Comments on: 2008: Rearden Commerce Has A Heck Of A Year

By: Peter

Peter — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:59:36 +0000

My firm started using them for airline travel. The customer service COSTS to have a question answered, unlike the airlines. Tickets do NOT book right away, so seat assignments on short notice can’t be managed – and UPGRADES can disappear while you wait. If you want 24 hour availability for customer service (off hours), it costs even more. And, the final touch, several of my flights have given me 50% of the mileage. When I called to inquire as to why, I was told “that shouldn’t be. We will investigate and get right back to you.” Two weeks later, NOTHING. Use at your peril.

By: WoodDent U LikeToKnow

WoodDent U LikeToKnow — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:19:29 +0000

SMB Rearden! SMB!

By: SEO Company London

SEO Company London — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:31:49 +0000

I do not what all the fuss is about, start up.

By: Limo hire

Limo hire — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:28:50 +0000

I love the last comment.

By: links for 2009-05-19 « IronEye

links for 2009-05-19 « IronEye — Tue, 19 May 2009 09:39:58 +0000

[...] 2008: Rearden Commerce Has A Heck Of A Year (tags: semantic) [...]

By: Is this really unique

Is this really unique — Tue, 19 May 2009 03:45:57 +0000

How is this company’s product different than Concur? http://www.concur.com/
My company (Fortune 500) uses the Concur product. Its decent. Nothing great, nothing bad.

By: MoreDetails

MoreDetails — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 18:11:05 +0000

http://www.ewee...e-With-Rearden/

By: Phil Dewey

Phil Dewey — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 06:23:01 +0000

Michael, if you want the right to criticize mainstream print media you need to live up to the same standards as them. In particular, you’re lack of journalistic integrity is a major sore spot that you need to work on. I realize you’re just a blogger, but you’re clearly educated and have designs on a new media empire. Being cast as the “Fox News” of blogging will not help you get there.

Phil

By: Phoenix Bird

Phoenix Bird — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 23:21:39 +0000

Both Eric and Michael have been singing praises of this truly amazing PR entity (not so hot on the actual business front). TC has lost tonnes of credibility on this one and yet they continue to sing Patrick’s tune. Why? He is a great salesman indeed, but by know it has all grown stale. So will TC unless it starts admitting its mistakes. BTW the negative post removed was FACTUAL. Which is more than can be said for TC’s coverage of Rearden.

By: Gradyfan

Gradyfan — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 05:50:55 +0000

So Michael, how much stock has Rearden given you?

By: leather donut

leather donut — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 05:02:04 +0000

I used AMEX travel at my last company and frankly they sucked in a big way. They would misbook stuff all the time.

Once they even left me stranded in Denver on my way back to SFO. Apparently, the numbnuts only booked the segment to end in Denver even though I had asked for a round trip ticket and started in SFO. WTF?

By: Concerned TechCrunch Fan

Concerned TechCrunch Fan — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 03:37:47 +0000

It’s a sad day for TechCrunch when they take down comments for a particular company. There is no doubt that TC got a call from Rearden and gave into their requests to take down specific comments.

This comment has nothing to do with whether or not I believe that Rearden is a good company but rather if I can trust the integrity of TechCrunch going forward.

What’s the deal hear? Why should all of us keep following TechCrunch if there is no free speech here?

A concerned TC fan

By: Kevin

Kevin — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 23:22:10 +0000

At Westinghouse we use the Rearden platform through American Express (they call it AXIOM or online marketplace). It works well, and it even works on my blackberry. You can read about it right here:

http://www.btno...t_id=1003931565

By: Phil Dewey

Phil Dewey — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 21:59:15 +0000

Rearden pays Arington to run these puff pieces once a year. Remember, it’s blogging not journalism. For the real skinny on Rearden Commerce and it’s bombastic CEO Patrick Grady visit http://www.glas...r.com/index.htm

Staggering amount of VC money, lots of customers, almost no revenue after 8 years! The only thing this company consistently produces is pink slips.

By: A Little Journalism Please

A Little Journalism Please — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 19:41:22 +0000

For a first time blog post this coverage would be fine but considering Techcrunch has reported on Rearden a number of times this post contains no useful information. How about a little analysis of Rearden? The facts are as follows:

1. Rearden Commerce has a great product that goes well beyond existing travel management solutions. However, 1/2 of what Grady says is the “vision.” It has a long way to go before really being a personal assistant.

