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I was asked to comment on this issue by Legobot; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Reliable_sources/Noticeboard#rfc_B859E85
To do so, I tried to research the reliability of the content published by The Points Guy. I failed to find an adequate number of evaluations that I could cite. Forbes magazine speaks highly of them but more as an Influencer than as a highly reliable source of information. https://www.forbes.com/sites/thepointsguy/#1b3613f73933 I found no sources that claim that The Points Guy publishes false information. But at this point, I do not have full confidence in The Points Guy as a source that Wikipedia editors should cite.
P.S. Brian Kelly is a Contributor with Forbes! Peter K Burian (talk) 13:36, 1 April 2019 (UTC)
I had added a lot of fully-cited content to give this article a more balanced point of view. Nearly all of that was recently deleted, leaving the article weaker than it was before.
I don't know the rationale for this but am reinstating some of the fully-cited content that was deleted in the past few days. If those are again deleted, I will need to start a feedback request service to get other editors to determine whether the content that I had added is of value.
This is one example of fully-cited content that had been deleted; I just added it again:
According to Bloomberg, the site also operates as a travel agency, serving clients in the state of New York. . Bloomberg https://www.bloomberg.com/profiles/companies/1665671D:US-points-guy/the. Retrieved April 1, 2019.The Points Guy operates as a travel agency. The Company offers travel information, booking services, travel packages, and cards. The Points Guy serves customers in the State of New York.((cite web))
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(help) One of the reasons for the site's financial viability is the revenue stream provided by partners such as Capital One. . Entrepreneur https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/324042. Retrieved April 1, 2019.it remains successful today, with the help of additional revenue streams via parterships with companies such as Capital One. On Entrepreneur's How Success Happens podcast, Kelly talks success strategies, his top growth tips for entrepreneurs and, of course, his best advice for saving money on upcoming travel.((cite web))
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Note: The revision made by User:Feminist was definitely valid; I am only questioning the next editor's deletions. Peter K Burian (talk) 19:00, 11 April 2019 (UTC)
Great to see all of the fluff, without citations, is gone again. Peter K Burian (talk) 13:14, 12 April 2019 (UTC)
Does anyone know of a source other than that Bloomberg profile blurb to back up the assertion that TPG sells booking services or travel packages? I've never heard of any such thing and I've been reading TPG for years. The closest thing I know of was that Brian Kelly, when he first started TPG, offered services to advise individuals on how to use their points and miles to book travel, but he stopped doing that several years ago. (And, in the interest of full disclosure, I occasionally contribute to TPG as a freelance writer. As such, I'll refrain from editing the article myself.) Reirab (talk) 07:29, 14 April 2019 (UTC)
Bloomberg is a solid source Reirab, but yeah, I cannot find any indication whatsoever that ThePoints Guy acts as a travel agency. And I really did search! OK, am deleting that content. Sometimes, even Bloomberg can be incorrect, though less likely in their business news articles. Peter K Burian (talk) 14:45, 14 April 2019 (UTC)
![]() | This edit request by an editor with a conflict of interest has now been answered. |
Hi. I have a few proposals and would love an independent review. I work for The Points Guy, so I am reaching out here for editors to review, as the Help section directs for those with a conflict of interest. I have reviewed major Wikipedia policies, especially WP: Reliable Sources, and many Wikipedia articles.
1. Please remove James Cury from the Infobox.
Rationale: The source is five years old. Cury is listed as an editorial director, not the CEO or a founder, the typical positions mentioned in an Infobox. Cury is actually no longer the editorial director or at the company, as you can see from the Team page of the website or Cury's LinkedIn.
![]() | This edit request by an editor with a conflict of interest has now been answered. |
2. In the History section, please update the first paragraph:
Prior to founding TPG, Kelly worked at Morgan Stanley, as an IT recruiter in the company's human resources department,[1] and he ran, for colleagues, an informal travel agency-type operation, aimed at maximizing return on earned travel reward points.[2] In 2011, TPG began affiliate marketing, which is the source of much of the company's revenue; shortly thereafter, Kelly quit his position at Morgan Stanley[1]
WITH:
Prior to founding TPG, Kelly worked at Morgan Stanley as an IT recruiter, and ran an informal travel agency-type operation for his colleagues aimed at helping them maximize their return on earned travel reward points.[2] In June 2010, Kelly launched The Points Guy blog, where he reviewed travelers’ frequent flyer miles, credit card points and travel goals. He continued to book vacations.Cite error: A <ref>
tag is missing the closing </ref>
(see the help page). TPG began monetizing content through affiliate marketing in Feb 2011, which became the major source of the company's revenue;[1][3] shortly thereafter, Kelly quit his job at Morgan Stanley.[1]
Rationale: Slightly rewrites for grammar, sentence structure and missing punctuation. Adds date Kelly started TPG website. Adds NYT source to support the statement “the source of much of the company's revenue” - the statement is not present in the current source.
