Frequently
Asked Questions
hometour360º® Program
In order to provide increased flexibility in terms of
technology and pricing, the hometour360º Program was launched in November,
2004. The hometour360º program focuses on providing a best-of-breed virtual
tour solution to virtual tour service provider companies.
About the
hometour360º® Hosting and Distribution Program:
1. Virtual tour companies who participate in the
hometour360º Program are able to access www.picturepath.com
to upload panoramic and immersive images, powered by the following technologies
to create a hometour360º:
a.
IPIX – images created
with the Interactive Studio leading Immersive Image Technology
b.
iseemedia – images created with a leading
image creation software
c.
PT Viewer – images
created through non-patent infringing technologies can be displayed through the
current PT Viewer Applet
2. Homestore has created a virtual tour template
that allows the user to take advantage of all of the following features:
a. Display more photos with a
combination of twelve full screen interactive images and six flat photos
b. Build personal brand awareness with
personal photo and contact information prominently displayed
c. Make each listing a link for leads
through the Find Out More™ and Send to a Friend features
d. Printable Brochure, with three
layout options, provides ready-made offline property flyers
e. Mapping/Driving Directions allow
homebuyers to obtain easy-to-use instructions for locating the property
f.
Desktop
Tour gives the ability to save tours and flat-photos to your desktop or CD,
which can be included in offline listing presentations
g. Full Screen Tour - 4x view of all
virtual images
h. Listing Information – City/State/Zip
Code/MLS ID#
i.
Reseller
Branding – Virtual Tour Company Branding
Program
Benefits Include:
j.
Each
tour hosted for one year
k. Free Distribution on REALTOR.com®
for
l.
hometour360™
is compatible with multiple technologies and provides advanced immersive and
panoramic imaging solutions
m. Reach more Internet consumers
through the REALTOR.com® Virtual Tour Distribution Network which includes
broker, MLS, national and local real estate Web sites.
3. As always, a hometour360º can be
distributed across the Internet via the Virtual Tour Distribution Network
(VTDN).
4. Homestore charges a per tour hosting
and distribution fee on a pay-per-use basis to the virtual tour company. Invoices for this service are issued
monthly. Real Estate Professionals, who
use the hometour360º product to market their clients’ homes, will pay the
virtual tour company directly for their services.
5. Homestore will not charge a per-tour
distribution fee for
6. Participants will receive automatic
discounted rates based on their monthly volume as per the hometour360º rate
card.
Frequently
Asked Questions
What
are the benefits of the hometour360º® Hosting and Distribution
Program?
There are many benefits
to the new hometour360º Hosting and Distribution Program including:
1.
Flexible
Technology Options – choice of three different technologies
2.
Flexible
Pricing – pay-per-use monthly invoicing
3.
REALTOR.com®
Distribution fee waived for tours loaded to listings enhanced with Showcase
Listings Enhancements
4.
Feature
Rich Template – multiple property, agent branding and provider branding
features
5.
VTDN
– Virtual Tour Distribution Network – Distribution network of 600+ websites
6.
Annual
Hosting Terms – world class hosting facility
How
will I be charged for the hometour360º® hosting and distribution
product?
Participating
customers will be billed monthly based on the number of virtual tours they
create through www.picturepath.com. A hometour360º will be considered created
upon successful upload. The rate card
provides discounted pricing for various levels of volume. It is important to
note that tours loaded to listings that have been enhanced with Showcase
Listing Enhancements will not count towards the monthly volume rate/discount.
The number
of new tours submitted in a given month will be used to calculate the rate for
that month’s invoice regardless of successful distribution to any given site.
Tour
deliveries will not be carried over from month to month. Please contact your Major Account Director or
hometour360º@realtor.com for more
information.
What technologies will the new
hometour360º® program
support?
Homestore
will continue to look to leading technology providers to support the
hometour360º product. IPIX images created through the new IPIX Interactive
Studio as well as panoramic images created through iseemedia’s
PhotoVista will be accepted. Customers who wish to display panoramic
images through the PTViewer applet will also have the
ability to do so.
Why have the above technologies been selected?
Homestore
has chosen to support these three technologies because they represent multiple
options for our users. The IPIX
technology will provide the industry leading 360 x 360 image formats while the iseemedia and PTViewer solutions
will provide excellent panoramic options.
Can I distribute
my hometour360º® to other distribution
sites?
The hosting
element of the new hometour360º provides Homestore with the control necessary
to continue to distribute the hometour360º to other real estate Web sites via
the VTDN. As always, distribution will be contingent on the presence of an
active listing on the destination site.
How can I create an account in www.picturepath.com?
Please
contact vtsupport@homestore.com or
call 1-866-483-4749 to request the set up of a PicturePath
account.
Does
Homestore still support the hometour360º Wizard program?
No. Homestore ceased selling hometour360º Wizard keys for
technology, hosting and distribution on November 30, 2004. This included keys
sold through the store and through Homestore’s Major
Account Directors. The hometour360º Wizard program was officially retired on
12/31/2005.
