Agoda discriminating non-Thai speakers!

[whoisyourdaddy]

Why don't you send them an email then? I'm sure they're happy to get your feedback. (On a personal note: I'm working for an insurance, based in BKK)

[MeowBundit]

I would book in TH (and I would have booked in TH in the past, too), but I didn't know! Agoda is just trying to make more money off foreigners. Farang prices, doesn't even stop with large companies like Agoda

So sad, poor foreigners ripped off all the time. They even not attend schools and not able to read simple texts. Can you consider this difference as change for english translation of their website. Do not forget also, hotel operators must report to police about every alien stayed in hotels, but thais.

[Lockheed]

Agoda does not do anything. Hotels set prices and have full control of pricing and availability.

Maybe Agoda sets the price of some hotels because I've walked in from the street asking for a price and they say book through Agoda.

Other times I've kept a close eye on a particular hotel and the price fluctuates substantially sometimes.

Agoda doesn't always show the cheapest price but if you dig deep in the room pricing area, you'll often find the cheaper rooms which are not as visible.

View the same hotel in two different browsers, make sure you've removed the cookies in one of the browsers.

[GrantSmith]

Agoda does not do anything. Hotels set prices and have full control of pricing and availability.

Maybe Agoda sets the price of some hotels because I've walked in from the street asking for a price and they say book through Agoda.

Other times I've kept a close eye on a particular hotel and the price fluctuates substantially sometimes.

Agoda doesn't always show the cheapest price but if you dig deep in the room pricing area, you'll often find the cheaper rooms which are not as visible.

View the same hotel in two different browsers, make sure you've removed the cookies in one of the browsers.

Agoda doesn't set the price of the hotel, the hotel does. They have a separate area where they can log in and adjust the rate at any given time.

Hotel staff that tell you to book through Agoda are generally not aware of what "Yield Management" is, so they have no idea about commissions paid by the hotel to Agoda (or any other OTA) for bookings made through their website.

You can literally be on the phone with a guest who says "well it's lower on Agoda" and by the time they've clicked the "book" button the price is the same as the hotel, higher or sold out.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[nidieunimaitre]

Could it be that it is also rare for you to understand sarcasm?

And may I suggest you and some other posters look up Monty Pythons "argument sketch"? According to these filosofers, systematically saying the opposite does not constitute a discussion..

Yes it does.

[Edit bold for clarity].

A fellow - connoisseur!

PS: No it doesn't.

[kimbathewhitelion]

I find in most places Agoda is sound & no different from say Booking.com? AGODA just hides it's fees until you get to checkout. A way to make them look cheaper. With AGODA, I've gotten good customer service, refunds & cash back. Also given Agoda is so widespread you just use them a short while & then negotiate a better price with the hotel you frequent. Did this with many hotels throughout Thailand. Still use them for all other countries & no complaints.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[nidieunimaitre]

Knowing Thailand you would never book in advance, you just go where you like to go and find a nice place to stay. Thais do it, why you don't?

Yeah that's what I'm doing now, too, using HotelQuickly. And @whoisyourdaddy - I am of course aware that agoda and booking.com both belong to priceline. And yes, rate parity agreements is also nothing new to me (which is the reason for their "best price guarantee") Still, HotelQuickly is cheaper in every single hotel that I checked, so I guess it's not worth that much.. Still, when I'm trying to pre-book a hotel I have to rely on a website and it just p1sses me off to be cheated by a stock-listed company

To me more than anything, it sounds like you work for this hotel quicky, why else would you mention it in every single post and why would you go to check agoda when you have your quicky

why not just come out and promote your website, instead of trying to defame others

quote from paragraf above:....."you mention it in every single post"......unquote >>>>>> ("it" = hotelquickly)

The Op posted 6 times, mentioning hotelquickly 2 times, NOT mentioning hotelquickly 4 times.

Your mathematic skills match your reading skills - and your social skills.

