Online Travel Booking and Bidding Agencies - "Bid has little chance of being successful"

Sometimes when I enter a bid price on PL, I get this message "Based on recent data, your price has only a small chance of being accepted." Anyone have an opinion as to whether this is just total B.S., or do they actually compare my price to others recently rejected/accepted? I'm thinking there might be some truth to this since I've never won a hotel under the circumstances where they raised a red flag on my price. However, it could be completely erroneous, just like PL's "suggested" retail rates for a locale.

It is generally B.S. It's just a negotiating tactic to try and get you to raise your bid, the text version of a premeditated flinch. Sometimes you still get it at your original price, sometimes you get rejected and even if you raise your bid a few bucks you still get rejected.

Actually, it depends on the exact wording.

If priceline says, "Your bid has virtually no chance of being accepted"
that indicates that your bid is below priceline's minimum bid for that * category (the minimums are posted at BFT) and it will be rejected.

If priceline says, "Your bid has only a small chance..." you should IGNORE the message as your bid may often be accepted.

I get this on virtually all of my bids, however am successful bidding about 75-80 percent of the time. It's bogus.

I read somewhere that the "small chance" message is based only on your bid price and star level, and has nothing to do with city, zone, or availability. So it's often inaccurate. Ignore it.

Actually, it depends on the exact wording.

If priceline says, "Your bid has virtually no chance of being accepted"
that indicates that your bid is below priceline's minimum bid for that * category (the minimums are posted at BFT) and it will be rejected.

How does BFT know what the minimums are?

Sometimes when I enter a bid price on PL, I get this message "Based on recent data, your price has only a small chance of being accepted." Anyone have an opinion as to whether this is just total B.S., or do they actually compare my price to others recently rejected/accepted?

It's total B.S. I've successfully used Priceline approximately 50 times for hotel bookings and I can't think of a single time when I wasn't given the warning that my bid only had a small chance of being accepted. Actually, I'd be more concerned if I did not get the warning, than if I did.

Boraxo is correct that a visit to BiddingForTravel (http://www.biddingfortravel.com[/url) is prudent before heading over to Priceline. However, he or she is incorrect in suggesting that BiddingForTravel has some inside information as to exact minimum price points. Instead, BiddingForTravel offers lot of anecdotal data suggesting the low end for successful bidding for a various star level in a specific zone in a specific locale.

However, he or she is incorrect in suggesting that BiddingForTravel has some inside information as to exact minimum price points. Instead, BiddingForTravel offers lot of anecdotal data suggesting the low end for successful bidding for a various star level in a specific zone in a specific locale.

Priceline established minimum acceptable bids for each star level a few years ago, and they are posted in the FAQ at BFT.

Priceline established minimum acceptable bids for each star level a few years ago, and they are posted in the FAQ at BFT.

Ahh. I see. I misunderstood Boraxo (my fault). Thanks for the clarification.

I find that by changing the bid up and down BEFORE continuing to next page, one can see at what point the "smal chance of being accepted" kicks in. I then bid about 15% below that level. However, I have not tracked to see if the message kicks in at the same point for certain star levels at different places. I cannot think it would as the acceptable bid levels would be vastly different between, say, Omaha and NYC.....

I find that by changing the bid up and down BEFORE continuing to next page, one can see at what point the "smal chance of being accepted" kicks in. I then bid about 15% below that level. However, I have not tracked to see if the message kicks in at the same point for certain star levels at different places. I cannot think it would as the acceptable bid levels would be vastly different between, say, Omaha and NYC.....

You can read the HTML source code to figure all of these out, including the minimum bid limits.

I find that by changing the bid up and down BEFORE continuing to next page, one can see at what point the "smal chance of being accepted" kicks in. I then bid about 15% below that level. However, I have not tracked to see if the message kicks in at the same point for certain star levels at different places. I cannot think it would as the acceptable bid levels would be vastly different between, say, Omaha and NYC.....

Like other disinfo from PL, the point at which the "small chance" message is activated should not be regarded as useful information.

WillTravel's info about the HTML is fascinating (to this techie non-programmer, anyway!). The brackets do change based on city and neighborhoods chosen.


:-: The real question is, has anyone won a stay with a bid below the "almost no chance" boundary?

WillTravel's info about the HTML is fascinating (to this techie non-programmer, anyway!). The brackets do change based on city and neighborhoods chosen.


:-: The real question is, has anyone won a stay with a bid below the "almost no chance" boundary?

I've gotten hotels below "almost no chance" frequently as have other people posting in this thread. BFT tells you to ignore that warning.

According to posts on BFT the virtually no chance is a real minimum. People have posted being rejected at that price point, bidding a lower star level and being upgraded. It appears the minimum is enforced even if a PL might have a hotel with rates at or below that amount.

Pardon my slight confusion... :confused:

(Just to clarify: I'm talking about "almost no chance," the bottom rung, not "a small chance.")

So you're saying the consensus is, PL seems to enforce that "almost no chance" minimum, but those who have succeeded have only done so by bidding for a lower star level right after being rejected? Seems risky if one specifically doesn't want those lower-level properties...

As an aside, does PL just "pretend" to be processing a search for bids below its minimum to appear fair? :p

Thanks.

Pardon my slight confusion... :confused:

(Just to clarify: I'm talking about "almost no chance," the bottom rung, not "a small chance.")

So you're saying the consensus is, PL seems to enforce that "almost no chance" minimum, but those who have succeeded have only done so by bidding for a lower star level right after being rejected? Seems risky if one specifically doesn't want those lower-level properties...

As an aside, does PL just "pretend" to be processing a search for bids below its minimum to appear fair? :p

Thanks.

Not risky, very stupid. You're MUCH more likely to overpay for the lower star rating. The minimums are low enough that you wouldn't expect to get a hotel at that level. The people who bidded were expecting a lower star property.

Since it's know to be a hard minimum I haven't wasted a bid seeing how fast you get rejected. All PL is doing is comparing your bid with private rates that are already in the computer. Speculation is that PL used to program delays into the response so you'd think hotels were actually looking at your "bid".