TA renewal

OTA = Online Travel Agency, which means those sites that sell the booking and take the payment for you.
Nigel Goodwin
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TA renewal

Post by Nigel Goodwin »

Just got a warning about upcoming renewal of my subscription annual payment from TA.

£598 for each property (not sure if incl. or excl. VAT).

That seems a very sharp rise.

There was a prominent button on the email to enable online booking.
Jenster
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Post by Jenster »

I have just had the same email. I got nothing from TA last year and would like to move to a commission listing, but there does not seem to be an easy way to do this. Anyone know how to do this or will I have to phone them up :roll:
Nigel Goodwin
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Post by Nigel Goodwin »

Jenster wrote:I have just had the same email. I got nothing from TA last year and would like to move to a commission listing, but there does not seem to be an easy way to do this. Anyone know how to do this or will I have to phone them up :roll:
Same here. I'm looking at selling my properties so it makes no sense to pay subscription, apart from all the other considerations.

TA gets short break prices completely wrong, so I am also worried about any kind of instant booking.
Giraffe
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Post by Giraffe »

I'm been on TA commission since I left my agent 3 years ago:
Year 1 - 5 bookings
Year 2 - 1 booking
Year 3 - 1 booking
2018. - 1 enquiry

Their commission fees are very high. I wonder if this has put people off or whether I am down the listings as I don't have online booking. I advertise on various sites - too scared of double booking. Plus I like to "suss out" the visitor party before accepting a booking.
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FelicityA
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Post by FelicityA »

I pay them a ransom (through FlipKey) just to retain visibility and to keep my reviews. I rarely get an enquiry direct through the website but I often get enquiries (which, 90% of the time, turn into bookings) through my own website because they have seen my listing and reviews there and, presumably because they think they will be paying an extra fee (they won't, as I am entirely independent on there) they come direct to me. So for that, I feel it is worth it. Would £500+ buy me better google placement? I just don't know the answer to that? Just the fact that one is listed on that site may give people some sort of security feeling that you really exist and if they are savvy enough they will find you elsewhere?
Jenster
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Post by Jenster »

Felicity could you not have a commission listing to keep your reviews and visibility? That's what I'm hoping to do. £500+ seems a lot to pay for no bookings through the site. Commission listings come higher up the list as well, and the commission fees would almost certainly work out less than subscription if bookings through the site are few due to the high traveller fees.
Last edited by Jenster on Mon Sep 04, 2017 10:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
Jenster
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Post by Jenster »

Giraffe wrote:I'm been on TA commission since I left my agent 3 years ago:
Year 1 - 5 bookings
Year 2 - 1 booking
Year 3 - 1 booking
2018. - 1 enquiry

Their commission fees are very high. I wonder if this has put people off or whether I am down the listings as I don't have online booking. I advertise on various sites - too scared of double booking. Plus I like to "suss out" the visitor party before accepting a booking.
Confused - I thought you had to have online booking with commission listings, to allow TA to take their fees?
Giraffe
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Post by Giraffe »

Sorry Jenster - I meant instant booking. Yes, it's online. Senior citizen moment :roll:
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Jenster
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Post by Jenster »

Ah, now I get it...I would never have instant booking except on my own site either, far too risky...
rosebud
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Location: Steyning, West Sussex

Post by rosebud »

I have been with TA paying commission since I began advertising independently 4 years ago.

Lots of bookings initially then nothing .. but happily got 2 this year!

I am comfortable with online booking (just avoid instant booking)
FelicityA
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Post by FelicityA »

Jenster. I think the uplift in prices with the fees would put people right off. I prefer to have 'what you see is what you get'. But maybe you are right - who can tell. The trouble is one can't experiment and go back because I doubt that would now be possible (to revert to sub on FlipKey).

I do wonder though about doing another listing on HL for the same property with a different email address and making that commission? Might that 'queer my pitch' as ultimately the two listings would be in the same name and they might, having got my bank details, start putting payments through the system, with attendant fees for the FK listing as well. You see, I don't trust anybody now! :(
Ele
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Post by Ele »

Felicity A - I have both a commission listing on HL, and subs on FK for the same property. They're completely separate, different listing ID's, different email address on the accounts. I went through a palaver to choose which one drives the TA listing, but that's currently the only area where I can see there could be cross-over. I can't comment on if they can mix up payments, as in the 2 years we've had this set up we've not taken a booking via the FK or HL systems.
Jenster
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Post by Jenster »

I am on TA twice anyway (see previous post) as they seem to be advertising properties for OD now too! Bizarrely When you click on the second ad it takes you to my OD listing. Not too happy with this as I think it makes me look a bit dodgy - same property, different prices etc....
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