But now that you mentioned it: Can somebody tell me more about hotelsquickly, I googled it, sounds very promising, but available only for mobile fones??? not accessible via laptop??? And do they too have different prices in different languages (see, I am still on topic)

[Bucko]

Re--Post #1

Just checked on Agoda here in N.Z---prices include service charge and hotel tax ???--- I tried a few various ones-- all the same -- inclusive--Maybe they are just getting back their " discounted" cost ??---

Attach sample

Edited February 28, 2014 by Bucko

[watcharacters]

I tried to reproduce the price difference pointed out by the OP, tried 5 hotels but the price was always the same in English and Thai...

Can anyone reproduce this?

.

Yes and i got the same price in thai and english.

conclusion, lots of hot air blowing around.

[pineconehead]

Thanks for the heads up I'll avoid ago da totally !

[Bucko]

Re--Post #1

Just checked on Agoda here in N.Z---prices include service charge and hotel tax ???--- I tried a few various ones-- all the same -- inclusive--Maybe they are just getting back their " discounted" cost ??---

Attach sample

Just notice that Agoda from N.Z is " giving the same discount"--as the Thai page--but the pricing is not the same--will leave it to " a person of higher maths I.Q "--- to work out the winner-

any takers ?

Edited March 1, 2014 by Bucko

[stevenl]

This thread is reallt, really ludicrous:

1. it is not true;

2. if it wee true it would not be Agoda but the hotel setting the prices and so also the difference;

3. farang and foreigner are not the same.

This really is one of the dangers of internet, people just post anything and others are willing to believe them on their word.

[madmitch]

This thread is reallt, really ludicrous:

1. it is not true;

2. if it wee true it would not be Agoda but the hotel setting the prices and so also the difference;

3. farang and foreigner are not the same.

This really is one of the dangers of internet, people just post anything and others are willing to believe them on their word.

Let people believe what they want.

The way Agoda and other online agents work has been explained on this thread if people want to read and understand it but it seems many just don't want to.

[impulse]

I'm told that they also discriminate against people with no interweb access. But I can't duplicate the results.

With the OP having a whopping 12 (and counting) posts, and nobody else coming up with the same results, I'm suspecting a cut and paste windup here.

Given that Agoda probably has some pretty good interweb mojo to identify the OP, I wouldn't be surprised to see lawsuits, injunctions, defamation charges and restraining orders start flying.

In fact, since ThaiVisa seems to be affiliated with booking.com, I'm surprised they haven't deleted this whole thread so they don't get entangled.

Edited March 1, 2014 by impulse

[whoisyourdaddy]

I'm told that they also discriminate against people with no interweb access. But I can't duplicate the results.

With the OP having a whopping 12 (and counting) posts, and nobody else coming up with the same results, I'm suspecting a cut and paste windup here.

Given that Agoda probably has some pretty good interweb mojo to identify the OP, I wouldn't be surprised to see lawsuits, injunctions, defamation charges and restraining orders start flying.

In fact, since ThaiVisa seems to be affiliated with booking.com, I'm surprised they haven't deleted this whole thread so they don't get entangled.

Or as is said earlier self promotion.

Too many coincidences, even down to a name.

Funny enough, OP claims to work for Insurance company in BKK(which i seriously doubt) because if he did, he would know there is a huge double pricing when it comes to insurance, especially health.

It also so happens the company which he keeps mentioning is a start up company with hardly any hotels onboard, yet somehow "genuine" OP manages to do all his bookings there and as he claimed he travels a lot.

[Hornell]

What a lot of hot air and irrelevant woffle! If Company A is trying to sell you something at a higher price than Company B, C, D or X, then you only have yourself to blame if you accept the deal. Yes, Agoda is a bit sneaky in that they don't reveal the final price to be paid until you are on the final run in - but you can still cancel before you accept it. Equally, their 'lowest price' gurantee is probably valid - until you add on the 10% and 7%. The anwer is simple; if you don't like them, go elsewhere.

[nidieunimaitre]

What a lot of hot air and irrelevant woffle! If Company A is trying to sell you something at a higher price than Company B, C, D or X, then you only have yourself to blame if you accept the deal. Yes, Agoda is a bit sneaky in that they don't reveal the final price to be paid until you are on the final run in - but you can still cancel before you accept it. Equally, their 'lowest price' gurantee is probably valid - until you add on the 10% and 7%. The anwer is simple; if you don't like them, go elsewhere.

