Cheapflights has ditched up to seven advertisers because of the poor quality of information they publish. The online travel deals publisher has completed a three-month audit of the information on its site to improve consumer experience. Chief executive David Soskin refused to reveal which advertisers have been axed but said he was “surprised one of…
Cheapflights axes seven advertisers
Cheapflights has ditched up to seven advertisers because of the poor quality of information they publish.
The online travel deals publisher has completed a three-month audit of the information on its site to improve consumer experience.
Chief executive David Soskin refused to reveal which advertisers have been axed but said he was “surprised one of them is a very large travel company”.
Advertisers had been removed because some were not updating their information frequently enough and others displayed prices on the site that were not available when consumers contacted the advertiser.
Soskin is also concerned that the price of published fares rises dramatically after charges are added. He refused to rule out the possibility that advertisers were giving Cheapflights false prices to drive traffic and generate interest.
The audit was aimed at retaining customers in the increasingly competitive, Internet price-comparison environment, which includes search engines Travelsupermarket.com, Sidestep.com and Traveljungle.co.uk.
Soskin fears consumers might not return to Cheapflights if wrong information is displayed on the site.
“We have removed all prices from seven advertisers but we are working with them to bring them back on,” he said. “We cannot have customers laughed at on the phone when they call up for a fare that doesn’t exist.”
Meanwhile, the group is poised to continue its international expansion in Europe, with Germany the favourite destination.
Soskin said Germany, France, Italy and Spain were all being considered for future expansion but thought Germany was more likely because Cheapflights has existing relationships with large German companies operating in the UK market.
International chief operating officer Hugo Burge has relinquished responsibility for the US operation to oversee the European expansion.
