Trip Advisor Awards? - SCAM or NOT

SweetiePie · Jun 3, 2009

What about the listing for the B&B that has been closed for at least 5 years? I guess it's like the Mafia, once you get in you can never get out.
Then there are the B&Bs who are not listed at all. How does that happen? Are they making people sign a release before they can stay there that they won't write a review?

swirt · Jun 3, 2009

SweetiePie said:
What about the listing for the B&B that has been closed for at least 5 years? I guess it's like the Mafia, once you get in you can never get out.
Then there are the B&Bs who are not listed at all. How does that happen? Are they making people sign a release before they can stay there that they won't write a review?.

What about the listing for the B&B that has been closed for at least 5 years? I guess it's like the Mafia, once you get in you can never get out.
Not so much like the mafia but not so far off either. TripAdvisor makes money from every page they have so it is not in their best interest to delete pages (as an SEO guy deleting pages makes me cry too) However it is also not in their best interest to have useless information as it hurts the end users of the site.
In many cases it is simply that no one has notified TripAdvisor that the inn is no longer running. The same is true with free directories...nobody bothers to update things when a business closes. The paid directories of course clear out the lisitngs when the check stops coming but the free sites don't get those kind of notices.
Then there are the B&Bs who are not listed at all. How does that happen? Are they making people sign a release before they can stay there that they won't write a review?
I don't think so. They just have a small enough/inconsistent enough web presence that TripAdvisor has not created a listing for them and nobody has bothered to suggest the place so that they could put up a review. It is pretty common. Not to mention there are a lot of B&B's that have no reviews. Hard to say whether that is due to clientele, consistently delivering what was offered, meeting expectations, not suggesting people post a review.... The list is pretty much endless...and I am sure on that list could be some kind of release...but I doubt it. I envision a stunt like that backfiring in a bid way.

SweetiePie · Jun 3, 2009

I just mentioned it because since doctors have become the latest victim of online ratings, many have adopted this practice.

gillumhouse · Jun 3, 2009

jkarennj said:
There are companies that do nothing by hunt magazines and web sites for content that recognizes small businesses for achievement. A friend of mine owns a salon in Philadelphia, and they were just featured in Allure magazine. Not long after the magazine hit the newstands he got a call from a company wanting to frame the article and have it sent to him to display on the wall of his salon...all for about $400.
Caveat emptor.
Jay.

Ah, yes. I had two different compamies call to offer to laminate the State Journal article suitable for hanging as in a plaque - I did not let them get to the price. I told them I was out of wall space to hang all my awards.... Goodbye.

EmptyNest · Jun 4, 2009

SweetiePie said:
What about the listing for the B&B that has been closed for at least 5 years? I guess it's like the Mafia, once you get in you can never get out.
Then there are the B&Bs who are not listed at all. How does that happen? Are they making people sign a release before they can stay there that they won't write a review?.

When I closed my B & B , I just emailed them to remove my listing. They did so immediately. Some inns maybe just don't care or take the time to do it. Others don't even have a clue what TA is.

gillumhouse · Jun 4, 2009

catlady said:
SweetiePie said:

What about the listing for the B&B that has been closed for at least 5 years? I guess it's like the Mafia, once you get in you can never get out.
Then there are the B&Bs who are not listed at all. How does that happen? Are they making people sign a release before they can stay there that they won't write a review?.

Click to expand...

When I closed my B & B , I just emailed them to remove my listing. They did so immediately. Some inns maybe just don't care or take the time to do it. Others don't even have a clue what TA is.
.