Orbitz Tries to Sell Higher-Cost Hotel Rooms to Mac Users

[IBNobody]

If you are a Mac user, consider not using Orbitz.com to make travel arrangements. Depending on your OS (orbrowser ID string?), they will show you higher-cost hotel rooms.

http://www.forbes.co...re-says-orbitz/

Apple uses, happy to pay what many see as over the odds for their consumer electronics, are also more than happy to hand over a few extra dollars for hotel rooms.

It’s worth noting that Orbitz isn’t showing the same room to different users at different prices, but more luxurious rooms at higher prices. Orbitz were also keen to point out that users can opt to rank results by price.

The average Mac owner has a greater household income than the average PC owner, and Orbitz is trying to capitalize on this by gouging Mac owners. I may not like Apple, but I absolutely hate this prospect of targeting people based on what browser/OS they are using. Everyone, regardless of the OS they choose, should be shown the same items for the same cost.

 

[yusuo]

I concur, thats terrible and people should strike on orbitz and watch them apologize pretty quickly for the "error"

It appears Orbitz has already posted response here ya go

ORBITZ RESPONSE​

Seems to be lots of confusion and misunderstanding about this WSJ story. A misleading headline and the selective placement of the WSJ paywall cuts off the story and leads people to jump to conclusions. If you carefully read the WSJ, it never says Orbitz charges Mac users more, because we do not. Suggesting we are engaged in unfair customer “discrimination” is nonsense. This story grew out of our observation that Mac users are 40% more likely to book 4-5 star hotels as compared to PC users. We make recommendations about hotels along a number of variables, i.e., traveling with or without children. Our recommendation module has extremely high levels of consumer engagement, indicating that it’s a feature that our users really appreciate. Our CEO shared a broader discussion on this topic with USA Today readers in May. Please see his blog post at​

http://usat.ly/JWLTzz

 

[IBNobody]

Here's the Orbitz CEO, from that USA Today article...

We've identified that Mac users are 40% more likely to book a four- or five-star hotel than PC users. A similar skew applies for iPad users. We can use that information to influence which hotels we recommend to users we see searching on a Mac or an iPad versus a PC for example. On our website, once you get to the page for a particular property (let's call it "Hotel A") we show consumers a list of alternative hotel recommendations. This list is primarily made up of nearby properties that were ultimately booked by customers who had also viewed Hotel A. That's a pretty useful feature already, but we're then able to personalize that list by taking into account factors such as whether we see that the user is using a Mac or a PC.​

"I see that you are using a Mac. I bet you'd rather stay at a hotel that marks up their prices and gives us more commission. Here's a selection of Hilton hotels for you."

"I see that you are using a PC. Hmm... There's a Motel 6 down the road. You'll find a bargain there."

 

[MelodieOctavia]

Targeting results to people meeting specific criteria isn't a new thing, and it really isn't as horrible as it sounds.

 

[Gahars]

This is a witch hunt, I tell you, a witch hunt! Oh, cruel humanity, when will the persecution of Mac users ever end? Can't we all just get along?

 

[Hells Malice]

This isn't bad.
What they SHOULD do is exactly what people mistook their idea for. They should mark up prices for mac users. They'd never even notice. They're used to paying extortionate prices for average products already, their hotels should be the same.

 

[Guild McCommunist]

I thought Orbitz would be too mainstream for Mac users.

 

[Sicklyboy]

This isn't bad.
What they SHOULD do is exactly what people mistook their idea for. They should mark up prices for mac users. They'd never even notice. They're used to paying extortionate prices for average products already, their hotels should be the same.

Remind me to never book a hotel from my girlfriend's laptop. *shudder*

I'll stick with my desktop, or even my phone, if need be.

 

[The Catboy]

So I guess us poor Linux users just get directed towards a shack or something?

 

[Guild McCommunist]

So I guess us poor Linux users just get directed towards a shack or something?

You get sent to Hotels.com because Orbitz doesn't deal with Linux scum.

 

[Urza]

So I guess us poor Linux users just get directed towards a shack or something?

If you can't figure out how to put together shelter yourself, you probably shouldn't be using Linux in the first place.

 

[nando]

So I guess us poor Linux users just get directed towards a shack or something?

hostels and co-ops.

 

[AceWarhead]

So I guess us poor Linux users just get directed towards a shack or something?

You get shown to the VIP Room- The Exit!

 

[Jamstruth]

This really isn't as bad as it looks at first glance. They're just recommending higher cost rooms. The lower cost rooms are still there at the same price.

 

[Issac]

This would be hillarious in Sweden... Since macbooks are so common amongst university students... who doesn't have much money at all generally!

 

[Midna]

Mac users are morons who pay high prices for fancy looking computers. So a travel agency shows them fancy looking hotel rooms at high prices. Makes sense.