Are bloggers ruining Flyertalk????
May 11, 2012, 3:08 pm
#406
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: 1A
Programs: Most
Posts: 393
I agree completely with everything Hans Golden has said in this thread.
I write as I think so forgive tyops grammar in the following.
The main complaint is that the bloggers take and take but give nothing back to the FT community only enriching themselves and actually harming the overall FT community. You could fix this without changing the culture of FT by implementing a point system.
If you post a deal and other people think its worthy then you are awarded points by the community. This is kind of implemented by the CC, but the posting requirements doesn't not address the value of the comments made. Mod's only watch for abuses not general value of the comment. This system would also address the fact that someone may not have a Grand slam deal to post, but they might have a decent deal that even the board legends might not know about and could be helpful to newbies. This keeps the flow of free information going. The point awarding system cold also identify rising stars people that are adding a lot of value to the board and people you should be watching (you could create a rising star board showing who has gained most in a certain time frame). Then once you reach a certain point level you are allowed entry to the Juicy deal or Private forum. This would still allow for general tricks and tips that are in no jeopardy of being closed to exist (giving value to newbies) This would mean that people that help out others or post new or improved tricks would be able to earn entry to this area. To maintain entry to the Juicy Deal forum you would have to continue to post and earn points each year. This would encourage people to help out newbies and also to not rest on their laurels. You could also implement a lifetime Juicy deal poster for being in the top 10 one year or tipping an especially valuable trick which then could be voted on by the community at end of year. The top five deals give lifetime juicy deal status. This would limit the number of people who have access to these deals and bloggers would have to contribute in order to gain entry (not just take). Additionally, you could also stipulate that reposting of this information would result in revocation of Juicy deal access for a certain time frame.
Finally, to cut off the source that supplies most of the incentive for bloggers then just post the top credit card deals on the front page off FT with referral link. FT would be beneficiary and they could use the system where you get cashback for applying (as mentioned earlier in the thread).
FT could use this money to Fund More or Larger MegaDo's^
Just my rambling 2.
I write as I think so forgive tyops grammar in the following.
The main complaint is that the bloggers take and take but give nothing back to the FT community only enriching themselves and actually harming the overall FT community. You could fix this without changing the culture of FT by implementing a point system.
If you post a deal and other people think its worthy then you are awarded points by the community. This is kind of implemented by the CC, but the posting requirements doesn't not address the value of the comments made. Mod's only watch for abuses not general value of the comment. This system would also address the fact that someone may not have a Grand slam deal to post, but they might have a decent deal that even the board legends might not know about and could be helpful to newbies. This keeps the flow of free information going. The point awarding system cold also identify rising stars people that are adding a lot of value to the board and people you should be watching (you could create a rising star board showing who has gained most in a certain time frame). Then once you reach a certain point level you are allowed entry to the Juicy deal or Private forum. This would still allow for general tricks and tips that are in no jeopardy of being closed to exist (giving value to newbies) This would mean that people that help out others or post new or improved tricks would be able to earn entry to this area. To maintain entry to the Juicy Deal forum you would have to continue to post and earn points each year. This would encourage people to help out newbies and also to not rest on their laurels. You could also implement a lifetime Juicy deal poster for being in the top 10 one year or tipping an especially valuable trick which then could be voted on by the community at end of year. The top five deals give lifetime juicy deal status. This would limit the number of people who have access to these deals and bloggers would have to contribute in order to gain entry (not just take). Additionally, you could also stipulate that reposting of this information would result in revocation of Juicy deal access for a certain time frame.
Finally, to cut off the source that supplies most of the incentive for bloggers then just post the top credit card deals on the front page off FT with referral link. FT would be beneficiary and they could use the system where you get cashback for applying (as mentioned earlier in the thread).
FT could use this money to Fund More or Larger MegaDo's^
Just my rambling 2.
May 11, 2012, 4:38 pm
#407
Join Date: May 2009
Location: South Park, CO
Programs: Tegridy Elite
Posts: 5,678
May 11, 2012, 5:07 pm
#408
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
May 11, 2012, 5:54 pm
#409
Join Date: Apr 2004
Programs: AA, UA, SQ, VA, QF, AF, BA
Posts: 2,865
I liked the concept of TOBB-MP and some of the bells and whistles like having an avatar but the problem is that very little new content is going up. If you click on "What's New", you get 5 pages of links to blogs, Kiva posts, threads that pad posting stats "count up from 123" sort of thing.
