Open letter to Expedia.com - Please do not remove online reviews
ed.g...@gmail.com
Expedia has
removed it or refused to post the review three times.
My review did not violate any of the listed policies. I have not done
anything illegal or against their code. All I did was write a negative
review and it was removed three times.
I understand that they don't post reviews that do not meet the
guidelines for traveler opinions.
As far as I can tell, my review does not violate the policy.
I have posted to various online opinion sites and I have made a google
page at:
http://ed.gatzke.googlepages.com/expediasucks
Sorry to post here, but I wanted google to get it in their system so
maybe people would see it.
Ed
Expedia Travel Support wrote:
>Dear Mr. Gatzke,
>
>Thank you for your immediate response.
>
>Please allow up to five business days for the review to appear on the website. If the review does not appear after five business days, this indicates that the review has been rejected. You could go back to the website and re-submit the review, making sure that you read the information about what is acceptable and what is not.
>
>As what was previously advised, Expedia reserves the right to refuse or remove, at any time, any review or other material that it believes (or has reason to suspect) does not comply with the "Traveler Opinions" guidelines or the Expedia.com terms of use.
>
>If you have further questions, feel free to reply to this e-mail or contact Expedia customer services at 1-800-397-3342 and reference case ID 27137087. You can also visit the Expedia.com "Customer Support" page (<http://www.expedia.com/daily/service/default.asp>) for more customer service information.
>
>Thank you for choosing Expedia.com.
>
>
>Alcina
>Expedia.com Customer Support Team
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Ed Gatzke
>Sent: 8/19/2006 7:36:08 AM
>To: Expedia Travel Support <Tra...@customercare.expedia.com>
>Subject: Re: Open letter to Expedia.com- Do not remove negative hotel reviews- Case ID: [REQ:27901700]
>
>
>Thanks for letting the hotel know that they stink. I think they already
>knew that.
>
>Please post my review on your site, as I have requested numerous times.
>This is not a complex request.
>
>I would rather not waste more of my time posting negative comments about
>my expedia experience in a variety of places online that are outside of
>your control, but I may be forced to such action.
>
>Ed Gatzke
>
>Expedia Travel Support wrote:
>
>>Dear Mr. Gatzke,
>>
>>Thank you for contacting Expedia.com regarding your vacation package.
>>
>>As a valued customer, your words carry a lot of weight with us, and we are distressed to hear that your experience with the Pacific Crest Inn was not a good one.
>>
>>Because your trip is the reason we exist, our No. 1 goal is to give our customers superior service -- the feeling that they are respected, valued, and cared for from before you make your reservation to after you've returned home - and everything in between -- so we want to apologize for letting you down.
>>
>>As you may know, Expedia.com acts as an independent reservations agent for airlines, car rental companies, and hotels. However, if one of our customers has an unsatisfactory experience, we want to take appropriate action to ensure that other customers do not have a similar experience.
>>
>>We've taken note of your comments and forwarded them to the manager of the Pacific Crest Inn.
>>
>>Your feedback is key to the decisions we make as we learn and grow, so we will be sharing your comments with the appropriate members of our management team.
>>
>>In the meantime, we will work hard to regain your loyalty and trust.
>>
>>If you have further questions, feel free to reply to this e-mail or contact Expedia customer services at 1-800-397-3342 and reference case ID 27137087. You can also visit the Expedia.com "Customer Support" page () for more customer service information.
>>
>>Thank you for choosing Expedia.com.
>>
>>
>>Alcina
>>Expedia.com Customer Support Team
>>
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Ed Gatzke
>>Sent: 8/19/2006 6:01:27 AM
>>To: Expedia Travel Support
>>Subject: Open letter to Expedia.com- Do not remove negative hotel reviews - Case ID: [REQ:27901700]
>>
>>
>>I have now posted my review for a certain hotel three times, as you have
>>removed it or refused to post the review three times.
>>
>>My review did not violate any of the listed policies. I have not done
>>anything illegal or against your code. All I did was write a negative
>>review and you removed it three times.
>>
>>I am going back to post it again. Please leave it on the web site.
