with the bathwater. Seriously, if they only knew how valuable this forum is, there is no other place like it. We don't have to put our c.v. on the profiles to learn here.
But alas, they listen to the above mentioned, or other "experts" in the industry and get sold a bill of goods..

In addition to owning your web site - ALWAYS own your domain name and make certain it gets renewed on time. A rail-trail group near me missed their renewal and their domain was suddenly a porn site. Rather than pay the ransom, they got a new domain. DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU.

 

[EmptyNest]

It is funny that I built my business pretty much anti-Buuteeq, as in a complete opposite of what they were offering.
People were emailing me like: "Why? Their service is great and modern, hassle-free websites, etc."
BOOM!
And by the way, on the old Buuteeq's website, right on the frontpage, there was an article/book they were pushing titled something like: "Reasons why you should NOT own your website". Well, there you go .

Will sq. space be next?

 

[verandasburnet]

I even use pictures that I have taken myself. If you have a professional photographer take them for you, be sure you have (buy) the rights to use them online however you want in the future.

 

[Breakfast Diva]

I even use pictures that I have taken myself. If you have a professional photographer take them for you, be sure you have (buy) the rights to use them online however you want in the future..

I even use pictures that I have taken myself. If you have a professional photographer take them for you, be sure you have (buy) the rights to use them online however you want in the future.

Good point Veranda!

 

[JBloggs]

I even use pictures that I have taken myself. If you have a professional photographer take them for you, be sure you have (buy) the rights to use them online however you want in the future..

I even use pictures that I have taken myself. If you have a professional photographer take them for you, be sure you have (buy) the rights to use them online however you want in the future.

 

[Lee2014]

I even use pictures that I have taken myself. If you have a professional photographer take them for you, be sure you have (buy) the rights to use them online however you want in the future..

I even use pictures that I have taken myself. If you have a professional photographer take them for you, be sure you have (buy) the rights to use them online however you want in the future.

.

I even use pictures that I have taken myself. If you have a professional photographer take them for you, be sure you have (buy) the rights to use them online however you want in the future.

Check this out before they shoot the pictures as some won't go for it or the fee is high....

 

[Generic]

I even use pictures that I have taken myself. If you have a professional photographer take them for you, be sure you have (buy) the rights to use them online however you want in the future..

I even use pictures that I have taken myself. If you have a professional photographer take them for you, be sure you have (buy) the rights to use them online however you want in the future.

.

I even use pictures that I have taken myself. If you have a professional photographer take them for you, be sure you have (buy) the rights to use them online however you want in the future.

Check this out before they shoot the pictures as some won't go for it or the fee is high....
.

Legally speaking, if you are paying them to take the photographs for you, they are employed by you, you should have rights innately unless they tell you otherwise before hand. Otherwise they were just taking the photos for themselves and you shouldn't have had to pay them.
It's like a researcher, what he discovers in your lab when employed is yours. If he does it on his own time... it's his. But he can't use your lab or resources.