 haroldo
join:2004-01-16
united state
kudos:1
 ·Comcast
| On Orbitz, Mac Users Steered to Pricier Hotels quote:
On Orbitz, Mac Users Steered to Pricier Hotels
Orbitz Worldwide Inc. has found that people who use Apple Inc.'s Mac computers spend as much as 30% more a night on hotels, so the online travel agency is starting to show them different, and sometimes costlier, travel options than Windows visitors see.
The Orbitz effort, which is in its early stages, demonstrates how tracking people's online activities can use even seemingly innocuous information—in this case, the fact that customers are visiting Orbitz.com from a Mac—to start predicting their tastes and spending habits.
Orbitz executives confirmed that the company is experimenting with showing different hotel offers to Mac and PC visitors, but said the company isn't showing the same room to different users at different prices. They also pointed out that users can opt to rank results by price...
»online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142···ageone_0 |
|
 HiVoltPremium
join:2000-12-28
Toronto, ON
kudos:17
·TekSavvy Cable
 ·TekSavvy DSL
| LOL, it should be the reverse! Since Windows users typically spend much less on their computer, they should pay more for travel, and give those poor Mac souls a break!
But anyway, pretty shady practice by Orbitz...
--
GO BLUE JAYS!
|
|
 JohnInSJPremium
join:2003-09-22
San Jose, CA
 ·PHONE POWER
·Comcast
| reply to haroldo
Mac users have demonstrated they will pay more for "quality" or "brand" to get the same "functionality" - so for a Hotel room, they would likely pay more for the same reasons, and are offered a different result order than cheapskates running linux, android, or windows.
Know your customer.
--
My place : »www.schettino.us |
|
 dellsweigExtreme AerobaticsPremium,MVM
join:2003-12-10
Campbell Hall, NY
kudos:1
·Vonage
| reply to haroldo
said by haroldo: quote:
On Orbitz, Mac Users Steered to Pricier Hotels
Orbitz Worldwide Inc. has found that people who use Apple Inc.'s Mac computers spend as much as 30% more a night on hotels, so the online travel agency is starting to show them different, and sometimes costlier, travel options than Windows visitors see.
The Orbitz effort, which is in its early stages, demonstrates how tracking people's online activities can use even seemingly innocuous information—in this case, the fact that customers are visiting Orbitz.com from a Mac—to start predicting their tastes and spending habits.
Orbitz executives confirmed that the company is experimenting with showing different hotel offers to Mac and PC visitors, but said the company isn't showing the same room to different users at different prices. They also pointed out that users can opt to rank results by price...
» online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142···ageone_0 I had the same issue on amazon - when accessing on my Imac, I get a higher price for the same item viewed from my Wife's laptop.
No idea if this was based on my machine, my browser history or some other special sauce but beware..
Also - I seem to remember some years back Amazon being investigated for similar practices - this was waaaay back when Amazon was just books.
--
Nothin' left to do but smile smile smile  |
|
 lordpufferComfortably NumbPremium
join:2004-09-19
Rio Rancho, NM
kudos:1
·CableOne
·CenturyLink
·Vonage
 ·T-Mobile US
 ·Dish Network
·Time Warner Cable
·AT&T Wireless Br..
| reply to JohnInSJ
Thanks for the info h man. I'll make sure that if I use Orbitz, I do it on my PC or Android. I guess I'm a cheapskate, for I don't like spending 30% more just to use my Mac to book a hotel. 
--
Obama in 2012 - There's No Tea Left In The Bag. |
|
|
|
haroldo
join:2004-01-16
united state
kudos:1 Reviews:
·Comcast
1 edit | reply to JohnInSJ
said by JohnInSJ:... cheapskates running linux, android, or windows..
Dude...careful, them's fighting words.
You want to invite Occupy All Things Mac to take over this place?
I'd word it... customers who pay premium prices for products typically place a higher priority on perceived value rather than cost when it comes to shopping.
It's nicer IMHO and wont incur the wrath of the mainstream consumer. |
|
haroldo
join:2004-01-16
united state
kudos:1 Reviews:
·Comcast
| reply to lordpuffer
said by lordpuffer:Thanks for the info h man. I'll make sure that if I use Orbitz, I do it on my PC or Android. I guess I'm a cheapskate, for I don't like spending 30% more just to use my Mac to book a hotel.
