What has happened at French Connections? I can see it now - some bright spark suggesting that they take advantage of their success by revamping their website, giving people more search options etc.
So what time of year do they choose to change the site? The busiest for bookings! Now, unless people know which area of France they want to go they have to choose the whole of France - no option to choose the South West, North West etc. Most people I know (myself included) look for the best accommodation and then choose the area. French Connections now make this almost impossible. They have told me they are looking into changing this but no further news for a couple of weeks.
Before the changes most of our bookings came via FC. Since the changes we the enquiries have dried up. Either others are having the same problems or someone is being very successful!
Perhaps one of the problems is the availability. Whilst it used to become boring replying to people that we were already booked, at least we had their email contact details for future marketing. Now that they can see we're booked they don't make contact. I can see people bucking the system by only updating off season weeks (FC try to force updates) and leaving peak weeks free for this reason.
I would be really interested to find out what others' experience is since the changes.
Yvain
French Connections - What's Gone Wrong?
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Normandy Cow
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I totally agree - and there has also been much discussion about this in the "Gite Owners" section of the discussion forum on the LivingFrance website - so we are not the only ones consdering taking our custom elsewhere. FC take note!!!
We have had only one enquiry from FC so far this year (and that did not produce a reservation). Luckily, I already advertise on another website and have already got 18 weeks booked for this year, so not losing too much sleep over it, but do resent having paid a subscription for not much in return...
We have had only one enquiry from FC so far this year (and that did not produce a reservation). Luckily, I already advertise on another website and have already got 18 weeks booked for this year, so not losing too much sleep over it, but do resent having paid a subscription for not much in return...
We had the marketing manager of French Connections on here last year telling us about the new site. This is FC's leap into the 21st century, and there are definitely some improvements.
Yvain, I'm not sure if you mean that the categories are too specific, but you can search by region and department. You can also further refine by number of bedrooms and a couple of other parameters. So it looks and works like the competition now.
But there is some room for improvement. They emailed advertisers to say that we had to keep our calendars up to date if we want to be included in an availability search. Only trouble is, I can't upload any dates. Or rather, I can spend several minutes uploading them all with their fiddly interface, and then it just shows the entire range of dates I entered as booked. All the available weeks are lost.
I emailed them about this and have got no reply, so that part of their operation hasn't changed.
You also can't make changes to your descriptions yet, and they have arranged mine in an illogical way. And I am not keen on showing only one pic and asking the visitor to click through for the rest - I think that is a usability error.
Hopefully....they will listen to their feedback and iron out all the problems. There do seem to be quite a few unhappy campers out there.
Shame they chose the peak booking season to make the changes, isn't it?
Yvain, I'm not sure if you mean that the categories are too specific, but you can search by region and department. You can also further refine by number of bedrooms and a couple of other parameters. So it looks and works like the competition now.
But there is some room for improvement. They emailed advertisers to say that we had to keep our calendars up to date if we want to be included in an availability search. Only trouble is, I can't upload any dates. Or rather, I can spend several minutes uploading them all with their fiddly interface, and then it just shows the entire range of dates I entered as booked. All the available weeks are lost.
I emailed them about this and have got no reply, so that part of their operation hasn't changed.
You also can't make changes to your descriptions yet, and they have arranged mine in an illogical way. And I am not keen on showing only one pic and asking the visitor to click through for the rest - I think that is a usability error.
Hopefully....they will listen to their feedback and iron out all the problems. There do seem to be quite a few unhappy campers out there.
Shame they chose the peak booking season to make the changes, isn't it?
Paolo
Lay My Hat
Lay My Hat
Catherine, where else do you list your gite?
Until this season we were easily fully booked using FC only. By this time last year we were almost completely full. This year, we have 7 weeks booked.
I thought it was just me!
In any case, we're now looking to list somewhere else, having just realized that it won't pick up anytime soon. I'm just beginning to research this. I'd love to know where people have had success listing -- I'll browse the Rental Listing Sites area...
Until this season we were easily fully booked using FC only. By this time last year we were almost completely full. This year, we have 7 weeks booked.
I thought it was just me!
In any case, we're now looking to list somewhere else, having just realized that it won't pick up anytime soon. I'm just beginning to research this. I'd love to know where people have had success listing -- I'll browse the Rental Listing Sites area...
Brooke
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Yvain
- Posts: 34
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Sorry I didn't see the other posting - I'll check it out. Paolo, unless I've missed something obvious, there is no way now on FC to search other than on the whole country (by ignoring the selection of areas on the first search screen) or by selecting he precise location. For example, you can't search for the south west or west, you have to choose, for example, Poitou Charente. But then you can't even search on that, you have to choose one of the three areas within Poitou Charente - you can't search on the whole. This is ridiculous. I really hope they sort themselves out or I think they will lose a lot of business.
