In the past, consumer groups and regulators criticized OTAs for "opt-out" checkboxes that automatically added insurance or service fees to a booking. These were often the results of early "Factory" optimization attempts. While the industry has shifted toward more transparent "opt-in" models following regulatory pressure, the tension between a streamlined sales process and consumer clarity remains a topic of debate.
To understand the "Factory" concept, one must look at the history of eDreams. Founded in the late 1990s in Silicon Valley and later moved to Barcelona and Madrid, eDreams grew rapidly by consolidating airlines and inventory. However, by the early 2010s, the OTA model faced a crisis. edreams factory