SimplyOwners.Net a new rental listing site?
Simply Owners.net a new rental listing site?
Got a genuine enquiry last week from a guest by phone. She had seen our property on Simply Owners and called the check availability but unfortunately we were booked for part of the dates she wanted. It will take time to drive guests to the new listing sites that are trying to break into the market. Regardless of how they do our Owners Direct subscription will not be getting renewed next year. Our stats have gone from about 500-1000 per month to about 100 or less and enquiries have all but ceased. Quite rightly so guests are not using the site anymore just like owners are giving up too. 2017 will be an interesting year.
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Gettingthere
- Posts: 236
- Joined: Mon Nov 17, 2008 11:33 am
- Location: Devon
- Contact:
I got a text from SO this week with the usual sales pitch mentioned elsewhere here. Mine gave a reference to quote if I was interested. I contacted them to find out more and received a long email saying that having has a successful launch in the UK they were now looking for more properties in Europe. And to click on the link to see what my ad would potentially look like.
But I am in the UK not elsewhere in Europe (which made the angle of their email to me seem strange) and the link went to someone else's property not mine! I pointed this out to them and have heard nothing more.
So far not impressed I must say. They clearly have money to burn if they can get their advert to pop up on page 1 when you search "owners direct" (and every time one of us clicks on it that will cost them MORE money) so all the more strange that they aren't getting the back end right and doing better with their general PR.
But I am in the UK not elsewhere in Europe (which made the angle of their email to me seem strange) and the link went to someone else's property not mine! I pointed this out to them and have heard nothing more.
So far not impressed I must say. They clearly have money to burn if they can get their advert to pop up on page 1 when you search "owners direct" (and every time one of us clicks on it that will cost them MORE money) so all the more strange that they aren't getting the back end right and doing better with their general PR.
It is certainly impressive that they are coming up on page one and I just had a look at a few properties and thought everything was laid out in an appealing way. I wouldn't be at all surprised if more people report leads through them. I know they started off very badly 'stealing' details but I have to say, if I had still been on OD at the time and had that happen to me, I might be feeling pretty pleased to have a free listing now.
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Hells Bells
- Posts: 13173
- Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 8:42 am
- Location: French Alps
- Contact:
What? Who are you?greenbarn wrote:Oh no - don’t tell me I’ve caused Kathy another problem!!!Hells Bells wrote:You can only delete it yourself if no-one else has posted after you.
I can’t remember if we’re taking to each other at the moment.
Are we talking to each other Kathy? Kathy? Hello....??
And yes you've caused major problems. As usual.
Kathy
Waterfront location in Le Faou
"My goal in life is to become as wonderful as my dog thinks I am."
Waterfront location in Le Faou
"My goal in life is to become as wonderful as my dog thinks I am."
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Stuart Chambers
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2016 10:37 pm
- Location: Ashburton, Dartmoor
- Contact:
SimplyOwners
Hi everyone
I am new to this forum, but am already an enthusiast...it's a great idea for owners to share opinions and intelligence(?!) on the big issues we face in this rapidly changing marketplace.
Our five star Dartmoor holiday cottage was opened to business ready for Christmas 2015. We initially joined OD and Airbnb, and got a few good reservations from the latter to get us underway.
We then discovered Premier Cottages, PC (an owners' marketing cooperative for 4 and 5 star cottages, non-profit-making); the cottage was graded by VisitEngland; then we applied to join PC; and were soon accepted after a member's visit to see us personally! For a fixed fee we are on their excellent web site and in the 2017 catalogue and visible to tens of thousands of loyal customers. I pay around £1500 pa for this, but there is no further commission for any bookings. Since Easter I have had around 22 weeks' bookings from PC, 3 from OD and no more from Airbnb. As you will see, my cost per booking is a lot less with PC than with OD. Not bad for Year 1?
All three OD guests seemed to be aware of the large OD booking fee they had paid, but strangely did not seem bothered...but I have to pay OD a small percentage too. I am shocked that they hold all the deposits and final payments until the guests are actually here...and is gets into my account when they have left! They must have amazing cash flow from this on a global scale.
I was approached by SimplyOwners in November, as they had already cloned my details from OD. It was made clear that I could ask for this to be deactivated, but I chose to stay with them to see what happened next. I rang to ask for editing access, passwords etc, but I finally got these a few days ago. I recently emailed them to change the text on the location (not user-editable) and this was done quickly and efficiently, with a polite email to confirm. I am beginning to feel that this might work for me in parallel to PC. Their web site generally, as well as my cottage entry, looks good and will hopefully direct some enquiries to my web site during January, before they ask for their £300. I will keep the forum updated over the next few weeks...
If anyone is interested in my (very positive) Premier Cottage experiences I would be glad to discuss them via email or through this forum.
My wife is not impressed with any aspect of OD or Airbnb, so we will be leaving both very soon.
I am new to this forum, but am already an enthusiast...it's a great idea for owners to share opinions and intelligence(?!) on the big issues we face in this rapidly changing marketplace.
Our five star Dartmoor holiday cottage was opened to business ready for Christmas 2015. We initially joined OD and Airbnb, and got a few good reservations from the latter to get us underway.
We then discovered Premier Cottages, PC (an owners' marketing cooperative for 4 and 5 star cottages, non-profit-making); the cottage was graded by VisitEngland; then we applied to join PC; and were soon accepted after a member's visit to see us personally! For a fixed fee we are on their excellent web site and in the 2017 catalogue and visible to tens of thousands of loyal customers. I pay around £1500 pa for this, but there is no further commission for any bookings. Since Easter I have had around 22 weeks' bookings from PC, 3 from OD and no more from Airbnb. As you will see, my cost per booking is a lot less with PC than with OD. Not bad for Year 1?
All three OD guests seemed to be aware of the large OD booking fee they had paid, but strangely did not seem bothered...but I have to pay OD a small percentage too. I am shocked that they hold all the deposits and final payments until the guests are actually here...and is gets into my account when they have left! They must have amazing cash flow from this on a global scale.
I was approached by SimplyOwners in November, as they had already cloned my details from OD. It was made clear that I could ask for this to be deactivated, but I chose to stay with them to see what happened next. I rang to ask for editing access, passwords etc, but I finally got these a few days ago. I recently emailed them to change the text on the location (not user-editable) and this was done quickly and efficiently, with a polite email to confirm. I am beginning to feel that this might work for me in parallel to PC. Their web site generally, as well as my cottage entry, looks good and will hopefully direct some enquiries to my web site during January, before they ask for their £300. I will keep the forum updated over the next few weeks...
If anyone is interested in my (very positive) Premier Cottage experiences I would be glad to discuss them via email or through this forum.
My wife is not impressed with any aspect of OD or Airbnb, so we will be leaving both very soon.
Amazing Dartmoor