Homelidays acquires HolidayLets

[Hells Bells]

OK, dilemma time. HLets listing expired yesterday (although i am currently still apparently active) , and I received a very positive enquiry on the same day who looks likely to book. I like the site and am tempted to renew, but cash flow is tight. As said above they were meant to be doing a special offer if you list on both HOmelidays (now €169 per annum). I can't afford to renew both without it,and they haven;t got back to me with offer details.

[Fraise]

I've at last ditched Holiday Lets- reluctantly cos I like the look of the site but they just haven't performed for me for the last 2 years. I wrote to them and they offered me a discount but so paltry as not to be enticing . They seem not to really understand .I pointed out that actually I am fully booked from May to end September but none of the bookings are from them ( no web link so not remotely from them either), all they could suggest was changes to make my web site better ! The very same one that is causing most of my bookings. Doh. "chocolate teapots" is all I have to mutter I am only on one paid site at the moment yet am still getting enquiries for the October weeks ( rest are booked), all from my own website and some through YHM. One booking from Owners Direct.

[Hells Bells]

Fraise, I ditched it too, they offered me 25% off provided I also renewed with Homelidays, but I decided not to bother.

[Fraise]

Mine was £20 reduction but then everything else was extra, like the link to your own website which I think is vital.

[Big Sis..]

I ditched them a few months back and they kept coming back with better and better offers....
So they might increase it.

I used to like the site but it was less effective than others.

Im considering not renweing OD next and they used to be one of my Mainstays!!!!.
H Lettings is the best for me this year and I nearly ditched them last year .

You never know do you

Good luck with your bookings one and all!!

[brenda]

Owners Direct terrible for me this year - plenty of hits but hardly an enquiry.

Homelidays have provided over 85% of our bookings this year - but that could be that we don´t ask for a Deposit and the French seem to prefer payment on arrival. Got a good discount on the renewal fee too.

The other 15% of our bookings have come from free sites.

[niceguysi]

Mine was £20 reduction but then everything else was extra, like the link to your own website which I think is vital.

.

How much was the link to your own website?

I can appreciate why they don't want you to list your own website, as it undermines their booking process?

For instance, they want to send enquiries to you via their contact forms, but if you have a link directly to your website, and your website converts the enquiry (by telephone, email or via your own online contact form), then (unless you are using tracking cookies and monitoring stats) you will never know where the prospect came from, and therefore you'll say, that the listing site isn't sending any enquiries, when, actually, IT IS !!

I remember reading a few posts back about Holiday lettings pushing owners website links to the bottom of the page, which caused a bit of a stir, but I can appreciate why they did it.

I guess the whole issue surrounds what exactly are we paying for? general exposure (both for the property and our individual websites) or are listing sites like estate agents (who wouldn't ever say, you could buy the property through us, or here is the telephone number, so you can buy the property directly).

I'm sure you'll agree, it's all about enquiries, and I don't care where they come from, as long as I get them. But the issue, at least for the listing sites, will always come down to metrics.

[Hells Bells]

As they don't have a booking process, I don't see how it can b undermined. They have an enquiry form.

[niceguysi]

They have an enquiry form.

Exactly!

And when you receive an enquiry, from that form, you know which site it is from. But what if the traffic (which a listing site has invested money to gain) comes to your listing, and clicks on the external link to your website and then decides to call you directly.

The listing site, misses out - no?

[Fraise]

They have an enquiry form.

Exactly!


The listing site, misses out - no?

Hardly , as we have already forked out to be on the site in the first place, plus extra for the link ! LOL, makes you wonder ?

[Fraise]

Hey niceguysi , could we maybe see your web site?

[niceguysi]

They have an enquiry form.

Exactly!


The listing site, misses out - no?

Hardly , as we have already forked out to be on the site in the first place, plus extra for the link ! LOL, makes you wonder ?

I meant, missing out, in terms of not being recognised for driving the lead.

[niceguysi]

Hey niceguysi , could we maybe see your web site?

I don't have a listing site (despite my sympathy for listing sites , but I look after and run my parents website for their property in the cote a'azur.

Si

[Big Sis..]

Hi All

Just resurrecting this,
I have a friend[not a LMHatter] whose contacted me recently, saying that since the take over, H.Lets have really stopped performing for her.....
The enquiries have nearly dried up and the ones she does get d look a bit iffy [if you know what I mean]
She was just checking with me as she thought I was still with them.
Just wondered how its been performing for others.

And if theyre still receiving 'good' enquiries and bookings.

Take Carexxxxxx

[Hells Bells]

I had too many renewals due in May, so didn't do so, as I had no success with them. I then got an enquiry and booking, just as the ad was about to expire. They did offer me a discount for listing with both. I continue to get enquiries from Homelidays, but have had no bookings for a while.