The Bait-and-Switch Epidemic: Why CarGurus, Certain Hotel Booking Sites, and SEM Platforms Deserve a Hard Pass

The Bait-and-Switch Epidemic: Why CarGurus, Hotel Booking Sites, and SEM Platforms Deserve a Hard Pass

In an increasingly digital marketplace, online platforms were supposed to make life easier for consumers — and more profitable for honest advertisers. Yet today, some of the biggest names in car shopping and lodging, like CarGurus and various hotel booking services, are enabling a bait-and-switch economy that erodes consumer trust and punishes ethical businesses.

CarGurus: The False Promise of Transparency
CarGurus pitches itself as a marketplace where buyers can find “great deals” from trustworthy dealers. In practice, it’s become a honey trap. Dealers advertise vehicles that don't exist — "sold yesterday" but miraculously have “similar inventory” you can look at if you just come in. Meanwhile, the price listed often leaves out thousands in bogus "dealer fees," "preparation packages," and "market adjustments."

The strategy is simple: lure in the customer with an unrealistically low price and upsell them once they’re emotionally and physically committed. It’s old-school bait-and-switch, now turbocharged by search algorithms.

Hotel Booking Sites: Welcome to Hidden Fees and Gotcha Rates
Hotel listing platforms operate no better. Many show nightly rates that seem like great bargains — until you check in and get blindsided by "resort fees," "urban experience charges," or "service assessments" that can boost the final price by 20–40%.

This deceptive practice makes it impossible for honest hoteliers, who include full pricing upfront, to compete fairly. It rewards those willing to lie by omission and punishes transparency.

The Broader Implications for Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
This race to the bottom creates a toxic environment for legitimate advertisers trying to run clean campaigns. Honest businesses get squeezed out of ad auctions by liars offering bait prices that no real customer will ever actually get. Conversion rates suffer. Bounce rates spike. Customer acquisition costs soar. And most damaging of all: trust erodes — not just in a brand, but in the entire sector.

Consumers aren't stupid. They eventually realize when an industry is gaslighting them. They become harder to convert, less loyal, and much more likely to look for alternatives. In other words, platforms that allow or encourage bait-and-switch tactics undermine the long-term viability of their own marketplace.

Why Advertisers Should Tell These Platforms to Buzz Off
If you’re a business owner, you should ask yourself: Why should I spend my hard-earned marketing dollars subsidizing fraud?

Why should you reward platforms that are perfectly happy to let your brand credibility sink right alongside their swamp of fake deals?

The answer is simple: you shouldn't. If a platform refuses to clean house, refuse to fund them. Divert your SEM budget to sources that reward honesty — niche marketplaces, curated verticals, direct email, partnerships, influencer campaigns, and your own CRM loyalty programs.

Platforms only change when their bottom line is threatened. Nothing speaks louder than walking away — and convincing others to do the same.

Conclusion: Play the Long Game
Bait-and-switch advertising might goose short-term clicks, but it guts long-term trust. Advertisers who are serious about building sustainable businesses should demand better — or invest elsewhere.

If a platform tolerates bait-and-switch today, it’s only a matter of time before it bites you too. Don't wait to be the next sucker. Tell them to F-off while you still can.