priceline bidding feature gone?
May 16, 2017, 1:02 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 502
priceline bidding feature gone?
Tried to use the Priceline hotel bidding feature today for Los Angeles and there was no corresponding button on the webpage. Call the company and they said that simply because there were no available hotel products in that market.. That sounded awful strange to me so I logged on to New York City and again there is no bidding button, just their express deal button.
What's going on?
What's going on?
May 16, 2017, 4:39 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Executive Club (Silver), Le Club Accor (Silver)
Posts: 680
I found this when using the app or mobile site recently, but was able to force the desktop version where Name Your Own Price still works from the front page. There are definitely changes afoot though as the link to NYOP has gone from the Express Deals results page, as well as the map version of Express Deals. This is annoying as I use Express Deals to get a ballpark idea of where to start bidding, and in which zones.
May 17, 2017, 7:52 am
#3
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Portland, ME
Posts: 344
I still show it as an option on the Iphone app. I think they are trying to phase the NYOP out. Also I have found that if it does not appear on the page. On the desktop site, I have always found it as a link at the very bottom of the page under "Our Products"
May 18, 2017, 6:23 am
#4
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
Tried to use the Priceline hotel bidding feature today for Los Angeles and there was no corresponding button on the webpage. Call the company and they said that simply because there were no available hotel products in that market.. That sounded awful strange to me so I logged on to New York City and again there is no bidding button, just their express deal button.
What's going on?
What's going on?
While it's been clear for a while to me that they are trying to migrate away from NYOP customers, they haven't yet cut it off entirely. As long as Hotwire does what it does, I don't see what Priceline has to gain by cutting off NYOP customers -- that is unless the margins/returns are better by transitioning NYOP customers into a more hotwire-like experience.
May 21, 2017, 4:47 pm
#5
Ambassador, New England
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Maineiac, USA
Programs: Amtrak, WN RR, Choice
Posts: 2,655
It wouldn't surprise me at all if the margin is better (possibly much better) with the Hotwire-esque product than the NYOP one. With very rare exception, Express Deals are usually a higher price than the same hotel through NYOP, and I imagine any costs involved are pretty much a wash between the two methods.
May 22, 2017, 5:44 am
#6
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
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Posts: 102,095
It wouldn't surprise me at all if the margin is better (possibly much better) with the Hotwire-esque product than the NYOP one. With very rare exception, Express Deals are usually a higher price than the same hotel through NYOP, and I imagine any costs involved are pretty much a wash between the two methods.