![]() | This edit request by an editor with a conflict of interest was declined. |
3. In the History section, please replace the second paragraph:
In 2012, Bankrate, a company that publishes and promotes financial content, acquired TPG.[1] In a 2014 interview, Brian Kelly made this comment: "I still have a vested ownership interest in TPG and I retain 100% editorial control".[4]
With two new paragraphs:
In 2012, consumer-finance company Bankrate acquired TPG.[1][5] Red Ventures, a media company, acquired Bankrate in 2017, and TPG became part of Red Ventures’ portfolio.[3]
Rationale: Replaces weak sources. Adds details about Bankrate acquisition of TPG, and transfer of ownership to Red Venture. Removes Brian Kelly quote - it is outdated and incorrect. While Kelly .
![]() | This edit request by an editor with a conflict of interest has now been answered. |
4. In the History section, after the 3rd paragraph that begins “Between 2012 and 2017, Brian Kelly and ThePointsGuy…” please add a new 4th paragraph:
In 2016, TPG started Points for Peace, a partnership with the nonprofit PeaceJam Foundation, which donates frequent flyer miles to help Nobel Peace Prize winners travel to developing countries.[1][6]
Rationale: Adds formation of Points for Peace, a partnership with a nonprofit covered in notable news sources.
![]() | Part of an edit requested by an editor with a conflict of interest has been implemented. |
5. In the History section, please remove the 2nd, 3rd and 4th sentences in the fourth paragraph:
Bankrate was acquired by digital marketing company Red Ventures in 2017.[7] The company now operates out of offices in Austin, Charlotte, New York, and London.[8] London office was opened in 2019 as part The Points Guy’s expansion into the UK and UK-dedicated website.[9]
Rationale: Red Venture acquisition of Bankrate was covered in request #4. This section is primarily about Bankrate, not The Points Guy and the Reuters source does not mention The Points Guy. The source mentioning the company’s offices is not reliable - it appears to be a personal or PR blog.
![]() | This edit request by an editor with a conflict of interest has now been answered. |
6. In the History section, please replace this paragraph:
“In 2020, Business Insider reported Kelly to abuse drugs and staff.[10]”
WITH:
In 2020 Business Insider reported that multiple TPG employees had anonymously accused Kelly of fostering a “toxic work environment.”[11] In response to the allegations, Red Ventures said: "Mr. Kelly unequivocally denies all allegations of drug use, sexual harassment and assault. TPG and its parent company, Red Ventures, do not tolerate any form of harassment, exploitation or discrimination in the workplace and take seriously their responsibility to create environments where people feel safe, respected, and able to do their best work.”[11][3]
Rationale: Rewrites and expands to provide context into the Business Insider story. Adds response to allegations from Red Ventures and Kelly. Adds reliable source.
![]() | This edit request by an editor with a conflict of interest has now been answered. |
7. In the History section, please update the last sentence:
In 2021, The Points Guy released an app to track airline points and miles across multiple airlines. On January 22, 2022, American Airlines filed a lawsuit against The Points Guy for the app, which they claimed violated its terms of service.[12]
WITH:
The Points Guy released an app to track airline points and miles across multiple airlines in September 2021.[13]
TPG preemptively sued American Airlines in January 11, 2022, asking a Delaware court to make it legal for customers to manage their frequent flyer data on a third-party website.[14][15] The filing was in response to a cease and desist letter from American Airlines, demanding TPG not track the data of its AAdvantage members who opted-in to sharing their info with TPG app.[15] On January 22, 2022, American Airlines filed suit against The Points Guy in a federal court in Texas, claiming the company’s app violated its trademark and the terms of the airlines’ frequent flyer program.[14][16][15]
Rationale: Slightly rewrites first sentence for style and to add missing source. Breaks American Airlines lawsuit into its own paragraph, expands on the details of lawsuit and counter suit, and adds reliable sources.
![]() | This edit request by an editor with a conflict of interest has now been answered. |
8. In the Products and Services subsection, please remove:
Sponsored news article Every article usually begins with the following disclaimer:
This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.
Rationale: There is no source here. This is just original research. WP:NOR. Affiliate marketing disclosure language is a common practice on media sites. See Request #1 with links to The New York Times and Conde Nast’s GQ citing similar language and practices. This section is trying to make the site look less credible to readers who may not understand that affiliate marketing links are standard even on editorially independent publications.
Thank you! Cheergirl325 (talk) 15:36, 14 June 2022 (UTC)
In 2012, consumer-finance company Bankrate acquired TPG.[1][17] Red Ventures, a media company, acquired Bankrate in 2017, and TPG became part of Red Ventures’ portfolio.[3] Kelly remained with the company, overseeing brand management and content development.[18]
References
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