Comments on: About-Face on BedandBreakfast.com Policy

By: Marie

Marie — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 18:37:17 +0000

I just had an experience with bedandbreakfast.com about this very issue! After their repeated attempts to get me to write a review I decided to do so. My review was not “critical” or slanderous, but because it was not a 5 star rating it was disallowed because I chose not to hand over my personal billing information as proof of my stay. They say to “blackout” the critical information but why would I go through the painstaking effort to do so? Mine was a simple, thoughtful review and yet they will not post it to “protect” the innkeeper. Again, the review was clearly not slanderous but if bedandbreakfast.com allows this “negative” feedback to appear they will lose a member (read: profit) so they cannot allow less than stellar reviews – that’s it in a nutshell.

I think this site is a bit of a disservice to the potential customer because it does not provide a balanced viewpoint. I would guess that there are many who do not submit a “critical” review because of their concerns over identity theft and the energy it takes to follow through on something that means absolutely nothing to them in the end.

By: Janice Fitzgerald

Janice Fitzgerald — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:49:37 +0000

I’m intrigued by the “Verified Buyer” suggestion you make. I don’t understand how it saves TripAdvisor manpower. In other words, what would need to be done to “verify” the buyer, prior to a review being posted?
Since online reviews have become the norm, we might as well improve the process – thanks for this topic!

By: Monica

Monica — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 19:24:18 +0000

I think all the receipt-requirement does at this point is keep the guest from putting the review on BB.com. It certainly does not stop them from putting it everywhere else they want, including their own blog posts that then show up in searches for the property name.

If we’re posting complaints about how the site works how about the advertising that shows up leading guests away from the area they searched for? Or the advertising that shows up on the inn’s paid for ‘advertising page’ as Sandee calls it?

Or allowing B&B’s that are over an hour away to post their listing on a particular town’s page?

Or listing what kind of membership the B&B has by putting ‘platinum’, ‘gold’ and ’silver’ on the listing subtly implying that those who are paying more for their listing are ‘better’ properties than those who choose to pay less? The guest certainly doesn’t know what those designations mean and if they then see ‘Diamond’ listing the assumption is that the higher payment levels mean the service and quality of the stay will also be better.

Sorry, Jay, I ramble…

(And I know I can drop my BB.com membership anytime I want if I don’t like their rules.)

By: Jay Karen

Jay Karen — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 12:12:55 +0000

Hi Sandee. I understand your sentiment – I do. Why pay for the opportunity for someone to slam you? Doesn’t sit well in the ole gut department. But, here’s my take, and maybe Mr. Goldreyer will come out of retirement to comment too. BB.com saw the writing on the wall – travelers wanted to read reviews about B&Bs where they might stay. The growing trend could not be denied, and this was, what, four years ago? Look at it now! I’d say it’s no trend – it’s a flat-out reality. If BB.com wanted to maintain or improve their high level of traffic to their site and your pages (and thus make a listing with them even more valuable — they are in business, after all), they had to give B&B travelers what the wanted. Their strategic decision turned from being 100% an advertising site to a (mostly) advertising site and part consumer-generated content (CGC) site. They’re a blend, and they figured they had to be. Otherwise, TripAdvisor would be the ONLY game in town (our town – the B&B industry) where consumers can read and write reviews. Their reviews, along with TripAdvisor’s, feed the aggregated reviews seen on your Google Local listing – or is it Google Places listing now? Either way, I think it was more of a “need to stay competitive and relevant” move than a “power play.”

By: Sandee Wright

Sandee Wright — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 03:35:47 +0000

Still not sure why I should pay for advertising space and not write all the copy. Reviews are legitimate on review sites. Paid-listing sites are for advertising. The only thing I want to PAY to have on my site, from guests, is testimonials. Imagine forking over six or seven HUNDRED dollars and working at your advertising/marketing and then having someone’s sour grapes posted on your PAID AD! Nonsense. Reviews have no business on bedandbreakfast.com. I realize that Goldreyer salivated at the notion of capitalizing on a TripAdvisor-like income stream, but that doesn’t justify rewriting paid advertisements to include outside reviews. [Please note that I have never had a bad review on bedandbreakfast.com and don't anticipate having one. The power play is what I find objectionable.]