Online Travel Booking and Bidding Agencies - Harder to bid using Netscape vs. Explorer

I've noticed that when either I or my coworker try bidding using Netscape, before it sends the bid through, you get a page telling you you are bidding too low and tells you MUCH higher $$ and the percentage acceptance rate you have.

I've been doing most of my bidding using Explorer & this has NEVER happened - it just takes the bid without trying to get you to bid higher.

Anyone else notice this?

I bid using explorer and normally get the "too low" page. It's basically a page that means nothing. It simply tries to push the novice bidder to bid higher.

I always see the too low page with explorer. It's possible your security settings are just set differently not to allow you to see it with explorer, but it's there for me.

That page doesn't have anything to do with browser far as I could ever tell. The reason you don't see it all the time has to do with where your bids are in relation to what they think the retail prices are for rooms (cars, etc.) of that type in that area. I've seen that screen more times than not (most of my bids are for hotels, and I see it often in that). I think it's just coincidence for you. If not, it would be very strange. (I've used various browsers on various platforms and not noticed that sort of correlation, nor do I know why they would want to do it that way.)

Anyway, that is a "sucker" screen, basically. I have had a number of successful bids go right through the screen like that. Just ignore it. Don't even up your bid.

I'd worry if I DIDN'T get that page. (think about it).

Indeed, Jabez, I have worried when I didn't see it. (Something like "Oh, s**t, did I bid too much?) http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/wink.gif

I also get the "LOW" information with MS Explorer and Netscape. When this happens, I am mostly not successful with my bid.

huh...I bid $15/day for a compact car in Kauai & got it without the "sucker" page & my friend who is also going there around the same time bid the same amount about 1 hour later, she got the page & didn't get the $15 bid accepted. Go figure - it's relatively random...

Or you got the last $15 car. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/wink.gif It's possible. Presumably just like standard published fares/rates that are capacity-controlled (as in only so many seats/rooms/cars sold at that rate), Priceline's hidden minimums could also be so controlled. In that case, the page was right, saying hey, bid more. But never bid what the page says. A couple bucks higher could mean the difference between wasting a bid, but certainly nothing to be alarmed about. Your situation makes it sound weird, but I'm guessing there's something slightly less random at work here.