Showcase Listing
Enhancements - New Featured Tour™ Benefit
Frequently Asked
Questions
General Product Questions
What is the Showcase Listing
Enhancements New Featured Tour™ Benefit?
Currently, REALTOR.com® charges a per-upload or distribution
fee for each tour uploaded via the Picture Path GUI or AUI. With the launch of
the new Featured Tour Benefit, you will NOT
be charged the distribution fee for tours loaded to properties with Showcase
Listings Enhancements on REALTOR.com®.
How will REALTOR.com®
market the Featured Tour™ Benefit to customers?
Free Distribution of Virtual Tours will be marketed as a new
Showcase Listing Enhancements feature to all current and prospective
REALTOR.com® Showcase Listing Enhancement customers.
How will the new “Featured Tour™
benefit” help my business?
With the
added value of free distribution on tours loaded to Showcase Listings on
REALTOR.com®, we expect the demand for Virtual Tours to grow significantly.
Can Showcase Listing Enhancements
subscribers create and load their own tours to their REALTOR.com® listings?
No. In
order to take advantage of tour distribution on Showcase listings, Showcase
Listing Enhancements customers will need to go through a REALTOR.com®
authorized PicturePath Link or hometour360º partner.
Pricing Questions
How will you determine whether a
tour is being loaded to a Showcase or Non-Showcase listing on REALTOR.com®?
Once an MLS
ID (Listing Number) and Address have been submitted on an order, our system
will access the listing on REALTOR.com® and will determine whether or not it is
a Showcase listing.
- If the listing is a Showcase
listing, the appropriate Showcase Product code will be assigned to the
order number within our systems, and you will not be billed for the tour
distribution on REALTOR.com®. You will still be billed for the hosting
cost of the tour, if applicable.
- If the listing is not a
Showcase listing, a non-Showcase product code will be assigned to the
order number within our system, and you will be billed the full
distribution and hosting cost for the tour.
If an Agent does not have an active
listing on
Functionality
has been added to the PicturePath Web application
that will allow you to check the Showcase Status of your customer (the
Realtor).
The
new “Check Showcase Status” screen will query on the Customer Name, MLS, and
Public ID, and will return the current Showcase status (Showcase / Non
Showcase) of the customer.
The
primary purpose of the “Check Showcase Status” functionality is to allow you to
verify the Showcase status of a customer, regardless of whether or not they
have active listings on
REALTOR.com® and VTDN Distribution
Questions:
What happens if I try to load a tour
to a listing that is not on REALTOR.com®?
If the MLS
ID (Listing Number) does not exist on REALTOR.com®, the order cannot be
distributed to REALTOR.com®. You will receive an error message and your order
will be rejected.
If I try and load a tour to a
listing that is not on REALTOR.com®, will there be automatic repeated attempts
to load the tour to REALTOR.com®?
Automatic
repeated attempts to distribute a tour to REALTOR.com® (in the case that the
listing was not live on REALTOR.com® at the time the tour was loaded via the
GUI or AUI) will no longer be supported.
Can I load a tour to other websites
within the VTDN network if the MLS ID is not on REALTOR.com®?
You may
load a tour to a listing that does not exist on REALTOR.com® to other sites
within our VTDN network. You will be charged only for hosting and distribution
to websites other than REALTOR.com®.
Additional Property Identifier:
What is the difference between the
MLS ID and the Additional Property Identifier fields?
The
Additional Property Identifier field is for VTDN Tour distribution only,
whereas the MLS ID field can be used for Tour distribution on
Credits and Cancellations:
One of my customers
just became a Showcase Listing Enhancements subscriber. Will I be credited for
tours previously posted to their REALTOR.com® listings?
No.
One of my customers just became a
Showcase Listing Enhancements subscriber. When will the distribution fees be
waived for their tours loaded to REALTOR.com®?
The
discount (Distribution Fees waived) will only be applied to tours that are
loaded after the customer subscribes to Showcase Listings Enhancements, and
only to listings associated with an MLS ID tied to the Customers Showcase
Listing Enhancements package.
The Showcase Listing Enhancements
subscription for one of my customers has expired. What will happen to my
customer’s Tours on REALTOR.com®?
Tours
uploaded to Showcase Listings are part of the “Showcase Listing Enhancements
package.” Expiration of the Showcase Listings Enhancements subscription causes
all listing enhancements, including the tour, to no longer be visible on
REALTOR.com®.
The Showcase Listing Enhancements
subscription for one of my customers expired, and their Tours were removed from
REALTOR.com®. What will happen to the
All tour are stored on our servers. If at any time the Showcase
subscriber decides to renew their Showcase Listings Enhancements subscription
with REALTOR.com®, their tours will immediately be restored to their listings.
I have a customer whose Showcase
Listing Enhancements subscription has expired. Will I be charged full price on
the tours loaded to REALTOR.com® for this customer?
