Priceline Rebidding Process Question

[hooperon]

Hi, I'm glad to see a "friendly" forum about bidding where I feel free to ask this question.

I have read prior threads and I though I understood how to select and use free rebidding zones, but I am still not clear on one thing. Is it necessary to exit the browser and reenter and start a new bid each time I add a rebid zone? I'm not clear on that one. Yesterday I tried using free rebid zones for the first time --- After my initial bid on a 4-star in my desired Zone A was rejected, I wanted to then try again by adding Zone B as a free rebid (Zone B did not have anything above a 2 star). But Zone A and the 4 star category were both greyed out on my screen. I was afraid to just add Zone B with a higher bid amount because I was not sure that the greyed out "4-star" category and "Zone A" was still active. In other words, I didn't want to risk bidding on Zone B only when my intent was to just add Zone B to my Zone A and 4-star selections.

So my question is: Is it necessary to exit the browser and then start up again and enter Priceline.com each time when you add a new free rebid zone??? It takes a lot of time to reenter credit card info, but I'm willing to do it if that's the way to go.

[Latitudes]

Hi Hooperone,

Welcome to the board. AFAIK, you do not need to close your browser to make a free rebid in the situation you describe. Zone A and 4* are grayed-out because they are you selected them in the first (unsuccessful) bid, and are by default included in your second bid.

Your second bid must include a higher bid and either another zone or a higher * category. Your strategy to include Zone B with nothing over a 2* is a sound one. When you rebid, Priceline will look for a 4* in Zones A and B for your new bid price. Because Zone B does not have any 4* properties, you can be assured you will get a 4* hotel in Zone A.

I believe there are instances when you can close your browser and start again, but I'm not to clear on that one myself. Rest assured though, for the situation you mentioned, you can continue bidding with the same session.

Good luck with your bids. :)

[thereuare]

Lattitudes is correct on the 'graying out' of the existing zones (and they're still checked, correct?)

However, two notes if i may on this comment:

Your second bid must include a higher bid and either another zone or a higher * category

1) You don't have to raise your bid (let's for example say you're not adding a re-bid zone but another zone with 4* hotels... by keeping your bid the same, or lower, you would in a sense be only trying for the new zone).

2) You much either add a zone or or select a lower category, the above says a higher category, but all of the higher categories will also be 'grayed out'. This is because your bid is the minimum star level you are willing to accept, so if you bid 3*, Priceline is viewing it that you're also bidding for a 4*, Resort, and 5*.

To continue the discussion... the part about closing the browser is when you want to (in a sense) remove an already checked zone. Since you can't UNcheck a zone, closing the browser and re-accessing priceline however you did previously enables you to only check the zones you want (duplicate bid rules still apply).

Hope this clears things us a little.

[hooperon]

Thanks everyone -- I'm now clear on my original question -- that I don't have to close the browser to just add each free rebid zone.

However, I'm still not clear on when it would be appropriate to remove an already checked zone by closing the browser. Is that sometimes done in the "free rebidding" process?

[WillTravel]

I do that to maximize my free rebids.

For example, suppose you want to win a hotel in zone A and you have free rebid zones B and C.

Then I bid for A.

Then I bid for A + B.

Then I close the browser.

Then I bid for A + C. (now B Is not selected).

Then I bid for A + B + C.

(Actually I close it down each time, but that's my personal preference, and you don't have to do that.)