What you say is of course correct, it is the free market system.

If a seller is too expensive, inefficient, greedy, bad mannered, you buy from a different seller, that will sort him out...

However, there is another equally important aspect of free markets: information.

No information = no free market, but rather Wild West market!

Especially Big Busines does not like that part of the free market filosofy!

Therefore, a tread like this one is very usefull.

And, unrelated to the above, I have never understood why some posters seem to enjoy being rude.

[impulse]

However, there is another equally important aspect of free markets: information.

No information = no free market, but rather Wild West market!

Especially Big Busines does not like that part of the free market filosofy!

Therefore, a tread like this one is very usefull.

I think you missed the fact that a guy with almost zero post count has posted some "information" (that nobody else has been able to duplicate), dissing Agoda, while extolling on the virtues of a startup site that competes with Agoda.

That's not information, it's unethical- and less than useless.

Edited March 1, 2014 by impulse

[nidieunimaitre]

However, there is another equally important aspect of free markets: information.

No information = no free market, but rather Wild West market!

Especially Big Busines does not like that part of the free market filosofy!

Therefore, a tread like this one is very usefull.

I think you missed the fact that a guy with almost zero post count has posted some "information" (that nobody else has been able to duplicate), dissing Agoda, while extolling on the virtues of a startup site that competes with Agoda.

That's not information, it's unethical- and less than useless.

And the answer is......................

.............post 33, posted by a poster with a post count of 1803.

Of course, that poster too could be an employee of that other booking site, I forget the name now.

And since you deleted a sentence from my quoted post, I will repeat it here:

"And, unrelated to the above, I have never understood why some posters seem to enjoy being rude."

Edited March 1, 2014 by nidieunimaitre

[whoisyourdaddy]

However, there is another equally important aspect of free markets: information.

No information = no free market, but rather Wild West market!

Especially Big Busines does not like that part of the free market filosofy!

Therefore, a tread like this one is very usefull.

I think you missed the fact that a guy with almost zero post count has posted some "information" (that nobody else has been able to duplicate), dissing Agoda, while extolling on the virtues of a startup site that competes with Agoda.

That's not information, it's unethical- and less than useless.

And the answer is......................

.............post 33, posted by a poster with a post count of 1803.

Of course, that poster too could be an employee of that other booking site, I forget the name now.

And since you deleted a sentence from my quoted post, I will repeat it here:

"And, unrelated to the above, I have never understood why some posters seem to enjoy being rude."

Perhaps some posters enjoy being rude in response to posters with no common sense at all?

Possibly if this was an educational forum, then interested posters would provide education.

Also perhaps if some posters paid any attention at all to what is posted, then others would not need to be rude , but that's really complex to understand

[sniffdog]

Different prices for different markets. Agoda just calculates their prices based on the hotel rate. Never seen those hotel promotions which say: 'for Thai Residents only'?

[nidieunimaitre]

However, there is another equally important aspect of free markets: information.

No information = no free market, but rather Wild West market!

Especially Big Busines does not like that part of the free market filosofy!

Therefore, a tread like this one is very usefull.

I think you missed the fact that a guy with almost zero post count has posted some "information" (that nobody else has been able to duplicate), dissing Agoda, while extolling on the virtues of a startup site that competes with Agoda.

That's not information, it's unethical- and less than useless.

And the answer is......................

.............post 33, posted by a poster with a post count of 1803.

Of course, that poster too could be an employee of that other booking site, I forget the name now.

And since you deleted a sentence from my quoted post, I will repeat it here:

"And, unrelated to the above, I have never understood why some posters seem to enjoy being rude."

Perhaps some posters enjoy being rude in response to posters with no common sense at all?

Possibly if this was an educational forum, then interested posters would provide education.

Also perhaps if some posters paid any attention at all to what is posted, then others would not need to be rude , but that's really complex to understand

Yes it is really complex to understand why there could ever be a need to be rude.

And if you paid any attention at all to what I posted, you might reply to it.

F ex you could comment on post 33, that poster has 1803 posts.

And you could stop using childish emoticons.

