According to Travolution, the famous auction site eBay has reached an agreement with Octopus Travel, a hotel consolidator who works with more than 50,000 hotels.
Back in the 2006, eBay attempted to break into the travel market by partnering with Cultuzz. There is even a website called Cultbay which aggregates about 2000 offers right now. At least this is what I discovered at Eye for Travel at that time.
For some reasons, the travel category never took off with eBay. I have never ever come across anyone who purchased travel on eBay until today. Why?
I believe eBay is famous for tangible goods. Travel is not really tangible until you get to the hotel or you take the train. And therefore I would rather use Priceline to bid on a hotel room in New York than going on eBay. But that's another debate.
But let's take a look at what eBay Travel has to offer on the hotel side today.
To promote the newly signed partnersip with the Travelport company Octopus Travel, eBay offers you the chance to bid for Presidential Suites with Intercontinental Hotels. The sales revenue made will go to charity.
For instance, bidders can get a Presidential Suite in Mauritius for more than £500 at the moment (only 2 night stay though) or the Presidential Suite at the Grand in Paris for £1,200.
Besides, this promotional offer with a cause to support behind it, I am still unsure about the offers posted by hotels and operators on eBay. Have a look at this hotel listing and you will see a lot of offers expire today with no bids whatsoever.
I think the main problem is that people stuggle to know what a 'holiday' is really worth... much harder to know in their own minds how much they want to pay for such a variable product... very different from a book or whatever. So it's not just about tangible v intangible. It's also about lack of price transparency and complexity of product.
Posted by: Jeremy Head | Friday, January 22, 2010 at 04:08 PM
Huuuummm!!!!
I am quite septic with eBay on the travel market
Posted by: ClaudeBenard | Sunday, January 24, 2010 at 07:07 PM
@Jeremy: True but in the US Hotwire and Priceline are famous and successful sites where you can bid on hotels, flights and so on...so what is it that eBay doesn't get any success in Travel?
@Claude: I wonder why...past experience maybe? :-)
Posted by: Guillaume Thevenot | Monday, January 25, 2010 at 09:48 AM
Good to hear that, nice that you're doing good things to help a charity, hope the partnership could successful to have more children being helped. Good luck to the partnership and to the venture.
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Posted by: Martin | Saturday, January 30, 2010 at 11:05 AM
That is new! I didn't know that eBay had travel segment. Well, I hope it works out for them....I visit your blog quite frequently. Can you tell me anything about Hotels in Phuket ? I'll be traveling there next month. Can you help me?
Posted by: Hotels in Phuket | Monday, February 01, 2010 at 08:53 AM
That's cool! I'll be traveling very soon. I'll check with eBay travel then...Thanks for the info :)
Posted by: Travel to China | Monday, February 01, 2010 at 08:59 AM
Alway exciting to see what Ebay is up to. What will they do next?
Posted by: Tekst | Monday, February 08, 2010 at 07:51 PM
@ Hotels in Phuket - I have stayed at the Chedi in 2001 which was a very nice hotel with almost a private beach shared with the Amanpuri
@ Travel to China - Let us know how you are getting on
@ Tekst - who knows, maybe hotels sold in auction?
Posted by: Guillaume Thevenot | Friday, February 12, 2010 at 02:32 PM
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Thanks for sharing with us
Posted by: Hotels in Paris | Wednesday, February 17, 2010 at 11:05 AM
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Posted by: surtrek | Thursday, April 15, 2010 at 04:51 AM
I like the idea of cheap hotel rooms, and the fact you can bid to get a great deal, but I still have my doubts that this will work. There is a certain stigma regarding ebay that would put me off using it for anything travel related.
Posted by: Hotels in Leeds |
Tuesday, August 10, 2010 at 11:01 AM
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Posted by: JORDAN AIR FORCE | Thursday, August 12, 2010 at 01:38 AM