Page 34 - Sphere No.7 (Oct 2002)
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E - C O M M E R C E
They are making trips purely because the
price is right. At the market price, they
wouldn’t go and they are willing to
accept a few flexibilities in return for a
bargain.
“This is the Priceline niche,”
observes Gangotena.“We’re the match-
maker. We’re not in a market that suits
most businessmen, who prefer precise
flight schedules and like to choose where
they stay. So Priceline is not for everyone
or every occasion. It’s for the flexible and
holiday traveller to make a trip on a
whim, not a ‘must do’ trip.”
That said, any business or individual
can book specific itineraries through
Priceline and be sure to get the best deals
available at the time.
R
EADY FOR
L
IFT
-
OFF
For “flexible” travellers, the
options are as broad as a
map of the world.
Priceline’s computer
system can match-make
offers with nearly 9,000
hotels, plus 32 Asian and
international airlines.
Destinations cover the
Asia-Pacific, Europe, North
America, the Caribbean
and Mexico, with more
being added.
These are early days for Priceline in
Asia, but the initial response has been
heartening, with sales leaping each
month.
Leading global Internet research
group, NetValue, revealed that Priceline’s
websites were the most visited in both
Hong Kong and Singapore in the first
two months.
“Overall, growth is healthy,” says
Gangotena. “More people are getting to
know about Priceline all the time – and
the more satisfied customers we have, the
more they will recommend us by word-
of-mouth. At the same time, Asia is get-
ting used to the idea of shopping from
home.We’re open 24 hours a day, seven
days a week, so it’s extremely convenient.”
The convenience extends to signifi-
cant adaptations of the US version for
Asia. Priceline is Asia’s first multi-lan-
guage, multi-currency B2C (Business to
Consumer) operation, and these local
innovations mean it can move easily into
other regional markets.
“I’m confident the model will prove
extremely successful in Asia,” adds
Gangotena. “It fits the culture, where
bargaining and securing discount deals is
a matter of pride – and at the same time
it encourages more people to fly.”
∑
Be flexible with your travel details.
B
E FLEXIBLEWITHYOUR TRAVEL
details. For airline tickets, choose
multiple arrival and departure
dates, or multiple arrival airports so
Priceline® can widen its search for
savings.
•
Follow suit for hotels. You always
choose your hotel star rating, and
Priceline seeks upgrades whenever possi-
ble. But let Priceline expand its search for
your savings by choosing a variety of areas
to stay in the city of your choice.
•
Be clever about your travel days. More
vacant airline seats and hotel rooms are
available on days when people generally
travel less. Monday through toThursday is
less busy, withTuesday andWednesday the
best days.Avoid weekends if possible.
•
Be reasonable when you Name Your
Own Price. There is no charge to try
Priceline, but if you submit an unrealistic
purchase offer, you must change some
aspect of your offer before you can try
again. Because airline and hotel invento-
ries change constantly, a delay means your
ticket or hotel room may be sold by the
time you make another offer.
•
Be smart with savings. Shop around
for fares for your specific itinerary before
bidding. Call a travel agent or research
on the Internet. When you’re ready to
Name Your Own Price‘, go to
line.com.hk
(Hong Kong) or
line.com.sg
(Singapore) and bid a reason-
able amount 20%-30% below market
rates.
•
Be aware of Priceline’s system. For air
tickets, you choose your destination, dates
of travel and desired price. Priceline
chooses a major airline and flight times.
For hotel rooms, you specify desired
dates, desired areas of a city, the quality of
hotel desired and, of course, the price.
Priceline then picks the international-
brand hotel.
•
Be savvy about the Internet. Priceline’s
encryption technology means no one else
can read your credit card or personal
details during transmission. It’s safer to
buy online than to give your details to a
waiter or shop assistant.
•
Be quick to call if you need help.
Priceline’s Customer Service Department
agents are available at (852) 3163-0808
from 8am until 12 midnight. For your con-
venience, you can also call in your credit
card details 24 hours a day.
•
Be ready for speedy service. Priceline
is open 24 hours a day and seven days a
week. It will e-mail you within one hour to
tell you if you’ve succeeded in getting your
price. Paper airline tickets will be deliv-
ered within three working days.
•
Be ahead of the rest. Priceline’s spe-
cial hot deals and promotions mean you’ll
save even more on your next trip.
Just register at
or
to get the latest
news first.
S
MART
T
IPS FOR
B
ARGAIN
-
HUNTERS
S
PHERE
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