Comments on: Sophisticated Review Fraud Hits TripAdvisor

By: Colleen

Colleen — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 03:22:07 +0000

Marty had some good comments. Personally, I don’t think anyone should be able to leave a ‘review’ of a hotel unless they have personally stayed there. Seriously doubt we will ever see that idea implemented.

I recall someone once said just throw out all of the 5 star and 1 star ratings and then take the ‘average’ of what’s left and you will be just about right.

Sounds like a fairer way to take Tripadvisor comments. I used to check out the other posts a person put on Tripadvisor. I have seen people who posted on properties all over the map – they never say WHEN exactly they stayed. I suspect these 1 time reviews were bought and paid for.

Personally, I never even consider a review by someone who has only posted once. I used to feel fairly comfortable with reviews written by folks who seemed to have traveled a lot and left lots of reviews. Of course, now we know that even these folks could be suspect – and that is kind of sad. To think that every reviewer now has to be held in suspicion.

It seems that if there is a dollar out there – there will be someone who sits around and figures out a way to screw someone out of it. Sad, sad, sad.

I also tend to agree with Alisha – what we really want to hear about on The Beat of Hawaii is HAWAII INFO – first and foremost. It is why I subscribe. So, keep the Hawaii news coming!

By: Jeff

Jeff — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 19:16:23 +0000

Thanks Marty for that comment. It is a complex situation and you bring up many good points.

Aloha, Jeff

By: marty

marty — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 19:10:13 +0000

I have done some investigation here about Tripadvisor. I have worked with hotels for many years and this is what I can say for sure.
Hotel owners, mostly independent hotels, have lost control of their industry. Third parties have taken over while having little or no investment. These third parties, i.e. Tripadvisor, Hotels.com, Expedia and Hotwire, all of which are owned by Barry Diller have turned the independent owner into a pawn by having the ability to manipulate the reviews in such a way that they can actually redirect customers without them even knowing it.
How so? O.K. Go to Tripadvisor pick a city and see what you find. A list of hotels in a rating system from one to whatever number. If we believe the reviews some might have 15 reviews and are rated # 1, 2 or 3 (often these hotels have only recently signed up with these third parties). Then one will have 100 reviews and be rated somewhere in the so so area. Yet the 100 reviews have 75 very good ratings. The highest rated one could very well be an old hotel under new management and it might have been a dump in its previous listing life. The new hotel owner swiftly loads his fake reviews by having his family and associates post fake 5 star reviews. Tripadvisor can not stop these fakes if they are loaded in by different computers with different IP addresses. Think Kinko’s, UPS stores, etc. or even office depot while appearing to be looking to purchasing a new laptop.
This also applies to the other side of the picture. Someone loads bad reviews of their competitor. Or a crazy customer that did not get a discount and just creates new email accounts and looks like 30 different people. This all happens on tripadvisor every day. Because they do not require proof of you even having stayed at the hotel.
Now lets look at how Tripadvisor makes money. They make a % of every unit booked on Hotels.com, Expedia, Hotwire or an affiliate. No you say tripadvisor does not get a commission. Well kind of? They get a pay per click fee from most of their links. So the more they keep you going in circles the better. More clicks.
However Expedia, Hotwire and Hotels.com are owned by the same person that owns Tripadvisor. 25-35% of the hotel rate is what they get. Some hotels have contracts that are better for Expedia, etc. so you are now very cleverly directed to these hotels. How? By manipulating the reviews that is how. They remove negative reviews or hold back positive ones. Do they write them? No they just maneuver them. Which is the same thing in my book.
Also most of the time there is no discount at all. You just think you got one. Just check the room rate or call the hotel before booking and you will see that.
Now in the beginning these third parties were great for independent hotels because it got them in with the big boys on the web. Where can a small independent advertize. They could not take ads in every city in the world. So that was good in the start. However when Barry Diller saw the manipulation that was possible he began to purchase these companies and here we sit today all arguing with one another while he rakes in the cash.
The last thing that no one gets is this. Third parties have raised the price of rooms over the years. Hoteliers have adjusted prices to include their third parties commissions. Just a fact of doing business. As usual the angels become the devil and that what third party bookers have become.
Always call the hotel before booking. Because third party bookings get the worst rooms in a hotel because your booking is classified as a bargain hunter. If you book direct you get treated better and you have a direct relationship with the hotel not some third party that holds the hotel, less commission, funds for up to 30 days or more. Many times if there is a problem the hotel will tell Expedia to refund a guest payment. In that event what sometimes happens is the guest is told that the hotel would not refund the money. Then the hotel does not get the funds and Expedia keeps it all. No you say! They would not do that! Well let me show you how far they will go. Lets say you book a $100.00 + tax and the Hotel is paid $70.00 + tax. Where do you think the tax on $30.00 goes. Nowhere Expedia keeps it. Now if a company will cheat every city in the world out of sales taxes what do you think they will do to you. “BARRY DILLER” you are a piece of work!

