Do hotels have to honor typos?
Mar 25th, 2003, 02:04 PM
#21
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I guess it all comes down to a matter of ethics. Not the hotels, but yours. You knew that this was a mistake, but you think the hotel should eat it. So with that kind of logic, if the hotel accidently makes duplicate charges for your room and they knew it, but thought they could get by with it then why correct the situation.
You tried to get a deal that was too good to be true. Sorry it didn't work.
You tried to get a deal that was too good to be true. Sorry it didn't work.
Mar 26th, 2003, 05:58 AM
#22
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Well, it did work. I just got a call from the booking agency, that the hotel has decided to honor the rate after all.
Sorry you don't like my ethics, I'm on a tight budget trying to take my daughter and a friend around to visit a couple of colleges and I'll take every break I can get. A posted rate is a posted rate, as Cicerone said.
ronkala wrote, "I can tell you a retailer is not obligated to honor a price that was printed at the wrong price. Why do you think retractions are printed?" Well, I think the retractions are printed becuase otherwise they ARE required to honor the advertised price! Otherwise, why would they go to the expense and trouble of printing hte retraction?!
Sorry you don't like my ethics, I'm on a tight budget trying to take my daughter and a friend around to visit a couple of colleges and I'll take every break I can get. A posted rate is a posted rate, as Cicerone said.
ronkala wrote, "I can tell you a retailer is not obligated to honor a price that was printed at the wrong price. Why do you think retractions are printed?" Well, I think the retractions are printed becuase otherwise they ARE required to honor the advertised price! Otherwise, why would they go to the expense and trouble of printing hte retraction?!
Mar 26th, 2003, 06:12 AM
#23
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It's great you got that price, and I fault no one for getting the best price, but trying to force it is another thing.
I'm going back years ago when I took business law, and it seems to me that we learned that an advertisement is just an invitation to make an offer. And that for a contract to be legally binding, there has to be three things: consideration (eg: exchange of money), mutual acceptance, and legal standing (eg: gambling debts are not legal). So if the hotel did not accept money from you ... or even if they charged, then credited your card before you had paid your statement, then I think any hotel could legally get out of the reservation.
I worked for a few major chain hotels years ago, and even with the "guaranteed" credit card reservations, we had to "eat" a lot of lost revenues, while I only remember one time ever "walking" a customer. I feel that reservations are really only a courtesy, unless a deposit is made & accepted. Just my 2 cents. Enjoy your trip.
I'm going back years ago when I took business law, and it seems to me that we learned that an advertisement is just an invitation to make an offer. And that for a contract to be legally binding, there has to be three things: consideration (eg: exchange of money), mutual acceptance, and legal standing (eg: gambling debts are not legal). So if the hotel did not accept money from you ... or even if they charged, then credited your card before you had paid your statement, then I think any hotel could legally get out of the reservation.
I worked for a few major chain hotels years ago, and even with the "guaranteed" credit card reservations, we had to "eat" a lot of lost revenues, while I only remember one time ever "walking" a customer. I feel that reservations are really only a courtesy, unless a deposit is made & accepted. Just my 2 cents. Enjoy your trip.
Mar 26th, 2003, 07:15 AM
#24
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uuhhhhh,
What the hotel should be making up for is their own stupidity. They should PROOFREAD!
It is a matter of ethics! If I made the mistake I would be ETHICAL enough to stand behind it. I keep my promises. A hotel chain or owner who want to be looked upon as operating in good faith would too.
What the hotel should be making up for is their own stupidity. They should PROOFREAD!
It is a matter of ethics! If I made the mistake I would be ETHICAL enough to stand behind it. I keep my promises. A hotel chain or owner who want to be looked upon as operating in good faith would too.
Mar 26th, 2003, 07:27 AM
#25
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so SaraLou, tell me about the ETHICS of Anonymous. how was s/he damaged such that s/he should get a better rate than anyone else? the typo was a mistake, not a wrong. there's a difference. follow your logic; i hope you don't like where it takes you.