>>
>>I am also taking time to post negative reviews at a variety of online
>>outlets. You have now made me into a disgruntled customer.
>>
>>PS, I have now posted on mouthshut.com, rateitall.com, various online
>>newsgroups, and I have made my own google page so people can see my
>>experience.
>>
>>Ed Gatzke
>>
>>My review of the hotel is as follows:
>>
>>Expedia booked me on a flight into SBA at 1:00 AM. Got to the hotel
>>around 2:30 AM (5:30 AM Eastern), and the office was totally closed up.
>>
>>What hotel closes up at 10:00 PM in the modern world?
>>
>>Terrible service, terrible time. Thought I would have to sleep with the
>>bums on the beach.
>>
>>I eventually had to check into the hotel since I could not get a refund.
>>Very low end but only a block or two from the beach.
>>
>>Expedia Travel Support wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>>Dear Edward Gatzke,
>>>
>>>We understand that you have submitted two user reviews for the same property and both have been omitted. We have included the rules and restrictions that must be followed inorder to have your review posted to Expedia.com.
>>>
>>>Thank you for taking the time to share your hotel experience. Please be as descriptive and specific as possible, following the Guidelines below. Our advice: you should be truthful about what you liked and disliked. The aim is giving honest opinions about your own hotel experience. Passing on accurate information about the hotel's location, service, cleanliness, etc., will make your hotel visit come to life for the reader.
>>>Guidelines
>>>Please be as specific as possible. Your fellow travellers want to know exactly what you liked or disliked about your hotel.
>>>Please do not write in ALL CAPS.
>>>Please refer only to businesses that you frequented during your stay at the hotel (for example, restaurants, bars, theatres, and shops).
>>>Please do not include hotel rates or other pricing/promotional information.
>>>Please be sure of your facts before making any comments. Never use this site simply to disparage or post unfounded claims about a place or person.
>>>Only refer to your own experiences - not to what you have heard or been told by someone else.
>>>Please do not comment on or question other reviews, or the content of this website. Please note that this content is subject to change without notice.
>>>Please do not direct comments/questions to hotel staff.
>>>You will not make false statements or defamatory, libellous, malicious, offensive, blasphemous, or obscene remarks (as determined by Expedia.com in its sole discretion). You shall not encourage illegal activity.
>>>Please refrain from profanity and other illegal or objectionable content (as determined by Expedia.com in its sole discretion).
>>>Never disclose telephone numbers, physical addresses, e-mail addresses, personal details, or any other information that can be linked to a specific individual.
>>>Please do not include HTML tags or URLs.
>>>Please do not copy or quote material from websites, books, magazines, newspapers, or other sources, or post any files or content unrelated to the review.
>>>Do not copy or use someone else's trademarks, business logos, or copyrighted material.
>>>Please simply give your own experiences as a customer. This site is not an advertising space. Reviews will not be used to market or promote your or your organisation's goods or services.
>>>Please do not impersonate someone else, or write any information about another person unless you have their full consent.
>>>Please write in English only.
>>>You must be 18 or older to write a review.
>>>Expedia.com reserves the right to refuse or remove at any time any review or other material that it believes (or has reason to suspect) does not comply with these guidelines or the Expedia.com terms of use (taking any other action that Expedia.com is entitled to under those terms of use). Reviews and ratings are personal opinions of the individuals posting them and Expedia.com makes no representation, nor does it give any warranty as to completeness, suitability or accuracy. To the full extent permitted by law, Expedia.com disclaims all responsibility or liability in any way for ratings, and reviews and any other material posted by users. Posted reviews will generally be removed from the site one year after the posting date.
>>>You are fully responsible for the content of your review. Expedia.com has legal rights to control (e.g. use, modify, publish, remove) any review content. If you submit more than one review for the same hotel, only your most recent submission is eligible for use.
>>>
>>>Thanks,
>>>
>>>David Haag
>>>Customer Advisory Department
>>>Expedia.com
>>>
>>>
>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>From: Ed Gatzke
>>>Sent: 7/28/2006 5:50:18 AM
>>>To: Expedia Travel Support
>>>Subject: Re: Pacific Crest Inn User Review - Case ID: [REQ:27450479] {SpamScore:sss}
>>>
>>>Dear Expedia,
>>>
>>>You have now deleted my review for this hotel twice. Please do not do
>>>so again.