Yvain
Yvain
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Normandy Cow
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Yvain, much as FC are not flavour of the month (or even year!) with me, I think I ought to come to their defence on this point - once you have chosen a region (e.g. "Normandy"), you are not forced to enter a department - you can choose "All Departments"). I still won't be renewing my subscription though...
Vrooje, in answer to your question, I advertise on VisitFrance.co.uk. But I am aware that there are a number of other sites which other people swear by - eg holiday-Rentals.com, PerfectPlaces.com, holidaylettings.co.uk, the list is endless - and just because one works for me, it may not for you. I guess it all depends upon how much competition there is within your region on the site. And much as I want to help other people out with advice, there is a nagging feeling at the back of my mind that part of FC's problem is the sheer number of advertisers that have joined in the past couple of years... So maybe I should be selfish and keep quiet about VisitFrance!...
Vrooje, in answer to your question, I advertise on VisitFrance.co.uk. But I am aware that there are a number of other sites which other people swear by - eg holiday-Rentals.com, PerfectPlaces.com, holidaylettings.co.uk, the list is endless - and just because one works for me, it may not for you. I guess it all depends upon how much competition there is within your region on the site. And much as I want to help other people out with advice, there is a nagging feeling at the back of my mind that part of FC's problem is the sheer number of advertisers that have joined in the past couple of years... So maybe I should be selfish and keep quiet about VisitFrance!...
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Alan Knighting
- Posts: 4120
- Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 7:26 am
- Location: Monflanquin, Lot-et-Garonne, France
It's a funny old world.
Until this year my properties were included on the French Connections Website because I was an advertiser with Vacances France. I used to get quite a lot of enquiries through FC. Now that FC and VF has separated my enquiries have diminished noticably. Because of this I am in the process of re-registering with FC in the hope of getting back to as things were.
At this early stage of the game I find that FC are responding quickly to my questions. I am dealing with Karen Viney who is a member of this Forum.
Until this year my properties were included on the French Connections Website because I was an advertiser with Vacances France. I used to get quite a lot of enquiries through FC. Now that FC and VF has separated my enquiries have diminished noticably. Because of this I am in the process of re-registering with FC in the hope of getting back to as things were.
At this early stage of the game I find that FC are responding quickly to my questions. I am dealing with Karen Viney who is a member of this Forum.
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Yvain
- Posts: 34
- Joined: Sun Jan 30, 2005 10:01 pm
- Location: St Fort Sur Gironde & Mortagne Sur Gironde
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Catherine, you are absolutely right - I had not looked closely enough. However, it doesn't work when you click on the map, which is what I had been doing. Maybe it's just me but I think it is more intuitive this way if you are exploring regions in more general to find the right property.
Alan, I'm not sure it's sheer numbers as literally right up to the changes we were receiving lots of enquiries, and I know others were as well. These have more or less completely dried up. To be fair we have been receiving better service than I would have expected bearing in mind the amount of queries they must be getting at this time but I would be interested to know if they plan to make the relatively simple changes to allow wider regions to be chosen both as part of the drop down and also the map. Perhaps FC could respond here?
The question of which sites work is really interesting and is an entirely new topic. Visit France never worked for us at all!
Yvain
Alan, I'm not sure it's sheer numbers as literally right up to the changes we were receiving lots of enquiries, and I know others were as well. These have more or less completely dried up. To be fair we have been receiving better service than I would have expected bearing in mind the amount of queries they must be getting at this time but I would be interested to know if they plan to make the relatively simple changes to allow wider regions to be chosen both as part of the drop down and also the map. Perhaps FC could respond here?
The question of which sites work is really interesting and is an entirely new topic. Visit France never worked for us at all!
Yvain
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Alan Knighting
- Posts: 4120
- Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 7:26 am
- Location: Monflanquin, Lot-et-Garonne, France
Yvain,
I know there are many factors involved in getting enqiries but I don't think I can ignore the fact that the change in the profile of my enquiries coincided exactly with the separation of FC and VF. FC changing their site at the same time further clouds the issue.
Maybe I should give Holiday Rentals a go - it seems to a popular choice with Forum members.
Perhaps I should also get myself into gear and create and publish my own personal Website?
Alan
I have sent an e-mail to Karen Viney of FC telling her of this thread and asking her to respond.Perhaps FC could respond here?
I know there are many factors involved in getting enqiries but I don't think I can ignore the fact that the change in the profile of my enquiries coincided exactly with the separation of FC and VF. FC changing their site at the same time further clouds the issue.
Maybe I should give Holiday Rentals a go - it seems to a popular choice with Forum members.
Perhaps I should also get myself into gear and create and publish my own personal Website?
Alan
I will ask Karen Viney to comment on the issues raised in this thread.Yvain wrote:Perhaps FC could respond here?
As for which sites work, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, there are so many variables at play that I don't think you can say that what works for one property will work for another. Also, unless someone is using an awful lot of sites, they could be recommending the best of a bad lot rather than the best potential site.