[nidieunimaitre]

Different prices for different markets. Agoda just calculates their prices based on the hotel rate. Never seen those hotel promotions which say: 'for Thai Residents only'?

Where have you read that thing about thai residents only?

Surely not in this tread.

Have you read this tread?

[sniffdog]

Different prices for different markets. Agoda just calculates their prices based on the hotel rate. Never seen those hotel promotions which say: 'for Thai Residents only'?

Where have you read that thing about thai residents only?

Surely not in this tread.

Have you read this tread?

Are you daft or just plain stupid?

It was related to different rates for different markets and that Agoda is not discriminating. Perhaps you could through your newspaper (if you're able to read) and look at hotel promotions.

[whoisyourdaddy]

Yes it is really complex to understand why there could ever be a need to be rude.

And if you paid any attention at all to what I posted, you might reply to it.

F ex you could comment on post 33, that poster has 1803 posts.

And you could stop using childish emoticons.

Yes, clearly it is too complex, no matter how many times,by how many people its being said,yet you will persist

If you have such a problem with emotions, perhaps best NOT to respond to avoid disappointment

[chr1st1an]

omg there is just no respect on this forum. also the reason why I am usually not wasting my time on forums (and the reason why I only have a few posts on my count). you guys seem to know me better than I know myself, which is enlightening.

I shared my finding in an expat forum, as it's expats that get screwed. you don't even have to comment it, just take it as an FYI and move on.

[whoisyourdaddy]

omg there is just no respect on this forum. also the reason why I am usually not wasting my time on forums (and the reason why I only have a few posts on my count). you guys seem to know me better than I know myself, which is enlightening.

I shared my finding in an expat forum, as it's expats that get screwed. you don't even have to comment it, just take it as an FYI and move on.

So you only come on the forum to whine about $2-$3?

Expats do not book hotels , expats have units or houses

[sniffdog]

nidieunimaitre talks about being rude. Yet he aims stupid ass remarks at other members simply because he's too dumb or ignorant to understand the reply of that member. Nuff' said.

Edited March 1, 2014 by sniffdog

[Chao Lao Beach]

Maybe knowing that Thais in general earn less that westerners, Agoda is trying to give something back to the community?

Bottom line if you don't speak the local language you are fair game.

Dear OP, Please write to your mother and tell her the world is not fair!

Actually, the Op did not write to his mother.

That would probably have been rather pointless.

In stead, the Op wrote to Thaivisaforum, a rare collection of intelligent, well travelled posters, so that we could make up our own minds, based on facts.

Ah! The advantages of the combination of the free market and the internet.

A good move Op! Thanks for the information.

I guess you and OP never heard of defamation laws in Thailand

Agoda is bound by Singapore law, which it had Failed here in the discrimination here .

I also think their American owners, a public company on the NASDAQ would be embarrassed as well.

Regarding reviews, even if you don't book on them, I have found their reviews the best available as a general comment. Never look at trip advisor who are full of fake reviews by anyone, both good and bad. The only reviews on Agoda are form people who have stayed their. After you check out, you get a email with a very easy review questionnaire.

The one time I have had an issue with a Agoda booking, the Thai hotel was trying to F me over, I rang Agoda and the problem was fixed in less than 1 min with the hotel sucking up big time, I was almost shocked how good the customer service was to be honest.

My only bitch is, the standard is 2 adults & no extra bed, if you have a 13 yo child with you that doesn't want to sleep alone it is frustrating you cant confirm an extra bed for a price. In reality I have never had a problem on arrival for a small cash fee in Thailand. I hate the extra 17% they add on for taxes, I would prefer it in the price.

[Chao Lao Beach]

omg there is just no respect on this forum. also the reason why I am usually not wasting my time on forums (and the reason why I only have a few posts on my count). you guys seem to know me better than I know myself, which is enlightening.

I shared my finding in an expat forum, as it's expats that get screwed. you don't even have to comment it, just take it as an FYI and move on.

So you only come on the forum to whine about $2-$3?

Expats do not book hotels , expats have units or houses

Expats that are normal and have a life, leaver their homes, let their gardener and maid look after it and travel.