2. Grady has done some amazing deals to line up the channel (Amex, Chase, etc) but totally lacks an understanding of the customer. They’ve been singing up companies left and right but they need to learn how to keep them happy.

3. Executing on the consumer launch will be very difficult especially for a company that has no understanding of marketing or branding. As evidence note that the company name has changed three times, they laid off the whole marketing team without a second thought, and even their best customer doesn’t know what to call the product (as opposed to the company name).

Rearden Commerce is a good company that is set up to succeed if Grady can hire somebody to manage the company so he can focus on doing deals and being the visionary.

For more insight on Rearden Commerce you can also check out Glassdoor.com. Anyway, it is at least as “balanced” as the Techcrunch coverage.

By: Gradyfan

Gradyfan — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 17:38:13 +0000

So are you implying the company’s website will describe their practice of pulling baits and switches on their customers?

By: Gradyfan

Gradyfan — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 17:35:54 +0000

So if TC praises a company with no ability to execute, and anyone who knows the company well disagrees, it’s called trolling?

By: Michael Arrington

Michael Arrington — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 14:22:42 +0000

its not about facing the truth, it’s about ridiculous anonymous trolling that pollutes the blog.

By: Yishan Wong

Sat, 24 Jan 2009 06:21:33 +0000

I also very interested in this company. I’m as skeptical as anyone else due to all the money they’ve burned, the layoffs, etc, but the fact remains that their product (as described) sounds pretty compelling and despite all the hardships the company IS still around after all these years. Plenty of times a company takes it on the chin a few rounds but through sheer willpower, gumption and execution manages to pull through (plus the company name sort of indicates the founder is not the type of guy to throw in the towel). I’d really like it if someone (hint hint) could crack their stealth sphere and give us a real lowdown on how well the product really works and how things going over there.

By: BlogReader

BlogReader — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 04:06:20 +0000

If even 25% of Chase card holders actively use this application

If only 1% of the people on internet clicked on my banner ad my product would be an instant hit!!

By: Rearden Commerceにとっての2008年は大躍進の年だった

Rearden Commerceにとっての2008年は大躍進の年だった — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 03:11:04 +0000

[...] ［原文へ］ [...]

By: baysky

baysky — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 02:50:14 +0000

Can’t believe techcrunch keep deleting negative comments about Rearden Commerce.

If they can’t face the truth and criticise only keep tailored comments according to their needs, arrangement with Rearden Commerce?)
this site lost value as a creditable media.

byebye. techcrunch, out of my bookmark you go.

By: Interesting....

Interesting.... — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 01:49:32 +0000

Rearden may be a little old for the typical start up, but wasn’t it in stealth mode for 5 of those years? I believe other companies, like Microsoft, have tried a similar project in the past and failed, so it makes sense that they would spend some time in R&D.

The fact American Express and Chase are investing in this company makes me wish that I could. I’m definitely going to keep an eye out for a consumer product and future updates on this company. Thanks for the info Michael.

By the way, I wouldn’t want a blog to tell the whole story otherwise I’m not sure if I’d make it to the bottom of the page. If you want to find out more about something, check out their website…. That’s what I plan on doing.

By: Too much rhetoric...

Too much rhetoric... — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 01:27:24 +0000

Listen folks…It all really comes down to execution. They’ve raised 200 million dollars which is great, but the question is what are they going to do with it? What is it that the investors want delivered and what necessary steps is the company taking in order to ensure they meet those expectations while becoming cash flow positive? This JP Morgan/Chase deal is huge. They have over 90 million card holders and from my understanding Rearden is building them an application for their reward points redemption program and it will be a free service for chase members. If even 25% of Chase card holders actively use this application you’re looking at ~22 million users and that’s low balling. I think advertisers would be willing to pay a nice chunk of change with that type of activity, not to mention the transactions that will be taking place using the other services Rearden offers.

Rearden has certainly paid their dues being around for 8 years but they been making a lot of noise in the last 3. They are now in a position to control their own destiny. I look forward to seeing how they do.

By: greg

greg — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 00:09:53 +0000

i wonder how many of their “new” corporate customers came from the acquisitions that they made…

this company has been around FOREVER and has raised WAY too much money recently. This company is representative of the excesses of BOTH bubbles (2000 and 2008) which is pretty rare actually.