Travel Tools Dashboard

The real purpose of this widget is to give traffic to inblighty.com and eventually to travelchimps.com, which as I understand are yours. You are using already free available data from elsewhere to boost traffic to your own sites for the sake of affiliate marketing and advertising. And make the user feel like you are doing them a service.

Doing so on your own is none of my business (although I hate the practice), but as a WordPress user, you’re just insulting my intelligence and many here will find it the same.

@shirazdrum
I have no problems with comments on whether or not the embeddable dashboard is good enough to be used.

I do I object to you:

1. blithely dismissing software development using up to date, quality, free data from sources like US & UK Gov.

• Governments believe developers add value and encourage us – my work is linked to by UK Gov and been tweeted by the FO.
  e.g. i. using official data, my embassy locator includes a map and email address, the official FO site does not. I was involved in initial evaluation of their data, they were also delighted with my Travel Advice widget – it results in more people reading official FO travel advice.
• eg ii. I could have included a 3rd party currency convertor (some commission earning). I wanted a wider range of currencies for visitors. I used “free” data to develop a new convertor that includes currencies like Moldovan Lei – you won’t find it on Travelex! I developed it because I take pride in my work. It’s not obvious, so won’t benefit my site, took my time, uses my server for processing, and has lost me a commission earner.
• Your profile goes to a web developer site – I don’t dismiss your work because you’ve used free jquery/moo tools, nor question the method you use to obtain income for your work.

2. implying I am only interested in a quick affiliate marketing buck.

• my websites don’t cover costs. I’ve not abandoned them, I run them for the pleasure of research & a sense of providing something useful. Long term I hope they will generate a positive income – anything wrong in that?
• the commission earners on the dashboard are useful for visitors e.g. being able to compare flight prices from nearly 700 airlines and sites; the small commission does not affect the price paid. I spend ages researching best customer value (see my review and test of Hostel Booking sites on inblighty.com) and despite offers of large commission only market products that are best value.
  – the dashboards flight comparison includes non commission paying budget airlines that other comparison engines don’t – result plenty of budget airline bookings and nil commission in about 18 months!
• I’m hopingmy honesty (not helped by your comments) will build trust in my brand so volume will eventually outweigh lower commission. If you see my site you will see I am open about affiliations, and explain why I have chosen particular products.

3. implying I am being sly and insulting peoples intelligence – how???

• All I have asked is whether there is any mileage in me working on the dashboard (that said you have made me pretty determined to do it).
• I am not forcing anyone to take it, or charging. I give people more credit than you. I am sure site owners are capable of making their own judgement whether or not the Dashboard will be mutually beneficial. My cousin runs a Ski/Outdoors shop, he wants to add my dashboard because he thinks it will be really useful for his customers, it doesn’t conflict with his products, and will encourage revisits to his site!!!
• There are plenty of “free” widgets and tools that include income generation, google search widget anyone?