HomeAway New Announcement
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HomeAway New Announcement
By now, everyone should be aware of significant changes afoot with some of the bigger channels; changes that have been trending for some time and are continually encroaching on property manager profitability. The most notable example is this recent announcement from HomeAway stating that they plan to proceed with:
– A 25% increase in the cost of listing subscriptions
– New fee applies to users that work with integrated softwares
– A 10% fee for bookings made through different channels, but that HA believe derived from a guest that was previously considering the same property on their site.
Why is an excellent channel like HomeAway, used by most vacation rental managers, charging its clients to use tools that don’t affect them directly? Why is HA getting a fee for bookings made through other channels? And how do they get this information? How should vacation rental managers react?
– A 25% increase in the cost of listing subscriptions
– New fee applies to users that work with integrated softwares
– A 10% fee for bookings made through different channels, but that HA believe derived from a guest that was previously considering the same property on their site.
Why is an excellent channel like HomeAway, used by most vacation rental managers, charging its clients to use tools that don’t affect them directly? Why is HA getting a fee for bookings made through other channels? And how do they get this information? How should vacation rental managers react?
- bornintheuk
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- bornintheuk
- Posts: 538
- Joined: Sun Jun 12, 2011 11:18 am
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I was reading the Homeaway discussion forum today ( definitely worth popping into the USA forum from time to time) and learnt that the sub is going up 100 dollars ( i think that was the figure) on January 12th. You are only told about it if you are coming up for renewal. They don’t tell you if it is a while yet as they don’t want you getting it cheaper, I guess. This IS for individual owners!
Maybe HA/OD are looking over their shoulder to see what TA have done. I get the impression that TA don't really want to encourage subscription listings. I used a TA subscription site till 8 months ago. At renewal time they doubled the annual sub.FelicityA wrote:I was reading the Homeaway discussion forum today ( definitely worth popping into the USA forum from time to time) and learnt that the sub is going up 100 dollars ( i think that was the figure) on January 12th. You are only told about it if you are coming up for renewal. They don’t tell you if it is a while yet as they don’t want you getting it cheaper, I guess. This IS for individual owners!
Re: HomeAway New Announcement
Why indeed! It looks to me (in relation to English law) that HA could be crossing a red line so far as their London based site is concerned. I can see opportunities for litigation there.paulina.valverde wrote:... – A 10% fee for bookings made through different channels, but that HA believe derived from a guest that was previously considering the same property on their site ... Why is HA getting a fee for bookings made through other channels? And how do they get this information? ...
Welcome, Paulina, by the way.
My sub is due around the 20th Jan. I have been quoted £298.80 - no mention of a hike on the 12th. I have been putting off renewing but maybe I should do it now just in case! Wouldn’t put it past them to hike it without telling me, just before renewal.FelicityA wrote:I was reading the Homeaway discussion forum today ( definitely worth popping into the USA forum from time to time) and learnt that the sub is going up 100 dollars ( i think that was the figure) on January 12th. You are only told about it if you are coming up for renewal. They don’t tell you if it is a while yet as they don’t want you getting it cheaper, I guess. This IS for individual owners!
Re: HomeAway New Announcement
This is for property managers using software integrated with the HA platform.paulina.valverde wrote:Why is an excellent channel like HomeAway, used by most vacation rental managers, charging its clients to use tools that don’t affect them directly? Why is HA getting a fee for bookings made through other channels? And how do they get this information? How should vacation rental managers react?
Quite simple for HA to write some software that identfies calendar updates against enquiries for the same dates and also look at the name/email address of the person who enquired and compare to the name/email address of person who booked.
TA have similar software already that can check your calendar updates to recent enquiries.
Some guests just need a sympathetic pat. On the head. With a hammer.
The people I really feel sorry for are the original employees of VRBO, HolidayRentals, OwnersDirect etc. who all worked so hard and so well to build the companies, to build the brand and to become so successful.
They must really be feeling really sh1tty about all this cr@p coming out of Bellevue, Washington State
They must really be feeling really sh1tty about all this cr@p coming out of Bellevue, Washington State
** Richard
PIMS: Holiday Rental Management system
They say we learn from our mistakes. That makes me a genius !
PIMS: Holiday Rental Management system
They say we learn from our mistakes. That makes me a genius !
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Have a look at the following! Maybe you would not feel so sorry for them then. This is the UK but it looks similar in France. Breakfast, nights out, social activities, dress down everyday!?e-richard wrote:The people I really feel sorry for are the original employees of VRBO, HolidayRentals, OwnersDirect etc. who all worked so hard and so well to build the companies, to build the brand and to become so successful.
They must really be feeling really sh1tty about all this cr@p coming out of Bellevue, Washington State
https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Reviews/Hom ... E42523.htm
A few unhappy people - maybe the ones who have to deal with difficult and unhappy property owners!
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Re fake news: Jury seems to be out on this one!
https://help.glassdoor.com/article/Frau ... ews/en_US/
I know this one appears to be on its own in a sea of favourable reviews, but it made me chuckle:
I have been working at HomeAway full-time
Pros
- can hone your skills at defrauding people
- learn how to be indifferent to customers when they are stressed out and at wits end because you will not help them
- learn how a business can set itself up to be totally unaccountable and exacpe liability
Cons
- deal with endless complaints and problems
- harsh and unfriendly atmosphere, full of scammers
Advice to Management
quit