PLEASE don't start ranking FTers and giving points for "liking" posts. It got ridiculous on MP with people begging for "likes". I think there are a lot of improvements that could be made on FT as well. I hate those mega-threads from 2003 with outdated content. At least the Priority Club forum starts fresh each year with the promo threads so you know what is current.
As long as killable deals are being exploited and killed, there is going to be mistrust and people who will stop sharing info if they think a blogger is going to go viral with it. I am still waiting to see the effects of blogging on the Discover America promo next year. I am also a bit worried about Grand Slam-not worried it won't happen, more worried that the hits will be harder to get and more expensive if the bloggers attract more people to it. US needs to make it sustainable for them too.
May 11, 2012, 6:53 pm
#410
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: RDU
Programs: A few
Posts: 5,499
And of course the "free" is in inverted commas, because as any economics/commerce student with a basic knowledge of opportunity cost would tell you, nothing is free. So that wonderful trip for 4 to Orlando in coach might not be so great once you realise you could have flow business class to Asia for the same cost, if not less...
May 11, 2012, 7:58 pm
#411
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 5,439
I honestly think it is the best thing since sliced bread.
I can hop a flight to NYC for 7,500 or down to Miami for 4,500. And I only have to book a few hours in advance and pay about $2.50 in most cases.
There ARE non-FT and non-MP folks who read blogs. Most of those people have no idea why they should get a British Airways account and stock it up with "points" rather than keep their US based airline miles for short haul redemptions.
I can hop a flight to NYC for 7,500 or down to Miami for 4,500. And I only have to book a few hours in advance and pay about $2.50 in most cases.
There ARE non-FT and non-MP folks who read blogs. Most of those people have no idea why they should get a British Airways account and stock it up with "points" rather than keep their US based airline miles for short haul redemptions.
i dont get why you are so hung up on this. i recently redeemed 170k dl for a family trip to: orlando. it was phenomenal. one of our most memorable and enjoyable trips. i also recently redeemed on lh and ba f. they were also great in their own way. get off your damn high horse about premium redemptions. you dont have to be travelling in f for 10k+ miles to be getting good value. there is value in a 250 miles crj flight and there is value in a 16 hour f adventure. your constant digs at bloggers for suggesting anything relating to the former is really tiresome
This doesn't mean that one's enjoyment on a trip is proportional to the value per mile, but that doesn't alter the redemption value in economic terms...
As for Avios, yes it sounds good in theory, but it has so many limitations that to put a blanket statement on all short-haul Avios awards is misleading at best. 4500 Avios is only valid for a one-segment short haul award- challenging if you don't live in a Oneworld hub. What if there's no award space on the dates you require? With any other normal program, one can simply find an alternate routing for the same price, Avios charges you more for the privilege of being inconvenienced. If you are travelling spoke-hub-hub-spoke, it will cost at least 27K Avios round trip, and that's if all your segments are under 650 miles. A typical east coast to west coast award, transiting at both an east coast hub and a west coast hub will set you back at least 50K miles round trip in coach- and 3x (!) that in first class.
Now I would rather spend my 150K miles to fly Lufthansa and Swiss first class to Asia, but I guess AA domestic first will be just as enjoyable. I mean, these points are worth as much as you want to be, right?
Last edited by belfordrocks; May 12, 2012 at 1:08 am
May 11, 2012, 8:16 pm
#412
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: HNL
Posts: 781
May 11, 2012, 8:22 pm
#413
Join Date: May 2007
Location: DFW
Programs: WN A+, AA, HYATT DIAMOND, SPG
Posts: 1,125
I don't know you at all, but you are definitely the most under-lauded blogger (Loyalty Traveler) on this thread. You are very careful not to post killable deals (I think especially of your vague remarks re: 6/10 cpm PC points purchase), but most of all you do INCREDIBLY valuable original work and analysis. Since your comprehensive and painstaking analysis and number-crunching remains totally within the intents of the program, there is no danger of deals getting killed. However, it helps very much to have a total expert in all the hotel programs crunching the numbers for us, leaving it unnecessary for us to reinvent the wheel. Kudos.
