Agoda Lying about Availability When Using ShopBack

samfisher5986 on 06/08/2024 - 15:25
Last edited 06/08/2024 - 15:26

I don't remember seeing anyone talking about this so maybe this is a new thing to worry about.

I noticed Shopback has 12% cashback for Agoda today which is great, I clicked through and noticed Agoda now had "Shopback" branding at the top so they clearly have worked together to offer the cashback.

However I then found that my accommodation was now unavailable. I thought maybe someone else booked it but I could still bring it up in another web browser without the Shopback branding.

I closed the web browser and checked again, its available, Shopback click-through.. not available.

I went to TopCashback that only had 7% cashback, I click through to Agoda and there is no special branding, my accommodation is available and I book.

This seems extremely dishonest, not only do we have to deal with price jacking, they also just hide accommodation that I assume isn't profitable enough for them when using cashback?

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Comments

  • CyberMurning on 06/08/2024 - 15:33
    +1

    yeah i suspected that as well, i mean they can have full control what we will see when coming from a cashback provider.
    like aliexpress, the item will have higher price if using cashback vs non.
    so yeah its possible man its all about website programming… its all trick to make us spend anyway.

    thats why if you realise now, all the cashback company never advertises something like this "guaranteed the prices are the same". they know they cant promise that… they can promise 1% cash back, but not others..

    so yeah, its like ubereat, the prices on ubereats are more expensive than if you go direct. why? because they need to pay the uber, and uber give us promotions sometimes…

  • star-ggg on 06/08/2024 - 20:25

    It's no new. Look in the comments of the cashback threads. They all advise you do the same search on another browser. All the aggregator sites do this agoda, expedia, trip and booking. I've yet to see a pattern of which sites/countries/hotels have price or availability change with cashback. Sometimes I save by booking with cashback, other times I save booking directly.

  • n3ck3ntry8bort0rgasm on 06/08/2024 - 22:31

    just fyi pretty sure I have read plenty of comments (and also well known on ozb) that many booking service clicked through cashback shows higher prices.

    in some cases the jacked prices are equal to the possible cash back so I wouldn’t bother.

    since cash back is never guaranteed I thought it is totally not worth it.

  • DingoBilly on 06/08/2024 - 22:46

    I'm curious if this is country specific.

    I've never had price jacking or hotels disappearing for Japan at least. Exactly the same in the app and a private browser.

    • n3ck3ntry8bort0rgasm on 06/08/2024 - 23:19

      pretty sure I read those price jacking comments on their biggest % and $ back promos.
      when cash back has highest traffic they try to increase prices for users.

  • trustnoone on 07/08/2024 - 05:29
    +1

    Doesn't surprise me, sites like booking [dot] com also seem to play around with prices and will say stuff like "your genius level 2 gives you xxx off!" Then I jump in with a private browser or on my phone and see its even cheaper without logging in.
    I know its not agoda, but I trust agoda even less. So can totally see it.

  • Amanda3724 on 17/10/2024 - 11:26
    +1

    I’ve noticed exactly the same thing! A holiday home I’m looking to book shows unavailable on Agoda when I book through Cashrewards, yet available to book when I go directly to Agoda.
    Perhaps we should have a senate inquiry, where all our politicians ask the tough questions to look good then do absolutely nothing about it?

  • Amanda3724 on 17/10/2024 - 23:23

    So I'm currently looking to book "Marri Place" in Margaret River from 5 - 7 November this year.

    On Agoda, it is shown available to rent.

    On Agoda via Cashrewards or Shopback cashback websites, it is shown unavailable.

    A blatant con.

    Does anybody have any knowledge of who the appropriate body is to complain to (in WA)? Do the shopback sites care about this?

    And more importantly - am I just wasting my time making a complaint?

    • samfisher5986 on 17/10/2024 - 23:53

      I imagine its one of those things that eventually they will get in trouble for but the only way I can think to complain is to complain to the department of fair trading or ACCC.

  • cheapass88 on 28/11/2024 - 13:41
    +1

    Just noticed this today. Not happy!

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