[Priceline Bidding] New site for Priceline hotel bidding help
Jan 6, 2011, 1:56 am
#46
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 36
Version 2
So, sorry I've been slow on the updates and replying to everyone, but we've been super heads-down working on the next version.
It's pretty obvious there were two obstacles. First is that the experience for people who don't use IE isn't so great. Second is that a lot of power users (all the Beckles and cordellis out there..) complained that the site was not expert-friendly enough for them. Luckily, there seems to be enough overlap between these two groups of people that we could kill two birds with one stone.
So I've just pushed out "version 2." We now have bidding support for any browser. Chrome, Firefox, Blackberry, Safari, whatever you want. Check the screenshots out in the initial post.
Furthermore, the site now offers a fully customizable bidding strategy. Don't like our increments? Make your own. This allows a power user to create a strategy which does a few lowball bids but then quickly moves up to near the target, shrinking the increment. I challenge anyone out there to find more rebids than our algorithms!
Power users also crave control. The new manual bidding feature has a handy, iframe'd guide of exactly where you are in the bidding strategy and what zones to select. You can see what is going on at all times. You can throw your Excel spreadsheets and other windows out now.
So, all you holdouts.. give it a try and let me know what you think. I'll post more about it on the blog later.
It's pretty obvious there were two obstacles. First is that the experience for people who don't use IE isn't so great. Second is that a lot of power users (all the Beckles and cordellis out there..) complained that the site was not expert-friendly enough for them. Luckily, there seems to be enough overlap between these two groups of people that we could kill two birds with one stone.
So I've just pushed out "version 2." We now have bidding support for any browser. Chrome, Firefox, Blackberry, Safari, whatever you want. Check the screenshots out in the initial post.
Furthermore, the site now offers a fully customizable bidding strategy. Don't like our increments? Make your own. This allows a power user to create a strategy which does a few lowball bids but then quickly moves up to near the target, shrinking the increment. I challenge anyone out there to find more rebids than our algorithms!
Power users also crave control. The new manual bidding feature has a handy, iframe'd guide of exactly where you are in the bidding strategy and what zones to select. You can see what is going on at all times. You can throw your Excel spreadsheets and other windows out now.
So, all you holdouts.. give it a try and let me know what you think. I'll post more about it on the blog later.
Jan 6, 2011, 11:23 am
#47
Ambassador: Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVP Gold
Posts: 2,732
WOW! There's clearly been a lot of work done here, and I believe I can actually start recommending this site to my friends.
Love the manual option as I like to see bid amounts and zones and understand what's going on, but I predict the mass-market appeal will come from the automatic bidding option. Keep up the good work!
Love the manual option as I like to see bid amounts and zones and understand what's going on, but I predict the mass-market appeal will come from the automatic bidding option. Keep up the good work!
Jan 6, 2011, 1:10 pm
#48
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Naples, Florida
Posts: 7,419
I book most of our hotels on priceline ... and I check hotwire before I book Priceline "name your own price".
Today I tried your program:
Frankfurt Germany, April 12. to April 16. Minimum $40, Maximum $98, 4-Star
Your program started with $98 right away ".. there are not many areas.." or something like this.
Then I checked Hotwire. They offered for the same dates two 4-Star hotels in FRA City: one for $74/day and one for $77/day.
Are you checking Hotwire or else? Or do I have to check before I use your program?
Jan 6, 2011, 5:13 pm
#49
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,254
The site helps automate the rebidding process. I don't think there are any "free rebid" zones for Frankfurt for "bidders" looking for a 4* hotel. You get one bid per day and that's it. This tool has very little value to you.
Sometimes Hotwire will list a hotel as 4* but PL will assign a lower zone rating.
You might try betterbidding or biddingfortravle for some advice.
Sometimes Hotwire will list a hotel as 4* but PL will assign a lower zone rating.
You might try betterbidding or biddingfortravle for some advice.
Jan 6, 2011, 5:45 pm
#50
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 36
The site helps automate the rebidding process. I don't think there are any "free rebid" zones for Frankfurt for "bidders" looking for a 4* hotel. You get one bid per day and that's it. This tool has very little value to you.
Sometimes Hotwire will list a hotel as 4* but PL will assign a lower zone rating.
You might try betterbidding or biddingfortravle for some advice.
Sometimes Hotwire will list a hotel as 4* but PL will assign a lower zone rating.
You might try betterbidding or biddingfortravle for some advice.
Seriously, though, part of the power behind the site is that it offers value even if you don't have free rebid zones. In the case of Frankfurt 4 stars, with 3 areas, you can actually get 4 bids in if you're willing to stay in all areas. And you don't have to rack your brain to figure out how to order your bids to get all 4.. whether you choose automatic or manual bidding, you'll be guided with precise directions along the way. Now if you're only willing to stay in one area, that's a different story.
The idea is that you've got a one stop shop here!
Jan 6, 2011, 6:34 pm
#51
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,254
That's not true. We have value to everyone!
Seriously, though, part of the power behind the site is that it offers value even if you don't have free rebid zones. In the case of Frankfurt 4 stars, with 3 areas, you can actually get 4 bids in if you're willing to stay in all areas. And you don't have to rack your brain to figure out how to order your bids to get all 4.. whether you choose automatic or manual bidding, you'll be guided with precise directions along the way. Now if you're only willing to stay in one area, that's a different story.