99.9% of online shoppers understand the "sort by price" function found at ALL web sites. The other don't care what they pay. IMHO |
|
 J E F FWhatta Ya Think About Dat?Premium
join:2004-04-01
Kitchener, ON
kudos:1 | reply to haroldo
Time to start up the old Linux...I might actually get my next room for free!
Wow, talk about traffic shaping though, eh?
--
If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough. - Albert Einstein |
|
haroldo
join:2004-01-16
united state
kudos:1 | I don't mind if they show more highly priced products first on the list...I do mind if they show the exact same product with a higher price tag.
What happens to people who use BootCamp? |
|
J E F FWhatta Ya Think About Dat?Premium
join:2004-04-01
Kitchener, ON
kudos:1 Reviews:
·Rogers Portable ..
·WIND Mobile
·Rogers Hi-Speed
·magicjack.com
| said by haroldo:What happens to people who use BootCamp?
Likely that you're using Windows.
--
If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough. - Albert Einstein |
|
 OctaveanPremium,MVM
join:2001-03-31
New York, NY
kudos:1 | reply to haroldo
I suppose there are a lot of different ways to look at this. I think most would consider this a negative though. |
|
 KrKHeavy Artillery For The Little GuyPremium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK | reply to haroldo
Talk about knowing your customer. |
|
 MichailPremium
join:2000-08-02
Boynton Beach, FL
kudos:1 | reply to haroldo
I feel really bad about this but ...
Linux user = book room with single twin bed. |
|
haroldo
join:2004-01-16
united state
kudos:1 Reviews:
·Comcast
3 edits | said by Michail:I feel really bad about this but ...
Linux user = book room with single twin bed.
au contrair...
Win 98 gets the room with twin beds
Win XP gets the hotel with the elevator that takes twenty minutes to get to your floor...stopping in between floors
Win Vista gets a hotel in a city that no one will ever visit
I'd bet the Linux user gets some trendy hip/chic hotel in a revitalized part of the city where the staff has nose rings |
|
MichailPremium
join:2000-08-02
Boynton Beach, FL
kudos:1 | said by haroldo:said by Michail:I feel really bad about this but ...
Linux user = book room with single twin bed.
au contrair... Win 98 gets the room with twin beds Win XP gets the hotel with the elevator that takes twenty minutes to get to your floor...stopping in between floors Win Vista gets a hotel in a city that no one will ever visit I'd bet the Linux user gets some trendy hip/chic hotel in a revitalized part of the city where the staff has nose rings I'm just going by a few individuals I know, my sample population would probably be too small for a statistical conclusion. |
|
lordpufferComfortably NumbPremium
join:2004-09-19
Rio Rancho, NM
kudos:1 Reviews:
·CableOne
·CenturyLink
·Vonage
·T-Mobile US
·Dish Network
·Time Warner Cable
·AT&T Wireless Br..
| reply to haroldo
What if someone with a $6,000 Falcon Northwest books on Orbitz. I wonder if Orbitz can tell what brand of PC the person has.
--
Obama in 2012 - There's No Tea Left In The Bag. |
|
MichailPremium
join:2000-08-02
Boynton Beach, FL
kudos:1 | reply to haroldo
We made an interesting discovery when looking at metrics at my old company. The ratio of user feedback/surveys was higher for mac users compared to that of other platforms.
Also, they submitted more tech complaints by a higher ratio and the most common solution/fix was for them to update their end of the software.
Also, I've read that apps tend to be more profitable for iOS than they are for Android. |
|
KearnstdElf WizardPremium
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ | reply to haroldo
Mac users would actually prefer cheaper hotels. Because they like to use the Mac a lot and for everything one would think they would want a hotel that has free wifi and not the high end chains that charge $10/day for Wifi.
--
[65 Arcanist]Filan(High Elf) Zone: Broadband Reports |
|
| reply to haroldo
said by haroldo:99.9% of online shoppers understand the "sort by price" function found at ALL web sites. The other don't care what they pay. IMHO. If applying default sort option of High to Low for Mac users vs. Low to High for everyone else is all that they are doing, then I suppose it's OK. But if they are trying to charge Mac user more for the same room type in the same hotel in the same city for the same date range as dellsweig  has pointed out with Amazon, that is just plain wrong.
--
Ask me no questions, and I'll tell you no lies...
A MESSAGE to the RIAA and the MPAA: You shouldn't wound what you can't kill... |
|
| reply to haroldo
How much would I pay if I search from my iPhone 3GS?
I mean my 99¢ with a two-year contract iPhone? |
|