Yes. Any
tour loaded after the Showcase Listing Enhancements subscription has expired
will be billed as a Non-Showcase listing, or FULL price.
Edits to Address Information and MLS IDs:
I have submitted an
order with a valid MLS ID (Listing Number) and have selected REALTOR.com® distribution. Can I go back in and change the Address on
this order?
No.
Changes to Address
information will no longer be allowed after a valid MLS ID (listing Number) has
been entered and distribution to REALTOR.com® is indicated.
I have submitted an
order with a valid MLS ID (Listing Number) and have selected REALTOR.com® distribution. Can I go back in and change the MLS ID on
this order?
Changes to
MLS ID’s will only be permitted when:
- The address from the original
order matches the address of the new MLS ID you are entering.
- The Showcase state of old and
new MLS ID’s match. In other words, you may not change the MLS ID on a
Showcase order, to an MLS ID that is a non-showcase listing.
I have a special circumstance and
must change the MLS ID / Address on an order that has already been submitted
for REALTOR.com® distribution. I am unable to make
these changes in the Picture Path web application. Who do I contact?
Our Virtual
Tour Support Team can be contacted at 877-353-4749 for assistance if changes to
the address and/or MLS ID must be made, and you are unable to do so within the
Picture Path utility.
Changes to the Picture Path Web
application
How do I determine whether a listing
is a showcase or a non-showcase listing prior to submitting an order?
A new
“Confirm Product Price” page has been added to the Picture Path utility. This
page will display whenever an MLS ID is entered for the first time, and fees
have not yet been assessed. The Confirm Product Price page will display the
following information:
- Product Description -
(Showcase/Non-Showcase Listing)
- Product Price – (as determined
by Showcase status.).
Product Price displayed will not reflect the discounted
rates you receive based on your monthly volume, as per the hometour360º rate
card.
I have loaded a tour for
REALTOR.com® distribution, however the MLS ID cannot be validated in the
Picture Path Web application (ie: the MLS ID is not
on REALTOR.com®). Can I still proceed with the order?
When
a MLS ID is entered for distribution to REALTOR.com® and the MLS ID cannot be
properly validated, you will be given the option to correct the information
entered or proceed without distribution to REALTOR.com®.
How do I review the Showcase status of an order that has
already been submitted to
The “
Changes to the Automated Upload Interface
(AUI)
How do I confirm whether an order I
have submitted via the AUI will be billed as a Showcase or Non-Showcase order?
Additional
responses have been added to the AUI response file, including the status of the
submission and confirmation of all products and prices ordered. Product Price displayed will not reflect the
discounted rates you receive based on your monthly volume, as per the
hometour360º rate card.
How do I determine whether a listing
is a showcase or a non-showcase listing prior to submitting an order via the
AUI?
Functionality
is provided that allows validation of pricing for each product associated with
the new order or edit prior to submission, including the impact of the characteristics of
the listing (i.e.: Showcase / Non-Showcase).
When submitting a “MLS ID
validation” (to determine Showcase / Non-Showcase status) via the AUI, what
kind of message can I expect to see in the Response file?
The
response received will be the same as would have been received if the order or
edit had been submitted, with the following caveats:
- This is only useable for tours
submitted for REALTOR.com® distribution.
- If there will be both a MLS ID
and Additional Property Identifier involved on any given order, they
should be submitted at the same time to assure accurate validation of both
listing numbers.
- Since the order number is not
used in the submission, this feature should not be used for adding the
Additional Property Identifier, or pre-validating edits to the MLS ID or
the Additional Property Identifier.
Can a Tour order be
resubmitted to Realtor.com if the “
Yes.
An additional order can be generated via the AUI if the “
For example:
An
order is submitted via the AUI for a Showcase customer, and you are billed
$0.00 for the order, due to the “Showcase” status.
A
month later, the customer cancels their Showcase subscription, which results in
the free tour or link being removed from their
Does the new version of the AUI
(v.5) have backwards compatibility?
While the
current version of the AUI is designed to be “Backwards Compatible” with
previous versions of the AUI / Bulk upload specification, it will be necessary
to upgrade to the latest version of the specification in order to take
advantage of the new features in this release.
- Business Rules deployed in the
new AUI version are enforced for all versions.
- Edits of orders created in
previous versions have special rules.
Further details on processing
changes, including new business rules and special rules for existing orders, additional
AUI responses, product pricing confirmation and warnings and error messages can
be found in the updated PicturePath Automated Upload
Interface Implementation Guide (v.5).
Changes to the Monthly Usage Report
How has the format of the Monthly
Usage Report changed?
The format
of the report has changed to include the Additional Property Identifier,
Product Codes and Product Descriptions.
Has the content of the Monthly Usage
Report changed?
Yes. The report
now contains all products purchased including those required to support
Showcase and Non Showcase Distribution to REALTOR.com®.