Orbitz Shows Mac Users Pricier Hotel Options

[Josh]

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There's lots of chatter today about The Wall Street Journal's report that:

    "Orbitz Worldwide Inc. has found that people who use Apple Inc.'s Mac computers spend as much as 30% more a night on hotels, so the online travel agency is starting to show them different, and sometimes costlier, travel options than Windows visitors see."

On CNet, Larry Dignan writes that "Mac users will refrain from using Orbitz en masse now."

The Atlantic Wire's Hannah Miet says:
 

    "It makes sense, from an advertising standpoint, to target the apparently wealthy, ad-receptive, self-assured, high-spending contingent that buys Apple products. But what about those of us who irresponsibly purchased our iPhones on credit, have only been 'directors' of our own unemployment, and are only looking for the cheapest roadside motel in Devils Lake, North Dakota?

    "I guess we'll have to log onto Orbitz from the computers of our low-spending, ad-averse friends. You know, the ones with inferiority complexes. Thanks, a lot, research."

Now, there are a couple things to note from the Journal's report:

— "Orbitz executives confirmed that the company is experimenting with showing different hotel offers to Mac and PC visitors, but said the company isn't showing the same room to different users at different prices. They also pointed out that users can opt to rank results by price."

— "The average household income for adult owners of Mac computers is $98,560, compared with $74,452 for a PC owner," according to Forrester Research.

And as Dignan says in CNet, "Apple customers are known to pay a premium for their Macs, strong design, and integrated software," and apparently are willing to spend more on other things as well.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2012/06/26/155756095/orbitz-shows-mac-users-pricier-hotel-options-big-deal-or-no-brainer?utm_source=nprpins&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=20120626

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304458604577488822667325882.html

[croat]

So Mac users are smarter, wealthier, have better taste/style, etc.
Thanks for telling us what we already know

[thizgirl]

I wonder what kind of discount they give if you use the library's computer???

[Josh]

I would think the opposite Joey. It appears Mac users have a more difficult time realizing they're being duped into bad deals, and are so arrogant and ignorant to their excessive over spending, that they don't question why their "deals" never seem to ever save them money.  (if) I was part of your clan of brainwashed cattle, I'd be pissed that I don't have more money to buy apps and songs for my Iphone.  I think your cult should riot.

[croat]

Hmm ... so I should use the Dell laptop to plan our Vegas/LA trip and not my Mac

Anyways no - just like with our website and any other out there, we can tell if you are logging into the site from a Mac desktop, iPhone, iPad, PC, DROID, Windows machine, Windows mobile device, Blackberry, etc. We can than make our site treat everyone the same, we can tell our site to do with Orbitz did and show them the nicer/pricier options first, etc.

If you logged in from a windows machine and a Mac the results are the same, however they are saying that the Mac users are shown the nicer options first in the results. At any time the Mac user can sort the results by price and pick the cheaper option if they want.

[croat]

Haa .... hardly. I think they know they are spending the extra $$$ on a nicer/better hotel and this will be reflected by the trend staying the same. If someone makes more money, has better taste, higher needs/wants, they are still going to stick with their behavior and get the nicer option. The only real news out of this is that Mac users have more money to spend and actually spend more than their cheap frugal PC counterparts. This has been well established in the past and will continue to be the case.

I would think the opposite Joey. It appears Mac users have a more difficult time realizing they're being duped into bad deals, and are so arrogant and ignorant to their excessive over spending, that they don't question why their "deals" never seem to ever save them money.  (if) I was part of your clan of brainwashed cattle, I'd be pissed that I don't have more money to buy apps and songs for my Iphone.  I think your cult should riot.

[Josh]

so, your logic of argument, is that PC users are smarter with their money, and MAC users are carefree with their money?  

do you have any clue what the difference between a 2 star hotel is, and a 5 star hotel?  it's roughly $300-$600 more a night, for amenities that you don't need. as long as a hotel is 2 star rated, you are guaranteed a clean hotel room, clean bedding, a clean bathroom, parking, usually cable, and some sort of breakfast.  If you want to waste money on a 5star hotel, and enjoy: a pool, weight room, mini bars, hotel restaurant, 24 room service, hotel bar, shuttle service, bell hops, a gift shop, (plus the above 2star rating hotel guarantees)...fine.  but let me know how much you use those things, when you're on vacation (especially a place like Vegas). 99% of people, don't. they go to local restaurants, do local shopping, are never in the hotel when the pool and gym are open, realize it's stupid as fuck to spend $15 on a 2ounce bottle of Grey Goose out of the mini bar, etc etc.

(if) MAC users were able to use logic, they'd realize that if they wanted to actually have a good time when on vacation, they would save the $1000 + that just got wasted on a 5star hotel room, and spend it on having a lavish night out. all your argument points out, is that MAC people, are humans of waste and excessive spending. apparently MAC users are the 1% in your world

[croat]

No - PC users simply do not have the money to spend.

I do know that some people have no problem staying at a shithole Holiday Inn with crap for amenities, hookers in the parking lot, day old bakery for the continental breakfast, etc in order to save $50. I do know that people will choose a better ranked (not only by stars but on actual reviews) in order to have a better, safer, and cleaner stay. What we get out of this is that PC users are cheap frugal folk whom are penny pinching at the cost of their comfort - versus the Mac users are willing to spend a little more for the nicer things in like to make their visit comfortable like clean sheets, a working A/C, a safely lit area where your car will not be vandalized, etc.