QVC buy shares in Trip Advisor

QVC have apparently bought some $300 million shares in Trip Advisor. It is rumoured to have been bought from outgoing chairman Barry Diller.

The Shopping Channel make a new investor in the former Expedia owned site. Trip Advisor’s USP is its wide network of amateur reviews on flights, hotels, car hire and things to do. This really seems to be social media in action, as a good reputation on Trip Advisor and a good ranking can seriously help profits.

I speak as one who regularly uses Trip Advisor, and as well as uploading my own reviews of hotels and attractions, I have used the site as a recommendation before booking hotels and attractions/things to do. For example, earlier this year I did a bike tour round the mega city of Shanghai. I’m glad I checked Trip Advisor first, as I found an excellent company called China Outside Adventures, and the co-owner and guide, Fiona, was highly knowledgeable and crucially for me, spoke English superbly.

I am unsure if I would have received such a good experience if I had booked it randomly online or waited until arrival in Shanghai. So, even though I know there some who criticise Trip Advisor for phony reviews, in my experience it is a valuable website, and the people making the reviews do exist… because I am one of them!