>>>
>>>You state in your mail that I may go back online and resubmit my review
>>>for that hotel. I did, and you deleted it.
>>>
>>>Please leave my review on the site or I will have to take this
>>>discussion to a broader audience.
>>>
>>>Ed
>>>
>>>Here is my current review, please let it stay up on the webstite.
>>>
>>>Expedia booked me on a flight into SBA at 1:00 AM. Got to the hotel
>>>around 2:30 AM (5:30 AM Eastern), and the office was totally closed up.
>>>
>>>What hotel closes up at 10:00 PM in the modern world?
>>>
>>>Terrible service, terrible time. Thought I would have to sleep with the
>>>bums on the beach.
>>>
>>>I eventually had to check into the hotel since I could not get a
>>>refund. Very low end but only a block or two from the beach.
>>>
>>>Expedia Travel Support wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>Dear Mr. Gatzke,
>>>>
>>>>Thank you for submitting your feedback on the Pacific Crest Inn using our online User Review tool. Due to the dissatisfaction you relayed in the review, your information has been forwarded to our Customer Advisory Department.
>>>>
>>>>We would first like to express our apologies for the inconveniences and frustrations you experienced at this property. Due to the large volume of hotels we offer on our site, we are unable to keep track of any changes or updates needed for all of our properties. We rely on our customers to keep us informed if they feel situations come up that need to be addressed. We appreciate the feedback you have provided and want you to know that it has been forwarded to the appropriate market managers for review.
>>>>
>>>>Please know that since the review you submitted was handed over to this department, it will not be posted to the site. If you wish, you may go back online and submit another review for the same hotel. Please respond to this e-mail if you would like a list of guidelines to follow.
>>>>
>>>>Again, we do apologize for the inconvenience that you experienced. If there is anything else that we can do for you, please let us know. Agents from our Customer Advisory Department are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can be reached at 1-800-615-1053.
>>>>
>>>>Sincerely,
>>>>
>>>>Patricia Charron
>>>>Expedia.com
>>>>Customer Advisory Department
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>
Fly Guy
> I have now posted my review for a certain hotel three times, and
> Expedia has removed it or refused to post the review three times.
Post it instead on TripAdvisor.com
Shawn Hirn
ed.g...@gmail.com wrote:
> I have now posted my review for a certain hotel three times, and
> Expedia has
> removed it or refused to post the review three times.
>
> My review did not violate any of the listed policies. I have not done
> anything illegal or against their code. All I did was write a negative
> review and it was removed three times.
>
> I understand that they don't post reviews that do not meet the
> guidelines for traveler opinions.
>
> As far as I can tell, my review does not violate the policy.
>
> I have posted to various online opinion sites and I have made a google
> page at:
>
> http://ed.gatzke.googlepages.com/expediasucks
>
> Sorry to post here, but I wanted google to get it in their system so
> maybe people would see it.
For those of us who don't read minds, where is this hotel located and
what's its name?
Bucky
> I have now posted my review for a certain hotel three times, and
> Expedia has
> removed it or refused to post the review three times.
I never did trust the reviews on sites that are trying to sell the same
product. You can usually tell by reading the reviews. If there are no
negative ones, then it's been censored.
mrtravel
Yeah, but it seems his major complaint was that the hotel closed at
10pm. This is not an unheard of thing, but we are in the dark, because
he didn't post the name and location of the hotel. Obviously, if it were
a Hilton, Marriot, Motel 6, etc, we would expect to be able to check-in
24x7, but at Betty's Bed & Breakfast, it would be normal to limit the
check-in hours. I know that at even chain hotels can have limitations.
in Europe, like Formule 1, which has limited hours for check-in if not
using a credit card since reception is opened limited morning and
evening hours.
Of course, check-in can be done automatically 24x7.
Gregory Morrow
mrtravel wrote:
Yawn...