Mar 26th, 2003, 07:39 AM
#26
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If there wasn't some sort of penalty then hotels can all run ads for ridiculously low prices to get you to call and then bait and switch on the phone. The advertiser has an obligation to not be negligent in their advertising. People are just jealous that someone elses is getting a break. Maybe the hotel should find some employees with greater literacy skills. Now it's different if the publication makes the mistake, then it's on them as they have an obligation to properly publish the data given to them. Obviously if BMW accidently publishes the M3 price as $60 instead of $60k, I don't expect to get the car at that price, but with a hotel room, I'd at least expect a discount for my hassle of having to call them on the phone or call my credit card company to find out why I was billed a different rate or whatever.
Mar 26th, 2003, 07:41 AM
#27
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We all pay for those kind of mistakes in the end. Personally I think your daughter's education would have been enhanced by paying the true rate. She got a major lesson in getting away what what you can get away with.
Last night I went to a restaurant with friends. The waiter forgot to include our second round of drinks on the bill. It took us about 15 seconds to agree to let him know. Then we went on to see The Producers. I think we all felt better about it. I know I did.
Last night I went to a restaurant with friends. The waiter forgot to include our second round of drinks on the bill. It took us about 15 seconds to agree to let him know. Then we went on to see The Producers. I think we all felt better about it. I know I did.
Mar 26th, 2003, 08:21 AM
#28
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The ETHICS of the situation is whether or not your word is good. You make an offer and you stand by it. If you cannot do that, you should not be in business. Perhaps the only one here who is "damaged" is the hotel's own reputation. However, if the correct advertised price was listed at $189, the customer may have passed that up for a comparable room for $99. When the mistake is revealed and the $99 rooms are no longer available then Anonymous would be the damaged party. Bait and switch is illegal. "OOPS I made a mistake" cannot be a defense or bait and switch laws would be unenforcable.
Mar 26th, 2003, 08:38 AM
#29
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one more time, SaraLou.... read the original post again. Anonymous booked the room knowing that the posted rate was incorrect. s/he then got a phone call notification that the hotel would not honor the rate as it had been posted in error. this is not a case of bait and switch. and i just don't get why you think we all should suffer (in the form of higher prices) for the benefit of Anonymous.
Mar 26th, 2003, 08:52 AM
#30
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Anonymous, glad you got the rate.
First, they offered a product at a price. You expressed your desire to purchase. At that point, the hotel had the opportunity to reject the transaction due to their error...they didn't, they accepted your offer, so you had an agreement between buyer and seller, a binding contract. The fact that they don't have the management systems in place to make sure their offers are correct is not your problem.
Now to ethics. The travel industry engages in bazaar type pricing, using value based rather than cost based pricing. They have lots of people calculating demand and manipulating proces on an hourly basis in response to that demand. While $18.00 may seem rather odd, you cannot immediately assume it is a mistake. It could be some sort of promotion, the terms of which are buried 4 clicks down in their promotional code page.
The reality is that prices vary widely, they offered and accepted the deal, and they tried to get anonymous to pay for their poor management.
That would be caveat vendore?
First, they offered a product at a price. You expressed your desire to purchase. At that point, the hotel had the opportunity to reject the transaction due to their error...they didn't, they accepted your offer, so you had an agreement between buyer and seller, a binding contract. The fact that they don't have the management systems in place to make sure their offers are correct is not your problem.
Now to ethics. The travel industry engages in bazaar type pricing, using value based rather than cost based pricing. They have lots of people calculating demand and manipulating proces on an hourly basis in response to that demand. While $18.00 may seem rather odd, you cannot immediately assume it is a mistake. It could be some sort of promotion, the terms of which are buried 4 clicks down in their promotional code page.
The reality is that prices vary widely, they offered and accepted the deal, and they tried to get anonymous to pay for their poor management.
That would be caveat vendore?
