Jetsetter still sees value in flash sales but it is such a small part of parent company TripAdvisor's overall business that it saw value in farming out that part of the business to Secret Escapes, which focuses on flash sales 24/7.
Jetsetter is desperately trying to imitate market competitors with its new "collections" branding of participating hotels. The site may still have an identity issue, though, as it balances its flash sales offerings while trying to simultaneously become a lifestyle brand.
TripAdvisor has plenty of cash on hand, but if it is true to historical form, it will likely be seeking to continue making smallish acquisitions of struggling travel startups, such as it did with Oyster.com, on the cheap in 2014.
Jetsetter's hotel relationships and expertise should help TripAdvisor on a variety of fronts. It remains to be seen whether TripAdvisor will eventually fold SniqueAway into the more successful Jetsetter, or go with a multi-brand strategy.
Online travel "supermarkets" Travelocity and Expedia years ago looked like winners, but hotel "specialist" Booking.com prevailed, Room 77 argues. And, it's betting that a singular focus on hotels will one day enable Room 77 to out-Kayak Kayak. It's a huge hill to climb.
For all its problems, Jetsetter is a market leader in hotel flash sales, and an acquisition at a bargain-rate sale price could help TripAdvisor inject some life into SniqueAway.
A Travelzoo-Jetsetter merger could work if the price were right, but sites such as Perfect Escapes, Spire, and Travel Intelligence are carrying out a flash sale of their own businesses, and could be more of a bargain in Travelzoo's view.