--
Best
Greg
Matthew Brealey
ed.g...@gmail.com wrote:
> I have now posted my review for a certain hotel three times, and
> Expedia has
> removed it or refused to post the review three times.
You know all sites do this, right?
I posted a review on Amazon of a game once. The game was not much good,
and very short, and I said something to the effect of 'this game is not
very long, you'd be better off buying something else'. The thing is,
with no other reviews of the game, my review would be the only one, and
would significantly harm their sales.
So they didn't post it.
Same thing, I bought a cheap optical mouse from a hardware site
(ebuyer). Horrible, unergonomic. The product had loads of positive
reviews. So I added a negative one. They didn't post it. I added it
three times, and they never approved it.
Nothing abusive, just a normal review.
It's not all that surprising. There are probably 100 satisifed
customers at a hotel for every dissatsified. But out of those 100, only
1 will post a review, but the dissatisfied ones are far more likely to
complain. It's human nature, but it makes the hotel look bad. You get
wonderful hotels showing up with bad ratings overall. It's not really
fair on the hotel that they are going to get the bad reviews far more
than the good.
As far as I can tell, your only complaint was that the hotel was closed
in the middle of the night. This doesn't make the hotel bad, just
small. Most people wouldn't find this a problem. Of course people need
to know that the hotel's not going to be open at 1am in the morning, I
guess expedia should say. But they really aren't obliged to post your
review.
David the Nationals Fan
Matthew Brealey wrote:
> I posted a review on Amazon of a game once. The game was not much good,
> and very short, and I said something to the effect of 'this game is not
> very long, you'd be better off buying something else'. The thing is,
> with no other reviews of the game, my review would be the only one, and
> would significantly harm their sales.
>
> So they didn't post it.
Which would be dishonest. The point behind Amazon reviews (at least
in theory) is to help the customer make more informed decisions, not to
shill for products. If the latter, then Amazon should say something
along the lines of "Amazon reviews are positive only"
> Same thing, I bought a cheap optical mouse from a hardware site
> (ebuyer). Horrible, unergonomic. The product had loads of positive
> reviews. So I added a negative one. They didn't post it. I added it
> three times, and they never approved it.
Which means you purchased it based on false information.
> wonderful hotels showing up with bad ratings overall. It's not really
> fair on the hotel that they are going to get the bad reviews far more
> than the good.
But those of us who read reviews on line KNOW this. We don't make our
decisions solely on a bad review. But bad reviews do twll us
something.
> As far as I can tell, your only complaint was that the hotel was closed
> in the middle of the night. This doesn't make the hotel bad, just
> small. Most people wouldn't find this a problem.
It is a major problem when the person is scheduled to arrive late.
Hotels, in contrast to bed and breakfasts SHOULD be available to check
in their guests at all hours. Its the difference between a hotel and a
B&B. Hotel's are "houses without keys" because someone is always on
duty at the front desk.
>Of course people need
> to know that the hotel's not going to be open at 1am in the morning, I
> guess expedia should say. But they really aren't obliged to post your
> review.
They should be obligated to post the review which follows their
guidelines as to do the contrary creates false and misleading
presumptions.
Frank F. Matthews
They aren't obliged but it helps if the public gets the information that
their site is useless. One of the things I like about TripAdvisor
(among its faults) is that they include a number of negative reviews.
It does help their credibility. They may still be managing the data but
it does look better.
David the Nationals Fan
Frank F. Matthews wrote:
> They aren't obliged but it helps if the public gets the information that
> their site is useless. One of the things I like about TripAdvisor
> (among its faults) is that they include a number of negative reviews.
> It does help their credibility. They may still be managing the data but
> it does look better.
>From a liability perspective, I would think you would not want to
manage data beyond that in the guidelines. Let's assume, for a moment,
that numerous negative reviews come in about a particularly hotel
primarily ascribing safety issues. A couple of "plant" reviews come
in talking about how safe and clean the hotel is. The advisory
service, contrary to their guidelines, only posts the "good" reviews.
Relying upon the reputation of the advisory service, I decide to book a
room at the hotel. I am badly injured and the injury can be traced
directly to the safety concerns in the numerous reviews which were not
put up.
