So HomeAway just posted better than expected results. Yet note that revenue has dropped when the economy is picking up and Q2 is when a lot of the vacations are booked. So how did they do it?
If you ask homeowners and guests who book through their website you will find that renters are getting bombarded by unwanted adds and offers. Hence the increased revenue. For the owners who post their properties on home away their is an uproar!
The ability to use other means of payment (via check, paypal or other means) has been virtually shut down. So Homeaway has increased their income by adding that extra fee on the payment to their coffers. On the other hand they have only one set of responses and communication that the owner can use to communicate with the renter, and it is impersonal, full of adds and scripted answers that do not allow for a personalized and friendly communication with the renter.
So while this quarter`s results are up, be prepared for a continued drop in revenue as homeowners find better, more flexible and friendlier sites to post their properties. Short term greed that has taken over since VRBO was purchased by HomeAway and will lead to a drop in future earnings unless they change their stance. Property owners are dissatisfied. I for one have 2 properties that I will be posting soon... they will not be going to Homeaway. And the current one we have will also leave.