The idea is that you've got a one stop shop here!
Seriously, though, part of the power behind the site is that it offers value even if you don't have free rebid zones. In the case of Frankfurt 4 stars, with 3 areas, you can actually get 4 bids in if you're willing to stay in all areas. And you don't have to rack your brain to figure out how to order your bids to get all 4.. whether you choose automatic or manual bidding, you'll be guided with precise directions along the way. Now if you're only willing to stay in one area, that's a different story.
The idea is that you've got a one stop shop here!
Jan 6, 2011, 6:52 pm
#52
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 36
Bid amounts are only chosen by the strategy generator with input from the user. If Hotwire is offering in the $74 region then I'd probably start bidding a week before departure around $65 or so and raise it nominally as the days go by, or select all 3 Frankfurt zones to speed the process up by a factor of 4. Make sense?
Jan 7, 2011, 11:43 am
#53
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Seattle, WA. USA
Programs: MR, AA, UA, DL, AVIS and growing
Posts: 1,172
I did an example of Vancouver, Canada for Jan 22 for a 4* hotel in the downtown area. BT suggested a bid of $72-$113.
A few days ago I won with a bid of $70+$18.40(tax/fees) on PL. BFT showed the bids in this approximate time frame at $66-$70. I had bid from $65 up to $70 so did get the minimum bid at $70.
Thus the starting bid price appears to be too low due lack of tracking current winning bids?
A few days ago I won with a bid of $70+$18.40(tax/fees) on PL. BFT showed the bids in this approximate time frame at $66-$70. I had bid from $65 up to $70 so did get the minimum bid at $70.
Thus the starting bid price appears to be too low due lack of tracking current winning bids?
Jan 8, 2011, 7:10 am
#55
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,254
USAFAN states that he wanted to start his bidding at $40 and go all the way up to $98. However, his selections in Frankfurt did not allow anymore than one bid, so there's no choice: there's only one bid, so it has to be $98.
Bid amounts are only chosen by the strategy generator with input from the user. If Hotwire is offering in the $74 region then I'd probably start bidding a week before departure around $65 or so and raise it nominally as the days go by, or select all 3 Frankfurt zones to speed the process up by a factor of 4. Make sense?
Bid amounts are only chosen by the strategy generator with input from the user. If Hotwire is offering in the $74 region then I'd probably start bidding a week before departure around $65 or so and raise it nominally as the days go by, or select all 3 Frankfurt zones to speed the process up by a factor of 4. Make sense?
Some questions. You give us the PL map and zones for our city. Is this obtained in realtime? or Do you maintain the listing. My concern would be if the zones change will your site get the changes immediately or is there a possibility of a delay of a few days.
Same question regrading to which zones offer bidding at a given * level, in other words which zones are free rebid.
Great tool
Jan 8, 2011, 11:54 am
#56
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 158
http://www.macworld.com/article/1568...1/firefox.html
I am excited to try your tool as soon as I have some bidding to do.
Jan 9, 2011, 11:05 am
#58
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: San Francisco, California
Programs: Amex Centurion, United Global Services
Posts: 847
While not able to offer any useful feedback at the moment, I saw the site (via Lifehacker) and just wanted to offer another "Holy cow, this is awesome" comment.
I use PL for personal travel to high-dollar spots like London and end up making these awful spreadsheets to keep track of my bids and targets. You have made life so much easier.
Thanks for all your great work and willingness to throw yourself into the fire here at FT and get direct feedback from the ruddy travelers that will give you awesome relevant ideas and testing along with some occasional fire.
I use PL for personal travel to high-dollar spots like London and end up making these awful spreadsheets to keep track of my bids and targets. You have made life so much easier.
Thanks for all your great work and willingness to throw yourself into the fire here at FT and get direct feedback from the ruddy travelers that will give you awesome relevant ideas and testing along with some occasional fire.
Jan 11, 2011, 1:09 am
#59
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 36
One of us misinterpreted USAFAN's post. I thought the $40 and $98 figures were your suggested initial (lowball) offer and recommended final offer. JMO but those figures should be disregarded if you have few, or none, rebid zones. Those bidders need to check hotwire and the hotels website so they can get realistic bid numbers. Those of us bidding in areas with lots of free rebid zones can skip the homework and do the shotgun approach.
Some questions. You give us the PL map and zones for our city. Is this obtained in realtime? or Do you maintain the listing. My concern would be if the zones change will your site get the changes immediately or is there a possibility of a delay of a few days.
Same question regrading to which zones offer bidding at a given * level, in other words which zones are free rebid.
Great tool
Some questions. You give us the PL map and zones for our city. Is this obtained in realtime? or Do you maintain the listing. My concern would be if the zones change will your site get the changes immediately or is there a possibility of a delay of a few days.
Same question regrading to which zones offer bidding at a given * level, in other words which zones are free rebid.
Great tool
To answer your question regarding mapping, those maps and zones always have to be accurate enough to devise a bidding strategy. That's why the manual bidding path requires that the user validate the strategy by matching zones on Priceline prior to beginning. Otherwise you get zones that don't exist, etc.
I fixed the bug you reported a while back where you could not rebid within 24 hours if you picked a completely new zone.
