Trivago in trouble [fined $44.7m for misleading advertising]

[cove]

It is high time that the Trivago advert gets pulled.....A fine of 10% of their turnover seems appropriate but 20% would be better......

 

[Pushka]

Ah come on guys, it's marketing. In this day and age it's hard to find any marketing that's not bullshit so exercise your democratic right to ignore it.

Well I’d like to but its on, multiple times every single day. And it’s so wrong. It isn’t just a bad ad but is misleading.

We did occasionally have clever advertisements. Those days are long gone.

 

[RooFlyer]

This afternoon Rod Sims on 3LO was telling Raf Epstein that their research showed that 2/3rds of bookings resulted from clicking on the first link for a given hotel. Fine can be up to $1.1million per breach because offences predate 2018:howeverfines nowadays can be up to $10 million per breach or 10% of yearly turnover, whichever is greater.

I dare say Trivago (Australia) makes little or no profit to pay any fines, due to it paying very large licencing fees to its overseas parent

 

[Pushka]

I dare say Trivago (Australia) makes little or no profit to pay any fines, due to it paying very large licencing fees to its overseas parent

That makes sense. And I bet Australian authorities cannot touch the parent. Although fines shouldn’t be based on profit.

 

[RooFlyer]

Although fines shouldn’t be based on profit.

You are right. I should have said retained earnings.

 

[JohnM]

Well I’d like to but its on, multiple times every single day. And it’s so wrong. It isn’t just a bad ad but is misleading.

We did occasionally have clever advertisements. Those days are long gone.

The point I was trying to make: just don't turn on the TV. That's the best way to ignore Trivago (and all the other) b/s advertising - let alone the rubbish programming...

 

[Pushka]

The point I was trying to make: just don't turn on the TV. That's the best way to ignore Trivago (and all the other) b/s advertising - let alone the rubbish programming...

Seems a bit drastic!

 

[coriander]

Although fines shouldn’t be based on profit.

Hence the option for up to $10million per breach. Those other criminals, Viagogo, were pinged by the Federal court last year for misleading practices. Given they bought StubHub for $4Billion, they've got enough money fleeced earned from the public to pay any fine.

 

[OATEK]

Seems a bit drastic!

Agree, I don't know where we would be without our repeats of Poirot, Marple, Morse, Endeavour, Lewis etc. We record and then ffwd when Trivago girl appears.

 

[Denali]

Agree, I don't know where we would be without our repeats of Poirot, Marple, Morse, Endeavour, Lewis etc. We record and then ffwd when Trivago girl appears.

Off topic but if you are Gold Coast or Newcastle and a FoxtelFirst subscriber, free tickets to see David Suchet (I got Sydney tickets for a coworker)

https://www.weticketit.com/foxtel/booking/event/detail/BFN74301

Sorry, back on topic but it seems many Foxtel people dont know about FoxtelFirst freebies

 

[burmans]

We did occasionally have clever advertisements. Those days are long gone.

Precisely the reason I just turn off for the ads (or do something else). I realised they hold no value for me some time ago. And because I’m turned off I’m not going to be misled.

We do have some measure of control over our own lives, we don’t need to let ads control us.

 

[leadman]

There still are some funny ad's out there and the Geico ones from the USA are not too bad. I was really sucked in by this one when i first saw it. Still brings a smile.

 

[Pushka]

Hence the option for up to $10million per breach. Those other criminals, Viagogo, were pinged by the Federal court last year for misleading practices. Given they bought StubHub for $4Billion, they've got enough money fleeced earned from the public to pay any fine.

Viagogo made a motza during the Elton John ticket sales process. Haven’t heard whether they paid anyone back though.

 

[ian_baker58]

Use the sites to get an idea of what's available and pricing then go direct to the hotel web site (or call them).
That said the larger hotels simply 'price-in' the booking com and expedia commissions in to their rates, and generally offer their base (read worst) rooms via these channels, keeping their best rooms for direct bookings and loyalty membership guests! Larger hotels generally don't 'empower' their reservations staff to do 'deals' because they have a 'yield manager' managing rates and disccounts/corporate rates etc
Smaller and family owned businesses almost always will do a better deal for a direct booking.
These big name booking sites have almost strangled small business accommodation properties with their blitz advertising and high commissions they charge the properties.
I've also found that smaller properties tend to use the big booking sites for last minute only bookings - not bookings well in advance.

 

[Danielb56]

I do not go just for the Trivago price but use Trivago to find different hotels in different areas. I often compare them to the hotel website and other hotel websites like Hotels.com, Agoda etc. The other factor to consider are the loyalty programs when using 1 or 2 sites on a regular basis..ex: Hotels.com gives you after booking 10 nites with them a discount based on the avge over those 10 nites. But once again do the research as you don't want to book a hotel way too expensive (compared to another site) in that 10 nites that defeats the purpose of the discount.

In saying all that Trivago is still worth using....glad though that the ACC has done its job...next the airlines and their loyalty programs...I hope?

 

[p--and--t]

I do not go just for the Trivago price but use Trivago to find different hotels in different areas. I often compare them to the hotel website and other hotel websites like Hotels.com, Agoda etc.

Trivago and Hotels.com are owned by the same company (Expedia) presenting similar offers in a different manner. Agoda is the "opposition" (belonging to Booking.com)

 

[PineappleSkip]

Also, Trivago, along with HotelsCombined and Tripadvisor, are - or claim to be - meta search engines that search prices and click through to individual booking websites. The latter (incl booking.com, hotels.com and agoda) don’t have the metasearch capability.

cheers skip

 

[coriander]

I haven't seen any Trivago ads during/after tennis in past two days so I think they've pulled them for the time being.
Thank goodness - I can't decide which of the two persons I despise more.

 

[PineappleSkip]

It was still on BBL last night. Possibly AO not part of this Trivago flight. Cheers skip

 

[Pushka]

I haven't seen any Trivago ads during/after tennis in past two days so I think they've pulled them for the time being.
Thank goodness - I can't decide which of the two persons I despise more.

I’m still seeing them