Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > MilesBuzz
Reload this Page >

Deal Killing Blogs: List deals which were pulled, and the blogs which published them.

Deal Killing Blogs: List deals which were pulled, and the blogs which published them.

Old Nov 19, 2012, 2:09 pm
  #151  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 6,355
Originally Posted by Tiki
No one has mentioned US Grand Slam as a deal that was killed, although I gave more details on a thread in the GS forum, I would attribute the killing of that deal to a certain female Texas based blogger (mother of a toddler) who was running monthly tutorials on how to prepare for GS 12. I'm pretty sure the USDM people saw that and decided they didn't want hordes of people buying the minimum on their partners and having to deal with complaints when it didn't post on time. USDM still wants money so they at least gave us a share miles bonus but even that wasn't half as lucrative for experienced Grand Slammers.

The other killable deal occurred in April and May of this year. Now it's one thing if a company wants to promote tourism in the USA but quite another for a blogger to break down in great detail how to use hotel points in certain hotel programs to exchange for cheap airline miles. Result was that it was nearly impossible to log on to the site in question to buy points because of all the newbie traffic. For the sake of the OP, you can file that one under the same female blogger from Texas.
Originally Posted by balima
I have to agree with Tiki (post 75) and his summation of the demise of the GrandSlam. the GS went on for I believe 8 years, each year getting bigger and better. Then last year it hit the blogs hard with details of how to get tens of thousands of miles for less than $100. As soon as GS was over, bloggers started talking about how to set up for next year's GS. The upshot? No GS. Really did we need to have things outlined on how to set up for next year's GS? If you can not figure that one out yourself.... But, those posts were to generate traffic, even without knowing if the GS was to be repeated. So, many newbies are sitting on points in erewards and e-miles, wondering what to do with them.

The blogger from Texas also had a prime time slot at the Chicago Seminars specifically to talk about the GS. Since that never happened, she had little to contribute to the seminar. You would have thought that she would have had something to pull out of her hat.
Thanks for the concrete examples folks. I will add these to the examples to the list in the OP.

BTW, I assume this is the same female blogger from TX that also pushed and pushed and pushed people to sign up for Amex PRGs and Amex Business Gold CCs with her referral links last year, and told everybody who would listen how easy it is to "Bump The Bonus". Then of course lots of people got stuck in the middle when Amex axed the deal midway through cuz everybody and their mother was trying to get 100k Amex pts for Bumping the Bonus?

BTW folks, please keep the examples coming so I can further update the list in the OP. If anybody feels like digging through blogger's posts and seeing what deals were posted about, and which have died soonafter, please do so.

Also Tiki, thanks for the idea to not overtly identify the blogger which will cause them to move up in the Google rankings. I will try to edit the blog names while still making them identifiable to FTers.

Last edited by gregorygrady; Nov 19, 2012 at 2:15 pm
gregorygrady is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2012, 2:27 pm
  #152  
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 327
What the **** are you talking about? The core of the deal was really how to liquidate those AMEX GC's quickly. Nobody would be buying bulk of AMEX GCs through BC if it was not spelled out how to liquidate them

But yes, live in your world justifying the few crumbs you got pimping that out in the world and let us know how the business is in the crumbs world

Originally Posted by Astrophsx
Purchasing Amex gift cards for a cash back rebate is still alive. Using the Mint to quickly liquidate the cards was an extended process that would to be to most considered a "scheme". A deal to me is some sort of offer extended by a company or business, like offering a coupon for "2 for 1". Adding many layers to a deal, such as purchasing reloadable gift cards to then fund a BB card that you then have to liquidate quickly... and do over and over... is what I consider a scheme. The deals don't tend to go away, it's the scheme that gets broken.

I had no problem publishing the detailed steps because no one ever told me how to do it. I figured it out on my own and yes... it was pretty simple.. but I would say that a large amount of people got to take advantage of the deal.. people claimed for long time that it would quickly get shut down and it didn't. People are still purchasing Amex gift cards, and they are also using bigcrumbs to reap rewards. Not to mention that they were getting referrals to anyone they past the idea on to. I just benefited that I was the first to spell it out in detail and provide a link.

If you post any helpful information on here other people will use it to their benefit and flyertalk will profit from their ads. Moral of the story... my opinion is that anything that is posted on here is fair game.
mshah is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2012, 2:30 pm
  #153  
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: ATL
Posts: 347
seth doesn't kill deals
Scott, the one moving to Bueno Aires has not killed a deal to my knowledge
aviator8 is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2012, 2:37 pm
  #154  
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,736
Originally Posted by mshah
What the **** are you talking about? The core of the deal was really how to liquidate those AMEX GC's quickly. Nobody would be buying bulk of AMEX GCs through BC if it was not spelled out how to liquidate them

But yes, live in your world justifying the few crumbs you got pimping that out in the world and let us know how the business is in the crumbs world
Enjoy it when people say things on the internet that they would not openly say during a public discussion. Apparently you feel blasting someone with that type of language on a public forum is acceptable?

Like I said, what I posted was a simple idea. I have a regular job that I love and by taking the time to detail the process just provided a supplemental income. Actually, a fairly healthy one at that. You are actually quite wrong. I don't think you have a grasp of how many people are using other methods to quickly liquidate these cards. I'm able to see exactly how many purchases were made by my referrals on bigcrumbs and the overall amount of $ spent. IMO you have no idea what you are speaking about.
Astrophsx is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2012, 2:43 pm
  #155  
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Chicago
Programs: UA, AA, US, DL, PC Plat, Dollar, Avis, National, SPG, HH Gold, CC Gold
Posts: 1,212
OK, here is another recent one. Month of Miles. Do I need to say more. What a FUBAR that was! Within days of the start of the promo, the T&C's drastically changed. From unlimited to 25K. The demise of miles for gift cards can be directly attributed to this one. One day Gift Cards counted, the next they did not. The blogs described in exacting detail how to double, triple and in some cases quadruple dip for miles. People needed to fight for the miles they had purchased.

