Woodalls / Good Sam Online Directory

[zekegb]

During this past year Good Sam took over the Woodall's online campground directory. I directed some comments to Good Sam, but received no response.

I am very disappointed in what the Good Sam directory is and the features that were eliminated from the Woodall's directory:
- Woodall's had a map that identified where every campground was located so one could easily find sites. Click on a letter on the map and the campground info would appear. The map was especially helpful if one was unfamiliar with the general location.
- Woodall's listed all campgrounds, including public, private, and non-rated sites. Good Sam does not list all campgrounds. Example: Cannon Beach, OR has two campgrounds, Good Sam only lists one.
- Woodall's listed campgrounds by closest to stated location. Good Sam does not list campgrounds by closest proximity - #1 campground may be 20 - 50 miles from location.
- Good Sam lists campgrounds with paid advertisements at the top of the list, even though those campgrounds may be 50 miles from the deisred location.

And this is supposed to be a helpful directory?

It would have been nice for Good Sam to combine the best of the two directories, rather than give us the worst of the two.

Al Zimmerman

[ETyson]

Hello 2gypsies,

I wanted to clarify - the directory does contain the listing information you mention in listings for private parks. There are listings with limited information, which are public parks and complimentary listings only. We also encourage all complimentary listings to take the opportunity, using our advertising programs, to enhance their basic listing information.

When Trailer Life Directory and Woodall’s Campground Directory were combined we were also careful retain the most popular and informative content and information, along with all campground listings, such as the state overviews and travel itineraries that were a hit with Woodall’s readers, along with the favorite Spotlight sections and Good Sam Ratings system trusted by Trailer Life consumers year after year, that our research had shown was important to our readers from both directories. We continue to develop new and interesting content for these sections each year.

With regard to splitting the directory into two - this has not been continued because of the production costs associated with publishing two separate volumes and the increase in cost we would have to pass along to our readers.

Thank you again for your feedback. Be assured that all comments and feedback we receive through our forums, and other channels is all taken very seriously and noted for future editions.

Kind regards,

Ellen Tyson
Sr Marketing & Product Manager
Good Sam RV Travel Guide

[2gypsies1]

ETyson wrote:


Throughout 2013, members provided valuable feedback that let us know the Directory was getting too big. They asked that we condense the data included to make the size of the directory easier to use. For 2014 we provide basic information for both private and public parks.
Kind regards,

Ellen Tyson
Sr. Product & Marketing Manager
Good Sam Enterprises

Condensing information doesn't mean they wanted the campground information condensed! This is a 'camping' directory. What needs to be condensed are all the pages after pages of travel information which we can all get by Googling for it or visiting local Visitor Centers where specific information to our travels can be obtained. This is definitely the area which needs condensing. Don't take information for the campground entries. We need all information available - size limits, good directions, GPS coordinates, actual addresses to plug into our GPSs, etc.

Also, we're all for having two directories - one for east of the Mississippi states and one for the west. Simple.

[ETyson]

Hello lionel60,

I work for Good Sam. Thank you for your feedback, I'm sorry to hear you were dissatisfied with the 2014 edition.

I'd like to provide information on the listings.

Over the years members had asked us why there were two directories – two made it difficult to choose which one to buy and so much of the listing information was duplicated in both. It made a lot of sense that when the two brands merged we also combined the two directories and their data into one.

The new Good Sam RV Travel Guide combines all the listing and RVing information together into one complete travel guide, plus all campgrounds are now rated using the trusted Good Sam Rating System. No more deciding which one to buy.

Throughout 2013, members provided valuable feedback that let us know the Directory was getting too big. They asked that we condense the data included to make the size of the directory easier to use. For 2014 we provide basic information for both private and public parks. You’ll find we include the Good Sam Ratings for privately owned parks. And because we know how important the Good Sam camping discount is, we have included information on our Good Sam Parks, as well as other featured campgrounds.

For smartphones users you'll also find up-to-date data on the Good Sam Camping App (this supersedes the Woodall's and Trailer Life Directory apps) and online through our website's campground search at GoodSamClub.com and GoodSamCamping.com. Good Sam Members can also access the new Trip Planner tool on GoodSamClub.com.

Your feedback is invaluable to us and we take it very seriously. It enables us to make improvements and provide the best service we can to serve our members.

If you would contact me privately I can help further.

Kind regards,

Ellen Tyson
Sr. Product & Marketing Manager
Good Sam Enterprises

[lionel60]

Just received the new 2014 N. American RV Travel Guide by Good Sam. I had high expectations that if the content of Woodall's & Trailer Life Directories were indeed combined, the resuld should have been great. Unfortunately, as with many businesses taking over and/or combining with other businesses, the end result falls short of what could have been. I usually buy the Woodall's Directory every few years and this was the year to buy a new campground directory. My disappointment comes when a lot of information/data from Woodall's was truncated (completely)from the publication. Look, the data was already available, why not use it! It's easy to use available data, it's more difficult to gain new info. I guess that truncating info was even easier.
The so called "editors" that supposedly were to combine the content from both directories into a useful directory to serve all the campers as an aid to select any/all campgrounds that meet an individual's criteria, appeared to have had other priorities. If "they" really wanted to serve the people the directory is meant to help, they would take a critical look at what the campers really want and take corrective action for 2015.
Because of the diminished content of this publication, I have to keep my old Woodall's Directory.

[rockhillmanor]

zekegb wrote:
During this past year Good Sam took over the Woodall's online campground directory. I directed some comments to Good Sam, but received no response.

I am very disappointed in what the Good Sam directory is and the features that were eliminated from the Woodall's directory:
- Woodall's had a map that identified where every campground was located so one could easily find sites. Click on a letter on the map and the campground info would appear. The map was especially helpful if one was unfamiliar with the general location.
- Woodall's listed all campgrounds, including public, private, and non-rated sites. Good Sam does not list all campgrounds. Example: Cannon Beach, OR has two campgrounds, Good Sam only lists one.
- Woodall's listed campgrounds by closest to stated location. Good Sam does not list campgrounds by closest proximity - #1 campground may be 20 - 50 miles from location.
- Good Sam lists campgrounds with paid advertisements at the top of the list, even though those campgrounds may be 50 miles from the deisred location.

And this is supposed to be a helpful directory?

It would have been nice for Good Sam to combine the best of the two directories, rather than give us the worst of the two.

Al Zimmerman

Ditto X10!
The Woodall's CG finder map 'was' THE best CG website.

The website as it sits revamped by GS is 'totally worthless' now.

And my obligatory comment on GS having the only website you have to pay to view. You can belong and pay for 10 GS services but if you don't join the 'GS club' you can not use or view the GS website.:R

[sharibartling]

We are newbies so I appreciate all this info. By the way . Stayed at a hotel on cannon beach last year in February. Winter waves beathtaking.