I think the only way to go about finding the right sites to advertise on is to use my exhaustive and tedious method of analysing their search engine rankings, which you can see here:
What are the best listing sites to advertise on?
This will give you a shortlist of candidates who perform best for a property like yours, in your location. Then you have to carefully look at each site and assess how user-friendly each is, how much competition there is in your area, how easily one can find your house (how refined a search can be), etc.
Price is a factor, but I would say the least important one. Advertising online is very cheap, and there is no point saving a few pounds/dollars/euros to use a bad site instead of a good one.
Paolo
Lay My Hat
Lay My Hat
I am not sure what the relationship was between VF and FC, but I would guess you were benefiting from the fact that FC is a more established and ‘successful’ site than VF. Now that VF are on their own, you are no longer getting FC’s enquiries. Is that possible?Alan Knighting wrote:I know there are many factors involved in getting enqiries but I don't think I can ignore the fact that the change in the profile of my enquiries coincided exactly with the separation of FC and VF. FC changing their site at the same time further clouds the issue.
If so, you should have been told this was happening as you paid for your year’s advertising based on the relationship with FC. Without the FC connection you are no longer getting what you paid for.
Paolo
Lay My Hat
Lay My Hat
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Alan Knighting
- Posts: 4120
- Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 7:26 am
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Paolo,
Up to the end of last year there was a "partnership" between the two. FC was in English and VF was in French; apart from that the pages were the same and were linked together. They then went their separate ways and VF duplicated their site into English and French versions.
In a way you are right. I am not getting exactly what I have had in the past. The two versions of the page remain the same but I now rely solely on the search engine ratings of VF and not on the joint ratings of FC and VF. I no longer get FC enquiries (I am no longer on their site) and that's a real downer. Most of the enquiries were from English speakers and came from the FC site. Those few from the VF site were largely French speaking.
Bookings are quite good for the coming season but at the moment I am not getting many enquiries and something has to done to improve the situation. My thoughts are to get back onto the FC site and perhaps go onto the Holiday Rentals site as well. Any bright ideas would be most welcome.
I am on a number of other sites most of which are next to useless apart from Owners in France which produces some enquiries; not a lot but some.
Alan
Up to the end of last year there was a "partnership" between the two. FC was in English and VF was in French; apart from that the pages were the same and were linked together. They then went their separate ways and VF duplicated their site into English and French versions.
In a way you are right. I am not getting exactly what I have had in the past. The two versions of the page remain the same but I now rely solely on the search engine ratings of VF and not on the joint ratings of FC and VF. I no longer get FC enquiries (I am no longer on their site) and that's a real downer. Most of the enquiries were from English speakers and came from the FC site. Those few from the VF site were largely French speaking.
Bookings are quite good for the coming season but at the moment I am not getting many enquiries and something has to done to improve the situation. My thoughts are to get back onto the FC site and perhaps go onto the Holiday Rentals site as well. Any bright ideas would be most welcome.
I am on a number of other sites most of which are next to useless apart from Owners in France which produces some enquiries; not a lot but some.
Alan
Alan,
You need to dip into your pocket! In the meantime, I went on www.holidaylets.net for their free trial - this is obviously a good time of year to try out a period of free advertising - and I have had a couple of enquiries from it. Worth getting on there I would say. They don't take any payment details and you can upload even your pics almost instantly.
You need to dip into your pocket! In the meantime, I went on www.holidaylets.net for their free trial - this is obviously a good time of year to try out a period of free advertising - and I have had a couple of enquiries from it. Worth getting on there I would say. They don't take any payment details and you can upload even your pics almost instantly.
Paolo
Lay My Hat
Lay My Hat
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Alan Knighting
- Posts: 4120
- Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 7:26 am
- Location: Monflanquin, Lot-et-Garonne, France
Paolo,
Spending money is very easy. Spending money and getting value is not so easy. I expect a return on my investment. All this applies equally to Rental Websites as to anything else.
There are hundreds of Rental Websites out there and if one used them all the cost would exceed the income. My question is; which Rental Websites are likely to be a good investment and which are not? There is a lot of experience amongst the members of this Forum. Perhaps it could be shared to the mutual benefit of us all.
In the meantime it looks like I will be adding FC and HR to my portfolio of Websites.
Alan
Come on! I know there are no free lunches in this world but I also know the world is populated by people who will take your money and supply the thick end of nothing at all.You need to dip into your pocket!
Spending money is very easy. Spending money and getting value is not so easy. I expect a return on my investment. All this applies equally to Rental Websites as to anything else.
There are hundreds of Rental Websites out there and if one used them all the cost would exceed the income. My question is; which Rental Websites are likely to be a good investment and which are not? There is a lot of experience amongst the members of this Forum. Perhaps it could be shared to the mutual benefit of us all.
In the meantime it looks like I will be adding FC and HR to my portfolio of Websites.
Alan