Mar 26th, 2003, 09:01 AM
#31
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When I accidentaly clicked the wrong airline ticket and asked for an exchange the folks at expedia were anything but helpful, they certainly didnt take the attitude that "it was an honest mistake and I meant no harm". A reasonable person should not assume that $18 is a mistake especially when there are promotions out there that offer a "free one nite stay if..."
Mar 26th, 2003, 09:07 AM
#32
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Whether Anon knew when the room was booked or when she got the call that the correct price s/b $189 is not specified in the original post. But what Anon knew or what the hotel meant to print is all irrelevant. Decisions of rules and laws are based on facts and the fact is that the price was printed. IF (and that is a BIG IF) that means "we all suffer" then so be it. Are you one that thinks Little League shouldn't keep score because someone's feelings might get hurt, someone might "suffer". If not, then you should see this for what it is.
Mar 26th, 2003, 09:17 AM
#33
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Uhhh, no one said Anonymous was "damaged". It's not like she's sueing the hotel chain for mental distress or anything, she just called them on the rate THEY posted, seeing if they will honor that, they did, end of story. It's not as though she was trying to be sneaky or deceptive, she booked the rate on the internet. Who among us wouldn't have done the same (OK, I can't wait to hear from everyone here who insists they would've let a great deal like that pass them by). I also didn't read anywhere where she might have threatened the hotel.
Good for you anonymous. Sounds like you could've used a break and you got one. Next time, I'm sure the hotel will be more careful with what they publish.
Good for you anonymous. Sounds like you could've used a break and you got one. Next time, I'm sure the hotel will be more careful with what they publish.
Mar 26th, 2003, 09:29 AM
#34
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I vaguely remember hearing in econ 101 years ago that one of the fundamentals of capitalism is the notion that individuals will do what they deem is in their own best interest; in other words, everyone looks out for number one. Anonymous must have taken the same course.
The question is, whose decision is more capitalistic, Anonymous's or grasshopper's?
The question is, whose decision is more capitalistic, Anonymous's or grasshopper's?
Mar 26th, 2003, 09:32 AM
#35
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Although the price was extremely low, there was a (slim) chance it was a real price. Anonymous figured it was wrong, but there could have been people out there who thought it was just an incredible Internet value. I have read so many posts here and elsewhere about the "steals" they get on Priceline: "I got a 4-star hotel for $39 a night!" "We paid $59 a night for a deluxe room when the hotel's rate was $250 a night" etc. etc. It's UNLIKELY (highly) that the price was real, but it was POSSIBLE, especially since it was valid for just one night of a three-night stay.
Mar 26th, 2003, 09:49 AM
#37
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Hi all... I work in hotel automation and can tell you if Starwood loaded a 100 rate for Bora Bora, the hotel is not the one who would take the loss. The data is managed by Starwood, not the property and if Starwood incorrectly entered the data they will generally offer a refund of the difference.
The hotel hires Starwood to manage the data and if they make a mistake, it is automation group who will usually take the hit. Starwood is exceptional in this area, too... they generally stand by the rates loaded.
The hotel hires Starwood to manage the data and if they make a mistake, it is automation group who will usually take the hit. Starwood is exceptional in this area, too... they generally stand by the rates loaded.
Mar 26th, 2003, 10:11 AM
#38
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Regarding a retailer having to honor the price affixed to the merchandise....they don't.
People switch price tickets all the time in stores. Without accusing anyone, if a store can show theat the price ticket is on the wrong item, they don't have to honor the reduced price.
The $18 price was an obvious error. Once notified, they corrected the error. It would have been different if they had been informed of the error and left the $18 price posted. Then the would have been some legal recourse.
People switch price tickets all the time in stores. Without accusing anyone, if a store can show theat the price ticket is on the wrong item, they don't have to honor the reduced price.
The $18 price was an obvious error. Once notified, they corrected the error. It would have been different if they had been informed of the error and left the $18 price posted. Then the would have been some legal recourse.
