Originally Posted by HeelLaw
MM,
I think you missed the point of my post:
If a truly successful enterprise was established that allowed people to move points around easily, trade them, etc. then the airlines would do something.
They're designed to reward loyalty. If there's no loyalty, they have no incentive to give something away for free.
You're looking at this only from a consumer's perspective. While, as a consumer, it would be nice to be able to trade and move miles around, as a rational human being, I can see that it is not in an airline's interest for me to be able to do so. Do you get that?
Like I said, be careful what you wish for. If someone figured out an easy way to effectively barter/trade/move miles, the airlines would undoubtedly move to prevent it from occuring, and the only possible outcomes I can think of under that scenario are decidedly negative for the consumer.
Try thinking long term.
I'm debating whether to continue posting in these threads, because I'm starting to think that MM is a characature or plant or something. The truly off-the-wall comments and constant references to "corruption" and acting like it's an us vs. them thing are almost too bizarre to believe.
heelaw you are coming through loud and clear and yes, I had missed your point, or some of it.
Yes, if something too easily allowed people to move points around easily, then the airlines would start to think twice about what is going on out there. This would have an affect on the entire loyalty scheme. But it doesn’t have to be all negative.
as a consumer, I am seeing it more one-sided right now, but I am sure the business of those who would trade miles at points.com has been well thought out so it can make money for both the airlines and the points.com company. Why cant there be 2 points.com companies? I like transferring miles but I am not saying I MUST have that around to be happy. And I am not saying it has to be so available that it should wipe out the entire concept of loyalty programs as we know them.
I am suggesting that if there were 2 points.com entities--or, maybe FT can come up with a version of it that we can better trust and work with, this action would actually help airlines and customers.
I think if there are more than one entity that performs a service, then this fosters competition. And with competition, come price adjustments, marketing ideas and more deals that could make more people more money. Also, it inherently attempts to out do the other guy by providing a better service for the customer. In the end, thru competition, points.com and its competitor would have a higher level of service that we would all enjoy, no matter what they provide. That's the theory, at least.
Right now there is only one points.com. It makes mistakes. I am sorry you feel reluctant to post or be involved with things because I use the word corruption here. Things don’t post and that bugs me, and others. Things that don’t post from points.com cause problems. People like me try to get them to fix it or we have to email and call them a lot to get answers. They often blow us off or cannot help. They put the onus on us. They fail. They therefore ruin some of the very business they create and no one is holding them accountable. There is no competitor that makes them “feel” as if they should watch out or else someone else will take their business over. the partner airlines don’t care either. Points.com continues to do its thing, and some of it is good, but in doing it the way I have just described above, they are the ones ruining this sort of thing for airlines, not me. Their actions, if not held in check, will cause problems that will make airlines wary of doing any such things and then we will see changes that could be negative.
I do not pretend to have it all figured out, nor do I pretend to be an expert logician or expert writer who knows all about the mile trading business, but I do know that this company does often practice in such a way that can be seen by many as corrupt. That shouldn’t make me anything but someone who is bothered by it. Why is it so hard to understand this?
Have you never lost a mile?
When you do, and you fight to get it credited to your account, you will see what I mean. I litterally had to fight tooth and nail to get to the people who run points.com and ebay anything points all fall because over 100 people, myself included, were missing an average of 5,000 miles a piece! Tell me what that looks like to you? Yep, believe it! Bizzare or not, it happened, right here in FT. And every time miles fail to post and people have to suffer thru the pains of getting them back, it down right stinks. Savvy or not, experienced or not, this stuff happens to customers and that does eventually hurt the business too. And when it happens to someone who is NOT in the know, it's almost a crime-especially if it seems as though that business has no reason to give a crap about that poor person! It makes a guy like me upset, and you have seen me post in other threads about ways that may not seem so above board to try to combat things like this. I aint saying I am always right, but you get the idea. What this sort of thing does to someone is kind of bizzare too, eh?
Well, a second points.com or FT version of it that we would all trust and enjoy, would really help, I think!
That's what I am trying to say.
MM
Try thinking long term as well, my friend.
Don't leave this thread because you toy with the idea that I am ONLY some sort of us vs. them thinker, and nothing more. I think you have the abilities and passions to help make our work together in ventures like this come up with something really positive and forward thinking. I would look forward to working on challenges like this with you, not VS you (or anybody).