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Except some hosts told me that Booking.com is a rip off, plus it doesn't handle their accounting like Airbnb does. From the user's point of view, Booking.com i

by mojuba 11y ago

Except some hosts told me that Booking.com is a rip off, plus it doesn't handle their accounting like Airbnb does. From the user's point of view, Booking.com is a horrible cluttered web site with 1990'ish approaches to design, usability and online marketing. I don't trust them at all.

atom-morgan 11y ago
Their job postings on HN have always seemed a little sketchy to me as well.
- sid6376 11y ago
  As the guy who posts on those threads, I am curious as to why you think so and would appreciate any feedback on the same.
collyw 11y ago
I can confirm this. We booked a hostel in Patagonia in December through booking. We decided to stay in the same place a week later after doing a trek. She charged us 20 or 25% less as she didn't have to pay Booking.com
- pc86 11y ago
  How is this any different than working on oDesk (or whatever it's named now) once then working outside of it and splitting the difference in fees? I don't see how that makes Booking a rip-off.
- notahacker 11y ago
  You'll nearly always get a better deal from cash payments to a place you've already stayed at. In fact, plenty will offer you discounts if you come back when they're not expecting to be full even if you didn't use a booking site or travel agent to find them first time around. Booking.com have a "lowest price guarantee" for online bookings (and from personal experience, do actually honour it), so it's the hosts that bear the costs if Booking.com's commission is higher than other booking portals or agents. Presumably they generate enough bookings for the hosts to find being on there worthwhile though.
- TorKlingberg 11y ago
  Airbnb does the same thing, and charges fees from both the guest and host.
eveningcoffee 11y ago
> Except some hosts told me that Booking.com is a rip off, plus it doesn't handle their accounting like Airbnb does. Well, Booking.com (or any other similar site) offers hosts the reach they may otherwise miss. It is also good if there are many such sites hosts could use as it would then presumably make situation more favorable for them. This is also why I mentioned Booking.com at all, as I do not see and I do not want to see the world in black/white (airbnb/hotel). Having competition also (usually) helps to keep things more honest. > From the user's point of view, Booking.com is a horrible cluttered web site with 1990'ish approaches to design, usability and online marketing. I actually do not mind their design approach. It is actually quite usable, even better as airbnb as they show the total amount upfront for the search period and not just the pay for a night in what, to be honest, I have no interest in. There are many other small differences that make Booking.com interface more usable for me. Of course it comes down to personal preferences and this is only my personal opinion.
- saiya-jin 11y ago
  As a beginner host I can tell you, booking.com IS a ripoff. They charge several times more than airbnb (15%), so hosts reflect this to higher price. So far I haven't seen the option to actually send the money to me, it seems I have to collect it on spot (hopefully not). I am 3 weeks into account opening process with them, and it's not yet done (because they fail to send me a mail with which I confirm whatever - this is internet company in 2016!). Airbnb was done in 15 minutes in super-intuitive manner. They deserve competition desperately, either improve or die. The only reason why it's still in existence is they were first, any many people are used to them. But as with all internet technologies, this will change over time.
ucho 11y ago
I am not sure if it is a ripoff but it is quite close to protection racket - either you are available one of such sites or your object never gets any tourists. Looks like another industry that naturally goes in monopoly/oligopoly direction.
- snowfield 11y ago
  I fail to see how this is the industrys fault. The customers only check the sites the have seen commercials for and think is reputable. Its in the end a web of trust and the consumer does not trust randoms
jvvlimme 11y ago
> From the user's point of view, Booking.com is a horrible cluttered web site with 1990'ish approaches to design, usability and online marketing. Strange because they A/B test literally everything. The site looks the way it does because it sells better that way. You could actually say the same for Amazon then.

by mojuba 11y ago

atom-morgan 11y ago

Their job postings on HN have always seemed a little sketchy to me as well.

sid6376 11y ago
As the guy who posts on those threads, I am curious as to why you think so and would appreciate any feedback on the same.

collyw 11y ago

I can confirm this. We booked a hostel in Patagonia in December through booking. We decided to stay in the same place a week later after doing a trek. She charged us 20 or 25% less as she didn't have to pay Booking.com

pc86 11y ago
How is this any different than working on oDesk (or whatever it's named now) once then working outside of it and splitting the difference in fees? I don't see how that makes Booking a rip-off.
notahacker 11y ago
You'll nearly always get a better deal from cash payments to a place you've already stayed at. In fact, plenty will offer you discounts if you come back when they're not expecting to be full even if you didn't use a booking site or travel agent to find them first time around. Booking.com have a "lowest price guarantee" for online bookings (and from personal experience, do actually honour it), so it's the hosts that bear the costs if Booking.com's commission is higher than other booking portals or agents. Presumably they generate enough bookings for the hosts to find being on there worthwhile though.
TorKlingberg 11y ago
Airbnb does the same thing, and charges fees from both the guest and host.

eveningcoffee 11y ago

> Except some hosts told me that Booking.com is a rip off, plus it doesn't handle their accounting like Airbnb does. Well, Booking.com (or any other similar site) offers hosts the reach they may otherwise miss. It is also good if there are many such sites hosts could use as it would then presumably make situation more favorable for them. This is also why I mentioned Booking.com at all, as I do not see and I do not want to see the world in black/white (airbnb/hotel). Having competition also (usually) helps to keep things more honest. > From the user's point of view, Booking.com is a horrible cluttered web site with 1990'ish approaches to design, usability and online marketing. I actually do not mind their design approach. It is actually quite usable, even better as airbnb as they show the total amount upfront for the search period and not just the pay for a night in what, to be honest, I have no interest in. There are many other small differences that make Booking.com interface more usable for me. Of course it comes down to personal preferences and this is only my personal opinion.

saiya-jin 11y ago
As a beginner host I can tell you, booking.com IS a ripoff. They charge several times more than airbnb (15%), so hosts reflect this to higher price. So far I haven't seen the option to actually send the money to me, it seems I have to collect it on spot (hopefully not). I am 3 weeks into account opening process with them, and it's not yet done (because they fail to send me a mail with which I confirm whatever - this is internet company in 2016!). Airbnb was done in 15 minutes in super-intuitive manner. They deserve competition desperately, either improve or die. The only reason why it's still in existence is they were first, any many people are used to them. But as with all internet technologies, this will change over time.

ucho 11y ago

I am not sure if it is a ripoff but it is quite close to protection racket - either you are available one of such sites or your object never gets any tourists. Looks like another industry that naturally goes in monopoly/oligopoly direction.

snowfield 11y ago
I fail to see how this is the industrys fault. The customers only check the sites the have seen commercials for and think is reputable. Its in the end a web of trust and the consumer does not trust randoms

jvvlimme 11y ago

> From the user's point of view, Booking.com is a horrible cluttered web site with 1990'ish approaches to design, usability and online marketing. Strange because they A/B test literally everything. The site looks the way it does because it sells better that way. You could actually say the same for Amazon then.