| Q. |
“Why are listing reviews a good idea?” |
| A. |
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Internet consumers are demanding feedback from their peers on every type of Web site. Third-party feedback is essential for developing trust in products that can’t be experienced in-person prior to purchase. Vacation rentals are no exception. HomeAway consumer surveys indicate that this is not only desired by travelers, but expected. As the supply of vacation rentals continues to expand, the pool of renters will expand significantly. Research tells us that reviews help convince people to choose vacation rentals over hotels. A recent consumer study conducted by HomeAway showed that while 37% of vacation travelers considered a vacation rental last year, only 6% ended up staying in a rental versus a hotel. Third-party feedback increases consumer willingness to rent, according to our research. We are committed to creating more trust with the consumer and expanding the market for our customers.
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| Q. |
“Did you talk with owners before launching this service?” |
| A. |
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Yes, we conducted a survey of hundreds of owners to get feedback on how this system should work. The majority of our customers are in favor of reviews and feel it can help their business. We incorporated their suggestions into the design of this system.
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| Q. |
“Aren't quality ratings of properties subjective?” |
| A. |
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Yes. That is why we ask reviewers to focus the reviews on the accuracy of a listing. This system was developed to help consumers feel comfortable that "what you see is what your get" for listings on HomeAway.com
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| Q. |
“How do I protect against malicious and negative reviews?” |
| A. |
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First, we designed this system to help our customers, not hurt them. HomeAway is committed to weeding out any reviews which are malicious. Second, you as an owner have the power to dispute any review and have it removed pending further investigation if the reviewer did not stay at your property.
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| Q. |
“What do I do if I recieve a negative review?” |
| A. |
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If you receive a review you feel is negative, please reply to the review. Your comments will be posted next to the review on the site. We suggest that you keep comments professional and do not criticize the vacationer. You can also ask former guests to submit positive reviews about their stay at your property to raise your average rating.
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| Q. |
“Why are reviews necessary for all listings on HomeAway?” |
| A. |
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Enabling this feature for all properties on the site provides renters with confidence that advertisers are adhering to the same standards.
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| Q. |
“How do you assure that a review of the property listing is from an individual who actually rented my property and not a competitor?” |
| A. |
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We need your help with this. Every owner can dispute a review of their property listing with one click. If a review is disputed, it is automatically removed from the site. The person who wrote the review is sent an email from our staff requesting proof of rental either via email or fax. If they cannot provide proof, the listing review will never go live on the site again.
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| Q. |
“Why have you chosen to introduce reviews?” |
| A. |
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We have identified products that establish trust in our business as key to bringing more renters into the market. While the majority of our advertisers are honest in their advertising, you should be aware there are incidents of false or misleading statements in some listings. The actions of a few make it more difficult for the rest of our owners to grow their businesses.
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| Q. |
“Who can write a review about my listing?” |
| A. |
• |
| Listing reviews should be provided only by people who have
visited and stayed in a property. |
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Reviewers must register on HomeAway and provide name, e-mail address,
and date of stay. |
