Please visit our new help center at help.thinkreservations.comYou can also access this by clicking the ? button inside ThinkReservations.

Getting Started with Expedia

This article will guide you through the process of getting your ThinkReservations account connected with Expedia.

Step 1: Creating an Expedia Account

If you do not have a relationship with Expedia yet, click here to sign up.

When signing up, make sure to indicate that you use a Channel Manager so you can specify ThinkReservations as your provider and select "Occupancy Based Pricing" as the pricing model. Be sure this is not by length of stay.

Click here to view Expedia's Frequently Asked Questions.

Click Here for help setting up a NEW Expedia Account

Early on the signup process, you will be asked, "Does this property work with a Channel Manager? Make sure to click "Yes."


When you get to Step 7 of Onboarding, Rooms and rates, please ensure that you select Occupancy-Based pricing for ThinkReservations to work correctly with Expedia.



Once you complete step 9 of onboarding with Expedia, you will be able to select ThinkReservations as your channel Manager.


1.) Click Rooms and Rates on the left. If you don't see "Rooms and Rates" click the three horizontal lines in the upper left to expose the menu.

2.) Click Expedia Connectivity Settings under the "Setup" heading.

3.) Verify if ThinkReservations is already set as your provider.
4.) Click the blue Edit connectivity settings button.


5.) On the next page, choose ThinkReservations as your provider for updating rates and availability.

6.) Choose ThinkReservations as your provider for receiving reservations.

Ensure that ThinkReservations is selected for both rates and availability, and receiving reservations so that ThinkReservations can properly communicate with Expedia.

7.) Click the yellow Save and continue button. Then choose to confirm.


You should get an email from Expedia within 30 minutes with the subject line of "EQC ARBR Enabled for...". Once you receive this email, give ThinkReservations a call for the final connection steps!

Step 2: Prerequisites and Building your Expedia Account

Before ThinkReservations and Expedia can be connected, your Expedia account needs to be set up a certain way.

The basic prerequisites are laid out below:

  • Rooms and rate plans setup on Expedia
  • Expedia account must be EQC Enabled
  • Expedia Pricing model must be Occupancy Based Pricing
  • Expedia settings and property policies set up
  • Fees for children, if your property accepts them

Note that you can only have one Expedia account per one ThinkReservations account.

Click here to learn more about the prerequisites
  • You will need to have an active Expedia account that you can log into before you connect with ThinkReservations.
  • You can only connect one ThinkReservations account to one Expedia account.
  • The Expedia account must have an active room for each room type that exists in ThinkReservations that you would like to share with Expedia.
    In Expedia:
    Expedia Partner Central --> Rooms and Rates --> Room types and rate plans
    In ThinkReservations:
    ThinkReservations --> Settings --> Rate Types --> Open any rate type
    If you aren't sure how your room types are set up in ThinkReservations, please ask.
  • The account must be EQC Enabled. For new Expedia accounts, you can specify this when you sign up that you work with a channel manager and choose ThinkReservations. For existing accounts, if you can follow step 2 below, your account is EQC enabled. Otherwise, it is likely "ARI" enabled, and Expedia needs to update the account first. 
  • The pricing model needs to be Occupancy Based Pricing. If not, Expedia will automatically create an internal support request to have them update your account after you complete step 7 below.  
  • Although not a requirement, the "room code" for each room should be set up to identify the room or room type it's associated with to assist with mapping.
  • You will not need to enter rates or restrictions directly on the Expedia Partner Central. Pricing comes from ThinkReservations once connected.
ThinkReservations sends the following to Expedia:
  • Rates/Pricing
  • Availability/Inventory
  • Restrictions like minimum nights
  • Additional guest fees (for adults only. Child ages & fees must be set up in the Expedia Partner Central) 
  • [Nothing else.]


IMPORTANT: Please be sure that your information on Expedia is set up correctly, paying special attention to the following, as they are not synced or connected to ThinkReservations

  • Deposit/Prepayment Policy
  • Cancellation Policy
  • Maximum occupancy for rooms
  • Children and adult occupancy settings
  • Additional guest fees for Children
  • Minimum notice for online reservations
  • Items added to the room such as service charges, cleaning fees, or breakfast
  • Any refundable deposits, fees or taxes below the subtotal line are sent from Expedia
  • Room name
  • Room photos and descriptions
  • Meal Plan
  • Smoking Policy, etc.
How to check your rooms and rate plans on Expedia
To see your rooms and rate plans in Expedia Partner Central:
  1. Login to Expedia group partner central (EPC) and click Rooms and Rates in the menu to the left.
  2. In the submenu below, click Rooms, Rates, and Policies.
  3. If you don't see all the rooms that you would like to offer to Expedia, please reach out to Expedia support for assistance.
  4. Make sure you have at most one room type on Expedia for each Room TYPE in ThinkReservations you wish to share with Expedia.

► Please verify in your Expedia Partner Central Extranet that you have active rooms and rate plans. You can attempt to create the rooms and rate plans on your own, or reach out to your Expedia market manager or market management team (naregional@expediagroup.com) for assistance.

Note that the above property is NOT ready to connect to ThinkReservations and still needs to add rooms and rate plans.
How to set "Room Codes" to help with room mapping/linking
To help with "mapping" or linking your Expedia rooms to your ThinkReservations units, set the "Room Code" on Expedia so ThinkReservations can properly identify the room types.
  1. Login to Expedia group partner central (EPC) and click Rooms and Rates in the menu to the left.
  2. In the submenu below, click Rooms, Rates, and Policies.
  3. Inside each room is three columns of information: Smoking policy, Room code, and Bed types. Note the Room Code for each room. This is used by ThinkReservations to associate/link/connect/map the room type in Expedia with the correct room type in ThinkReservations.
  4. To edit the room code, click Room actions > Edit this room. See below.
  5. Click Submit when done with your changes. Repeat for any other rooms.
 

