Do comparators really save money?
Due to the continued development of artificial intelligence and more precise algorithms, our online search results and behaviors have been captured and then specifically tailored to our interests and needs, including holidays when booking.
Whenever we do a Google search and log in to the discount travel booking website, we assume that these deals are provided to us and are the most beneficial, but this is not always the case. Situation. Many travel booking search engines are guilty of discrimination or price control, a study suggests.
Make sure you are logged in
The study found that some booking sites and comparison sites offered discounted hotel prices to “members” who logged into their accounts at the time of the search, thereby using price discrimination. Unfortunately, although some of these practices seem suspicious, they are legal in the United States. Some even admit that they offer discounted prices for users who have accounts on their website. Therefore, you need to create an account on these sites and log in to your account when searching for quotes.
The price depends on the device you are looking with
The study also found that some search engines can personalize search results for mobile phone users (especially those using iPhone devices). Users searching for Safari on the iPhone get a hotel in a slightly different order than consumers using Chrome for Android and other desktop browsers. Overall, hotel prices on iPhone devices are approximately $15 (or 5%) lower than those on other mobile operating systems and desktop browsers, providing evidence of discrimination by price when one group receives a lower price. It’s worth noting that those with more expensive phones will be rewarded.
Travel booking sites know you
Discount booking sites will personalize search results based on your account history and past traffic. If you click or book a cheap hotel room, the results you get will be very different from not clicking at all or booking an expensive hotel room. Some sites can personalize results to display attributes that individuals are more likely to search for and retain.
To summarize in brief!
There is no foolproof way to guarantee you the best price. The booking site knows a lot about you, but we don’t know a lot about them. If you are an ordinary person on the website, you may not know that the content provided to you is based on where you have been. The price you see is based on clicks and recent visits, not the best price.