Certainly I can go after the hotel. What about the on line site?
Perhaps. They purportedly held themselves out as providing opinions
and reviews from other travellers (as long as those reviews met their
stated guidelines). The "negative" reviews met the stated guidelines,
but were not published becuase they did not meet unstated guidelines
(and because it was in the financial benefit of the site to not publish
them). The site made a "decision" to not publish and thereby assumed a
duty. I reasonably relied upon them. And I was damaged. I think
that they open themselves up for liability.
In contrast, if they only apply the guidelines that they have stated
they apply, then they didn't engage in additional conduct which assumed
a duty to me.
ed.g...@gmail.com
Expedia booked me on a flight into SBA at 1:00 AM. Got to the hotel
around 2:30 AM (5:30 AM Eastern), and the office was totally closed up.
What hotel closes up at 10:00 PM in the modern world?
Terrible service, terrible time. Thought I would have to sleep with
the bums on the beach.
I eventually had to check into the hotel since I could not get a
refund. Very low end but only a block or two from the beach.
>
> > As far as I can tell, your only complaint was that the hotel was closed
> > in the middle of the night. This doesn't make the hotel bad, just
> > small. Most people wouldn't find this a problem.
>
> It is a major problem when the person is scheduled to arrive late.
> Hotels, in contrast to bed and breakfasts SHOULD be available to check
> in their guests at all hours. Its the difference between a hotel and a
> B&B. Hotel's are "houses without keys" because someone is always on
> duty at the front desk.
>
Expedia knew enough to not let me rent a car at SBA late since they
knew I was arriving late, but they allowed me to get this garbage
hotel. It was very low end, even after my bad check in experience.
And Expedia and the hotel never refunded my night stay, since it was
part of a package deal with a flight. And I never got my $150 from the
hotel that I had to stay in that night.
> >Of course people need
> > to know that the hotel's not going to be open at 1am in the morning, I
> > guess expedia should say. But they really aren't obliged to post your
> > review.
>
> They should be obligated to post the review which follows their
> guidelines as to do the contrary creates false and misleading
> presumptions.
Exactly. It is dirty pool to have reviews then refuse to post them.
The main people that are going to write reviews are the people that
were wronged, so maybe they should email you after every trip to get a
review, maybe they would get more positive feedback.
They won't tell me what policy I violated. They expire reviews after
six months since your stay, so after they refuse my review a few times,
they can point to the six month policy.
Even if they post my review online now, they have made me waste so much
time that it won't change my opinion of them.
I say screw em. They are dead to me. Just by this one act, they have
lost me as a customer, and I travel (sometimes international) maybe
5-10 times a year. I am letting my friends know that they should use
something else. I am posting protest pages so people will google for
"expedia sucks" and hopefully get my comments. Just one little thing
(after one big thing) to drive away business and make an enemy.
And I didn't even know they were MS owned until my vendetta. Oh, the
irony.
ed.g...@gmail.com
It only took me sending the review in four times, plus numerous emails
to their customer support, plus me posting negative comments about
Expedia in a variety of online services, plus me making my own protest
page about Expedia. After wasting so much time and effort, I now have
a vested interest to continued to get the word out about Expedia
policies and dirty tricks.
Review is online at:
or try: http://tinyurl.com/rj6kb
My protest page and past correspondence still at
http://ed.gatzke.googlepages.com/expediasucks
Received today:
>Dear Mr. Gatzke,
>
>We have submitted your User Review of the Pacific Crest Inn to our production team for >further evaluation and are pleased to inform you that a modified version has been >posted to our site.
>
>Please use the following URL to view the posting:
>
>http://www.expedia.com/pub/agent.dll?qscr=dspv&itty=new&from=m&shtl=1&htid=915130&crti=7&cadu1=2
>
>Please let us know if you have any questions.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>Kayla Miller
>Customer Advisory Department
>Expedia.com
Gregory Morrow
<ed.g...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Expedia finally posted my negative hotel online.
Is this really the hill you want to die on...???
--
Best
Greg