By: Alisha

Alisha — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 18:10:25 +0000

I never said this information shouldn’t be reported – merely that I only need to be given it once.

I don’t know why Soren feels the need to be nasty, that’s a shame. But apparently he’s done now.

By: Soren

Soren — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 17:12:30 +0000

Alisha said:
Gentlemen – I just unsubscribed to your posts

Unsubcribing is your choice, but for what? You would rather people get misled and cheated out of their hard earned vacation dollar?
Information is power and sensible readers are grateful, not annoyed or offended by BOH’s article.
Yours is a somewhat unusual reaction. However, individuals are entitled to whatever version of reality they choose.

Alisha said:
Instead of Beat of Hawai’i you should just call this Beat up Trip Advisor.

What an educated and accurate analysis of BOH’s stance.
BOH are absolutely correct in bringing TA’s widespread misinformation and fraud to the attention of its readers.
It’s well known within the industry that there is a huge problem here.
It’s essential that independent voices are heard for the benefit of travel consumers.

Alisha said:
(That was my point, in case you missed it Soren.)

What exactly is your point, that you don’t like reality ?

Alisha said:
I doubt you’ll post this comment but I hope you read it & take to heart for the sake of your other subscribers.

Popular opinion does not support your point of view. Thank you for your concern for us ‘other subscribers’ but we don’t need protecting from the truth.
Rather, we need protecting from the corporate travel mega-sites who routinely fleece consumers with deceptive verbiage, endless restrictions and fees, and customer no-service from the stone age.

No more on this topic. We are done.
Kudos to BOH, you have a lifetime pass to my RSS feed.

By: Phil in Normandy, France

Phil in Normandy, France — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 09:04:18 +0000

Whilst TripAdvisor is obviously not the main focus of your blog, I appreciate your bringing issues like this to the attention of the travelling public. The article seems well balanced. TripAdvisor IS flawed and if that is brought to people’s attention, the more likely that Expedia and TripAdvisor will be moved to tighten up their checking procedures and improve the product. Keep up the good work.

Phil

By: Alisha

Alisha — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 19:55:37 +0000

No, I don’t work for Expedia or even in the travel industry.

I’m just person who enjoys travel, had a wonderful vacation in Hawai’i & wanted to learn more about the islands.

I felt after so many posts warning that TripAdvisor reviews were untrustworthy it was beating a dead horse.

That’s certainly the prerogative of the writers here to do, but I didn’t find it particularly informative or helpful to keep getting the same information over & over.

(That was my point, in case you missed it Soren.)

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:35:27 +0000

Hi Mark,

Thanks for writing again. I value your input, and of course follow you on Twitter too.

I did have a look at the TW article, which was interesting, including the comments.

Aloha, Jeff

By: Mark Olwick

Mark Olwick — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 14:20:33 +0000

Hi Jeff,

I truly appreciate all of the advice you give, as well as the tidbits into island life.

Interestingly enough, there’s an article this morning on Travel Weekly about review fraud. You may want to check it out:
http://www.travelweekly.com/hotels/article3_ektid210262.aspx

Mark

By: Soren

Soren — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 06:22:24 +0000

I follow you and other travel related blogs daily on RSS feed.
I wholeheartedly support, and urge you to continue to highlight irregularities published on TA. You are providing a public service.

Alisha misses the point. Maybe she works for Expedia.
But who cares.

Keep it up guys, travel consumers need you.

Soren