I would be very much in favor of you having CC links. I would really love to apply for some hotel cards through your links and reward you for all the work you do on my behalf.
I would be very much in favor of you having CC links. I would really love to apply for some hotel cards through your links and reward you for all the work you do on my behalf.
I read his blog every day and am grateful for the time and effort he puts into his work. It shows.
May 11, 2012, 8:26 pm
#414
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Washington DC; UA Premier Exec, Starwood Gold, Hilton Silver
Posts: 399
This thread reminds me of ones years ago on Flyertalk when "The List" was created which was a private e-mail about the latest deals. 
May 11, 2012, 8:26 pm
#415
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: 1A
Programs: Most
Posts: 393
I think the main thing would be a members only area that is only accessible if you had put some skin in the game so you would have to do your own research and come up with own deals or put a new twist on current deal . Then the "elites" those with access would be determined by the community and it creates a more equal society (everybody is sharing the load). That way bloggers that don't contribute and merely dohat tips would be stuck with basic info and not some of the more advanced stuff.
May 11, 2012, 9:46 pm
#416
Join Date: May 2009
Location: South Park, CO
Programs: Tegridy Elite
Posts: 5,678
May 11, 2012, 10:20 pm
#417
Join Date: Jul 2001
Programs: Marriott LT Tit; Hyatt Explorist; Hilton CC Gold; IHG CC Plt; Hertz (MR) 5 star
Posts: 5,536
Your blog, Loyalty Traveler is AWESOME. Thanks for doing it. ^
May 11, 2012, 10:40 pm
#418
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: DEN
Programs: UA Gold-MM, AA Gold-MM, F9-Silver, Hyatt Something, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,393
As for her contribution on the domestic redemption side of the coin -- yes, there can be some value there. But her and other bloggers continued defense of 'everybody has different valuations on miles, and that's OK so don't judge me' is often just bad advice. Ignoring sign-up category bonuses, and assuming a typical card that earns 1 mile per dollar spent, you really need to be redeeming above 2cpm or else you would have been better to get the Fidelity card that offers 2% back. This is why most bloggers focus on premium cabins -- if you aren't flying premium cabins, you really need to think about how you earn your miles!
May 11, 2012, 10:43 pm
#419
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Victoria, B.C.
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, AA Gold LT
Posts: 1,941
Also, regardless of who you think "owns" information (no one does), I still find it hilarious that all the bloggers talked about the Discover America promos. How many Hyatt packages were there available ... 165 or so? How many blogs have readerships that are 10-25x this number? This wasn't a sustainable promotion, there was a limited number, yet they told all their readers about it. It ended up pitting readers against readers for the limited number of packages. Hardly a way to foster community.
Its funny I actually like some of the blogs - Gary's, Lucky's and even TPG, as sometimes they remind me of some of the deals that I forgot about. Sure they have to make money so I can skip the credit card posts. Although I appreciated TPG for talking about a Canadian BA card that I had not heard about hear on FT.
I do find it frustrating that they kill the deals. I also find it frustrating when they pump up how great something is when it really isn't. (like the Discover packages)
They also remind me of different perspectives. For example, they talk about amazing award availability being 5 out of 7 days available in a month, good availability being about 2-3 flights per week, and Ok award availability at about 4-5 flights available in a month. You know I almost agree with that, and I think that is why joe average often gives up on FF points...anyhow getting off topic.
Bloggers are a way of life. For the most part, I often enjoy their stories. Their spoon feeding sometimes teach me about ideas that currently are off my radar. Bloggers popularity and audience unfortunately kill the big deals quicker then ever.
May 11, 2012, 10:51 pm
#420
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Intermountain West
Programs: Too many to list
Posts: 12,089
Rouge? Shucks, I never knew you wore rouge. 
You are such a rogue. And, I agree, that bloggers are NOT ruining FT. If anything, FT is ruining FT. With billions of people on the internet "deals" won't last long. So read FT several times a day. Cheers.
You are such a rogue. And, I agree, that bloggers are NOT ruining FT. If anything, FT is ruining FT. With billions of people on the internet "deals" won't last long. So read FT several times a day. Cheers.