Give Yourself a Real Chance

[fly_up_front]

I am bidding on Columbia, MO for next weekend (which of course is not a competitive hotel market) and tried around $40 for a 3 star and I got the "no chance" message but at the top it had what I think is a new header that says "Give Yourself a Real Chance!". Anyway, I start putting in new numbers and it's not taking them. Each number I put in would get the response you have to go higher. I go up to the "market average" of $78 which is usually too high and it's still not taking it. So I put in $100 and it would have let me bid that but I cancelled.

I then started over and tried 2* and bid $29 and got the message that I could re-bid if I increased by $7 (to $36). Traditionally, lower bids than the required increase are accepted if you start over so I did and bid $34 and it was rejected.

I'll try again in 72 hours but both of these instances seemed unusual to me so I thought I'd post. It might be that PL is cracking down on the lowball bids and the gaming of bids.

[thereuare]

I think you were wise to just sit this one out for a day or two.

It sounds to me more like a glitch in their system, as it doesn't seem likely that they wouldn't let you place a bid at the "market average."

Thanks for posting this, and keep us updated.

PS- just continue this thread, and if it is indeed a glitch just for tonite and you're ultimately successful (which i think you will be) i'll just move the thread to the MO area

[Phaelon56]

This is interesting.... I wonder if this symptom would have occurred if you had chosen the "Skip this Screen" option? I've taken to doing that rather than entering a higher price or re-entering the original bid amount.

[fly_up_front]

You're referring to the "We want you to get your hotel room " screen where skipping the page is an option. On this "Give Yourself a Real Chance" page, you HAD to put in a higher number to continue.

[thereuare]

Looks like this was a fluke or a temporary glitch in the system, as i just tried to put in the parameters for a 3* in Columbia, MO and bid $35.

It took me to the next screen which suggested i bid higher, but once i hit "Skip this Page" it took me to the next page which had me confirm my information.

I think you'll be able to bid "as usual" next time you try, let us know how it goes.

[Phaelon56]

It will be interesting to see if changes such as this appear more frequently in the future. I've been following and participating in a thread at Fodr's Travel Talk, in which PL issues are a subject of discussion. One of the forum regulars is the wife of a Hyatt general manager. According to her, Hyatt has been tracking PL usage as it relates to rooms they sell and also monitoring prices, zones etc on TOBB (probably here as well!). It appears that they'll continue to use PL but will actvierly look at how to maximize profit when doing so. Could mean higher prices for us or less availability but I believe that for those of us who are flexible, the bargains will still be around.