humanoid94

I've been banned from BFT for many years, but I remember to ask for advice you had to fill out a form that was available in the stickies that asked for certain information. Sounds a lot like running a query to me.

wideman

I say that you're both right. Sheryl couldn't figure out how -- or maybe just wasn't patient enough -- to generate revenue by offering the database as free content. So, she started the secondary business of giving advice, but only on condition that the advice-seekers "buy" their trip through Sheryl's site. Sort of a dodgy business plan, trying to accommodate both the more sophisticated database users and the clueless newbies. Mix in La Mexic's personality, and that drove away most of the clientele. Whether or not she can recover any substantial portion of them remains to be seen.

B1

The "database" aspect is useful because people share their private information about their Priceline bids and succesful outcomes. This makes Priceline sensible and they should have done it themselves. If they could have, they would have had their own forum since it will happen anyway - their must be some restriction in their agreements with vendors to be at arms length from any full bid disclosure. In addition, posts about "legal" ways around the restrictions at Priceline ("free rebids" and "permutational bidding") show how to pay as little as possible without cheating, while Priceline only states the restrictions, not how to get around them. The posts of successful bids are the primary ongoing value of the site and they are given free by those who do so, probably as a means of repaying others who have done the same. We are now back to Sheryl cluttering the database with a response to every post about using her income-generating link as in the past (it could simply be a banner across the site). The whole thing could be modernized structurally with reviews in reverse chronological order and hopelessly outdated information being purged, for example. Better Bidding has the more logical and modern operation but less data - and that's the problem. In this case, BFT has the most new data and all the rest is irrelevant. Which is too bad.

KathyWdrf

Too many unsupported assumptions there. How do you know that she didn't/doesn't "generate revenue by offering the database as free content?"

The database IS free, and for all we know, it may even generate SOME revenue from click-throughs (in addition to the "bidding" click-throughs). I doubt anyone on FT (other than Sheryl herself) knows how MUCH revenue. But it's probably at least some.

Also, you can bash the "dodgy business plan" all you want, but guess what --BFT's competitor Better Bidding uses exactly the same plan as BFT. The owner of www.betterbidding.com constantly urges his users to click through his site to make their bids -- just as Sheryl & cohorts do. (In addition, he tries to discipline the posters in various ways -- e.g., sometimes he won't answer requests for advice from a poster until that poster follows up on a previously-started thread.)

CarolDisney1

Well she would make MORE money if she did not summarily ban ALL IP addresses..

She has banned my entire company LOL!

iahphx

It would be interesting to know the percentage of readers to biddingfortravel that actually post their winning bids. I'm sure it's tiny percentage, especially among heavy priceline users.

Kind of a shame the way the model developed. I'd bet a "non-shilling" priceline board would get much great frequent traveller participation.

anonplz

Personally, I never had a problem with her. I do see why she ruffles feathers for some. :shrug:

canes98

I am no longer banned since the move to Yuku. Previously, I had been banned and could not access the BFT site at all at work, and could only access at home if I didn't log in.

I still prefer betterbidding and choose to only post there, but I can now review winning bids, etc. on BFT from my work computer.

CarolDisney1

My work IP is still banned on the new board. I appear not to be personally banned since I can still post.

I did use PL earlier this week and did it all from work so the only posting on that successful bid is on betterbidding.

cityfishing

Haven't used Priceline in awhile but I still prefer Betterbidding's format and search capabilities for researching bids and properties. Overall a much better experience than BFT.

suranyi

I find that BFT has narrower categories for areas than betterbidding (e.g. separate categories for East Bay vs. San Jose vs. San Francisco), so it's a little easier to use for me. But I like both sites.

Ed

RustyC

I had a couple of e-mail messages saying to the effect, "What in the world does it take to get you to access Priceline through the affiliate link?"

I didn't see 'em until months after the fact because I never checked the mail facility included with the board. Seemed much more buried than the yellow-highlighted PMs you see here on FT.

I wasn't fully aware of the affiliate link and, seriously, she needed to "banner" Priceline prominently on the BFT site. At the time I think you had to go to a different site and go in from there. It was only a matter of simple convenience.

Still, if someone's taking time to contribute useful information for FREE that enhances the value of your site, it's not good business to treat 'em badly. Maybe the site has operating expenses and it's better to get the affiliate revenue in addition, but you're getting free content and that still can be monetized. Just ask Trip Advisor.

I thought the "How to Win Friends and Influence People" comment was good.

hammie

come on, you'll have to admit that the moderator of BetterBidding is far more civil than the moderator of BFT. Have you ever filled out the BFT questionaire requesting bidding advice and endured the rath for getting one item wrong? It evokes the Sinefeld "no soup for you" episode. Lets face it, both boards need to generate income or they will go out of existance.

with regards to the moderator over at BB not answering a request for advice, you're incorrect. The Mod will always reply to a new topic, but asks for a conclusion to the previous topic. Its an approach I take with my customers as well: don't start new business unless you take care of old business. Just like my Mom said, "empty barrels make the most noise".

as far as applying discipline, you also have to admit that BB is far more orderly, and that comes as no accident. Its a much easier database to search and with the new Priceline and Hotwire Calendar of Wins, you can now look at winning bids for your dates of travel. Hands down, its a superior product. Plus BetterBidding offers information about Hotwire bids as well. If you post any Hotwire info on BFT, you'll likely get banned.

By the way, if you peruse either board and have gained useful bidding information that helps you craft a winning bid saving you $50 or $100 off normal rates, why wouldn't you just click through a link? Its good Karma and will insure that the respective board will remain a free and valuable resource now and in the future.

Romelle

I just looked, and there are 120 people on biddingfortravel, but only 9 are registered users. Although I haven't done any serious statistics, the 9/120 relationship seems typical of what I've seen before. And then you have to also take into account all the registered users don't bother to post their winning bids. So, yes, a tiny percentage.

Unfortunately.

There has to be a critical mass of actual posters to make a large enough bank of information to make it useful for anybody. Not unlike the speed a plane has to attain in order to actually get airborne.

Some time ago, on the Italy thread, a registered user (who seemed to feel very strongly about people not posting) did a pretty fine rant. Interestingly enough, out of the woodwork promptly came several postings.

Romelle

KathyWdrf

I stand by what I posted, and furthermore, I don't see how what you posted is really in any way a reply to what I posted. I was commenting on what another poster said, not you. You just seem to be trying to pick a fight with me.

As for the incessant bashing of Sheryl, it has been repeated over and over and over on this and other threads. It's OLD news, folks. I think we all "get it." Duh. Borrring.... <Yawn> (And no doubt this comment will elicit yet more whining about you-know-you. )

Unlike (apparently) a lot of people on FT, I come here trying to find new stuff, but all too often it's just the same old, same old. How about some genuinely NEW info! @:-)