The Latest OD Scam

[Tremewan]

Oh, and the guy had the rudeness to put me on hold without notice during the call - I haven't hung up yet (that awful spanish guitar music is still playing away on my landline phone - at their expense!!) Now when shall I hang up...hmm maybe I'll leave it for a couple of hours (I can always use my mobile!)?

[Jenster]

I have just done a quick OD search for my village and was shocked at how few places were on there. Definitely a lot fewer than this time last year. It seems they are losing inventory due to their lamentable tactics - at least where I am.

[Tremewan]

We've had two phone calls from OD in the past couple of days asking why (when we renewed) we didn't activate "Online Booking", so we gave them both barrels (in the nicest possible way, of course). We also let them know that we wouldn't be renewing our two other properties when they run out later in the year!

[e-richard]

Perhaps its time to refer to this Expedia puppet organisation as:

"So Called OwnersDirect"

[AndrewH]

Perhaps its time to refer to this Expedia puppet organisation as:

"So Called OwnersDirect"

+1

[ManxRed1]

Slightly off topic, but I do have a good chuckle to myself every time an Owners Non-Direct/HomeAway advert appears on my Facebook timeline. There is inevitably a string of comments underneath from angry customers and owners about being fleeced and ripped off, followed by terrible cut and paste excuses from HomeAway.

It must be great exposure for them, which inevitably they are paying facebook for.

One thing seems abundantly clear from most of the comments: The 'Book With Confidence' guarantee that the clients get charged 9.6% for seems to provide the guest with no guarantees whatsoever. When things go wrong, HomeAway run a mile and provide no support at all. Great guarantee, chaps!

[Sam V]

Slightly off topic, but I do have a good chuckle to myself every time an Owners Non-Direct/HomeAway advert appears on my Facebook timeline. There is inevitably a string of comments underneath from angry customers and owners about being fleeced and ripped off, followed by terrible cut and paste excuses from HomeAway.

It must be great exposure for them, which inevitably they are paying facebook for.

One thing seems abundantly clear from most of the comments: The 'Book With Confidence' guarantee that the clients get charged 9.6% for seems to provide the guest with no guarantees whatsoever. When things go wrong, HomeAway run a mile and provide no support at all. Great guarantee, chaps!

And I've just read a couple of owners on comm have had their accounts disabled because they have too many bookings/calander blocked out and dates/booking not paid for through OD!

[ManxRed1]

And I've just read a couple of owners on comm have had their accounts disabled because they have too many bookings/calander blocked out and dates/booking not paid for through OD!

What if the owners wanted to use it themselves? Would they still have to pay OD a Book With Confidence Travellers Fee?

[AndrewH]

And I've just read a couple of owners on comm have had their accounts disabled because they have too many bookings/calander blocked out and dates/booking not paid for through OD!

I suppose the same could happen to subscription listers as well, because bookings through So Called Owners Direct now have the added complication of the TSF which SCOD take for themselves. However in either case they are, or would be, making assumptions without proof.

[Jenster]

Yes, there is nothing (yet!) to say you can't advertise and take bookings on other sites, as well of course as using the property yourself.

[ClareW]

Is this Online booking with owners direct instant booking? ie can you opt out of instant booking so that potential guests can send an enquiry which the owner can either accept or decline as with Airbnb? Then if you accept it, the guest books online... or does the guest just instantly book the holiday with no prior communication with the owner?

[Barbara Ann]

And, I read that they're going to block the phone numbers of people enquiring until they have already booked online.

[Tremewan]

And, I read that they're going to block the phone numbers of people enquiring until they have already booked online.

That really would be a dirty trick