Step 3: Enable Your Expedia Account for Connectivity

Your accounts are ready to connect once your Expedia account is set up, you have verified it's content and settings are accurate, and your ThinkReservations account is active and bookable on your website (live).

A property owner or admin will need to indicate to Expedia that you wish to use ThinkReservations as your channel manager. To do so, please follow all the below instructions from your Expedia Partner Central Extranet:

  1. Click Rooms and Rates on the left
  2. Click Connectivity Settings under the "Setup" heading.
  3. Don't see the "Connectivity Settings" button?

    Call or email your Expedia Market Manager to get your account EQC enabled. (Your account is likely ARI enabled.)
    Not sure who your Expedia Market Manager is? See below for alternate contact info.
    Expedia North America Lodging Team at 1-855-783-9733 - Option 1 for English, then option 5 for Extranet support or email NARegional@expedia.com

  4. Verify if ThinkReservations is already set as your provider. Sometimes Expedia will do this step for you. Click the blue Edit connectivity settings button.

  5. On the next page, choose ThinkReservations as your Provider for updating rates and availability.
  6. Choose ThinkReservations as your Provider for receiving reservations.
    Ensure that ThinkReservations is selected for both rates and availability, and receiving reservations so that ThinkReservations can properly communicate with Expedia.
  7. Click the yellow Save and continue button. You may then be asked to confirm.
    (Continue below...)

Error about your pricing model?

Your property doesn't meet the prerequisites from Step 2 above but will be fixed automatically by Expedia. This error indicates that the current pricing model of your property is incompatible, and you will need to wait until Expedia can update your account. (Reference the prerequisites above from Step 2in the event there are other items that need attention.) They will automatically update your account to support the required "Occupancy Based Pricing" model, usually within 48 hours.

Expedia will update your account to support connectivity in about 48 business hours. Once your Expedia account has been enabled for connectivity, ThinkReservations can then work on connecting your accounts.

How do you know when Step 3 is done?

If your account meets all the prerequisites, it might take up to 30 minutes. Look for an email with the subject containing:
"EQC ARBR Connected for [Your property name]" or
 "EQC Onboarding Next Steps"

This email indicates that your Expedia account is successfully enabled for connectivity.

Step 4: ThinkReservations Connects to Your Expedia Account

Once your Expedia account has been enabled for connectivity, your rooms are set up, and your ThinkReservations account is live (active and bookable on your website), please reach out to ThinkReservations support so we can make the final connection.

Please click here to schedule a meeting with a member of our OTA team. It's important to make sure that you can log into your Expedia Partner Central account for this phone meeting. This link will guarantee someone from our OTA team is available at a date and time convenient for you. 

Please budget 30-45 minutes for this call. In most cases, your accounts are connected by the end of this call.

Once connected, you can use ThinkReservations to control the pricing, restrictions, and availability that is synchronized with Expedia.

Click Here to Learn the Expedia Acronyms
  • EPC = Expedia Partner Central
    This is the site you use to manage your Expedia account.
  • EQC = Expedia Quick Connect
    This is the connectivity type that ThinkReservations uses.
  •  AR = Availability and Rates
  •  BR = Booking Retrieval (Often seen together as "ARBR")
  • ARI = Availability, Rates, Inventory
    This is the connectivity type used previously by BB.com to connect to Expedia.
  • OBP = Occupancy Based Pricing
    This is the pricing model that Expedia recommends and that ThinkReservations uses. It allows ThinkReservations to handle the additional guest fees automatically.
  • PDP = Per Day Pricing
    An alternative pricing model ThinkReservations doesn't support.
  • ETP = Expedia Traveler Preference
    This is a combination of Hotel and Expedia collect, although even Hotel Collect reservations are set at the 18% commission.
  • MOD = Members Only Deal
    Often seen as "Fenced MOD," this is a promotion that is automatically included in many contracts. Expedia can set blackout dates and even pause these types of promotions for you.
  • LAR = Lowest Available Rate
    This is typically seen when Expedia tells you the "Acquisition Type" on your account for Expedia Collect-only properties.

Note:

ThinkReservations charges an additional 3% commission for room rates and additional guest fees for reservations that come from Expedia if you decide to establish a direct connection.


Trivago:

Trivago is an Expedia partner; however, their arrangement with Expedia is different than that of their other partner sites. If you want to connect with Trivago, you need to call Trivago's Hotel Support line at 646.663.6068 and let them know you want Trivago to pull your rates from Expedia.

 Trivago does not have a partnership to feed the images,
 content, 
and information from Expedia - only showing prices for your property.

Trivago would advise you to assign the property under a Hotel Manager account. You can create your own profile by registering on Trivago Hotel Manager for free here http://www.trivago.com/hotelmanager/register and add your property by typing the name. It will take up to 48 hours after system approval for your hotel to be assigned to you on Trivago. You will receive an email confirming the assignment.

In this way, you will be able to take control over all the information regarding your property, including changing the name of it, adding/deleting photos, as well as changing room amenities and facilities.

hotelmanager@trivago.com
trivago Hotel Manager: http://www.trivago.com/hotelmanager

 ► You can contact Expedia support by phone 1-888-EXP-1STOP, or by email hotelhelp@expedia.com

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