Now was this promo well vetted? Obviously not. But, blogging about how to get tens of thousands of miles and then telling California residents how to cash out the gift cards
balima is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2012, 2:59 pm
  #156  
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 327
Originally Posted by Astrophsx
Enjoy it when people say things on the internet that they would not openly say during a public discussion. Apparently you feel blasting someone with that type of language on a public forum is acceptable?

Like I said, what I posted was a simple idea. I have a regular job that I love and by taking the time to detail the process just provided a supplemental income. Actually, a fairly healthy one at that. You are actually quite wrong. I don't think you have a grasp of how many people are using other methods to quickly liquidate these cards. I'm able to see exactly how many purchases were made by my referrals on bigcrumbs and the overall amount of $ spent. IMO you have no idea what you are speaking about.
They are buying that because they have no clue what else is out there

I would admit I am not aware of any other method to liquidate the amount of GCs I liquidated with mint. Glad to hear your business is still going strong
mshah is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2012, 3:05 pm
  #157  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Madison, WI, USA
Posts: 14,162
Originally Posted by abcx
You must be one of those who think cigarettes don't cause cancer. If the causation between blogs publicizing deals and deals dying isn't obvious to people, well, what can I say?
abcx, when you can show me the equivalent level of the factual support that links smoking and cancer, you have a case, but all you did was say the causation should be obvious. It's only obvious to people who jump to conclusions without any facts.

You provide zero facts, while researchers provided study after study. Notice the difference?

Using your lack of logic, it's also obvious that Elvis is partying happily with aliens and Nessie is having a great time frolicking in Loch Ness as we speak.
PaulMSN is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2012, 3:09 pm
  #158  
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: RDU
Programs: A few
Posts: 5,499
Originally Posted by balima
I have to agree with Tiki (post 75) and his summation of the demise of the GrandSlam. the GS went on for I believe 8 years, each year getting bigger and better. Then last year it hit the blogs hard with details of how to get tens of thousands of miles for less than $100. As soon as GS was over, bloggers started talking about how to set up for next year's GS. The upshot? No GS. Really did we need to have things outlined on how to set up for next year's GS? If you can not figure that one out yourself.... But, those posts were to generate traffic, even without knowing if the GS was to be repeated. So, many newbies are sitting on points in erewards and e-miles, wondering what to do with them.

The blogger from Texas also had a prime time slot at the Chicago Seminars specifically to talk about the GS. Since that never happened, she had little to contribute to the seminar. You would have thought that she would have had something to pull out of her hat.
Are you kidding???? There was a whole forum dedicated to GS here on FT
ma91pmh is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2012, 3:12 pm
  #159  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Madison, WI, USA
Posts: 14,162
Originally Posted by QL_714
You and many others want proof? Do you also want proof the sun will rise tomorrow? Here is your proof. There are many deals that have been working for years that are well known on private forums. These eventually make their way to the bloggers/FT/bloggers (a vicious circle) and then all of a sudden they die. This happens over and over again. A fifth grader can figure this one out.
That's not proof. That's you wanting to believe something. Correlation does not equal causation. You must eliminate all other factors to make that proof. You haven't done that, therefore it's just speculation on your part. And wishful thinking. And an implied selfishness.
PaulMSN is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2012, 3:14 pm
  #160  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Programs: PC Pl, UA 1K, CC Gl
Posts: 2,235
I think all this blogging stuff is a sweet revenge Randy aims at FT. He tried to compete with MP and failed. Nw he decided to share revenue with 50 bloggers and start Boarding area. Bloggers will get nice amount of money and will monitor every single thread on FT for any good deals. Then they will expose it it on BA within minutes. No need to check FT anymore! Internet brands are loosing trafic. I, frankly, check BA before FT, because almost ALL the deals are there within minutes in BIG LETTERS. Randy is very smart
al613 is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2012, 3:19 pm
  #161  
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Programs: DL Gold
Posts: 880
Hey guys, have you heard that the Amex Biz Gold 50K signup expires tomorrow?
hotelmotel is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2012, 3:20 pm
  #162  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Madison, WI, USA
Posts: 14,162
Amazing the number of people here who don't understand simple logic. All the examples of "proof" listed above are really examples of speculation. There is no proof whatsoever -- the most anyone has posted is merely correlation.
PaulMSN is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2012, 3:21 pm
  #163  
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 520
Pretty sure this is the biggest troll of a thread I've seen yet on FT.

Coming from someone who spent a lot of time on the UA/CO forums during the merger, I tend to think that is saying quite a bit.
UnitedConnection is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2012, 3:23 pm
  #164  
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,758
Originally Posted by PaulMSN
That's not proof. That's you wanting to believe something. Correlation does not equal causation. You must eliminate all other factors to make that proof. You haven't done that, therefore it's just speculation on your part. And wishful thinking. And an implied selfishness.
Are you kidding me? How many of these deals have you been involved in? How many deals have you been using for years only to see it pop up on blogs/FT and die in a month or two? If you want to keep your eyes closed that is fine. Were you one of thoses that claimed the "Mint" deal could not be killed?

Last edited by QL_714; Nov 19, 2012 at 3:28 pm
QL_714 is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2012, 3:25 pm
  #165  
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: ATL
Posts: 347
Originally Posted by hotelmotel
Hey guys, have you heard that the Amex Biz Gold 50K signup expires tomorrow?

LOL
+1
aviator8 is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.