Mileage Run Deals - New Booking engine

I'm posting this in Mileage Run since I get the impression that some people book their flights using 3rd party booking engines when the airline's own websites don't have particular fares available.

I just noticed on Overstock, they now have a travel booking engine that appears to be similar to and use the same technology as Orbitz/Expedia/Travelocity, except that its booking fee is $2.95.

Thanks to this link (http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi?PAGE=EMAILSIGNUP&TRACKED=FALSE&BLURPAGE=TRUE) from gleff's august blog about the 7.00 garmet bag (http://www.webflyer.com/blog/posts.php?date=08-03), you can keep re-registering different e-mail addresses and get 5.00 off your purchase (thereby avoiding the booking fee and saving the measly 2 bucks, if you want to make that much effort).

If you want to check it out, it's located here (http://travel.overstock.com/APP/travel.jsp)

Although the interface resembles Orbitz, I wouldn't consider this a plus.. as Orbitz.com offers more selection of flights and airlines to pick from.. as well as other cost-saving options (like flexible dates, etc).

In addition, I believe Orbitz uses ITA Software for its engine, which is different from Expedia and Travelocity.

You get what you pay for, I guess.

According to Keith Alexanders column in the Washington Post, (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21892-2003Oct13.html) it uses Worldspan's technology. Now the question is whether or not these would be eligible to earn miles. I have a feeling that some fares would be, however, I'm sure the fares directly from the airlines will be considered wholesaler fares and won't be eligible.