tx_girl

It looks like a very good way to go for me, but one thing bothers me. When I actually place a bid for anything, I want to be sure one way or the other if my bid was accepted or declined. The website's terms and conditions specifically says they don't guarantee sending me an e-mail to verify anything. What's that about? So the only way I'll know is when/if the money has been deducted from my account? That doesn't sound like a good way of doing things.

To those of you who have used priceline.com, how long does it take before you find out if your bid has been accepted? Have you ever not been notified about the status of a bid you've placed?

rkkwan

You should get an answer for hotels in about a minute. And they will send you an email, not with the info, but to tell you to check the status online.

Andrew

The Priceline.com bidding process is interactive. In most cases, you will sit through a few "please wait" screens before they tell you within a minute or two whether your bid has been accepted or rejected. One in a blue moon, they ask you to check back later. But they'll also give you a request number which you can use to check your request. You can also go to Priceline.com and check requests by typing in your email address.

I've bid on Priceline over a dozen times and never had any problem being notified about accepted/failed bids.

Please visit www.biddingfortravel.com to learn all about Priceline.com bidding before you actually do! Priceline is great if you know what you are doing - you can save a lot of money in some situations.

I suggest trying a "test" bid for fun. Bid $1 for a 4-star hotel in, say, New York City, which you know you aren't going to get. Just read the screens carefully - there is a confirmation screen showing you what you are bidding on before you proceed. This may calm you down for real bids in the future.

Andrew

Anonymous

I think that PL's comment about the e-mail is to protect themselves against the occasions when the internet has a hiccup and an e-mail, though sent, never arrives.

I've bid on PL dozens of times and, although they send an e-mail to you when they've made their decision, the decision (either a rejection of the bid, or the annoucement of which hotel you've won) is also shown online literally within a minute of your bid -- just sit tight while their website thinks it over!

Dreamer2

I always feel like I'm sitting at a roulette wheel while I'm waiting for the response!

Andrew

Me too, Dreamer2. My palms get sweaty as I wait for Priceline to accept or deny my bid. Did I *win*?

Andrew

easytraveler

Be sure to PRINT the accepted bid the moment you are notified after making the bid. DON'T wait for the confirming email.

You still need a paper copy a lot of times to show that your bid was accepted. Should Priceline fail to send you a confirming email, you still have the page from the initial time of bidding.

Second the biddingfortravel.com website as a great resource.

I recently became somewhat of a Priceline junkie during a cross country trip. I got some really great prices at some really great places.

Just be sure to have a printed copy of your successful bid.

Good luck!

gracieb

"Winning" on PL is a bit like "winning" on ebay - but I enjoy them both!

The deals are fantastic and I've never had a problem. Just check out biddingfortravel.com first to get an idea of the hotels you are bidding for an a reference point for your bid amount.

I check in with my ID, credit card, my hotel frequent stay card and a smile. I ask for my room preference (King, NS, high floor if possible) and have NEVER had a problem. I have received hotel points for incidentals (meals, parking, etc) I've charged during my stay. I've also been lucky enough to be placed on the club floors and able to enjoy the perks as if I had payed full price for the room.

I do have a printout of the confirmation but have never needed it. And regarding complainers that share negative PL experiences on the biddingfortravel website...I think a lot of it have to do with their attitudes. Can't believe those that complain about "small rooms" in NYC. I feel fortunate to have a room in a 4star to lay my head in NYC at $80 a night! What a deal! And, I usually get the same room at the Hilton I get when I'm on the company tab.

Andrew

I almost always print out the Priceline receipt and take it to the hotel with me, but I don't remember ever needing it, even with a last-minute bid. In fact, I'm rarely even asked for ID. Usually I'm asked for a credit card on which to charge incidentals.

And I almost always call the hotel *before* checking in to try to set my bed and smoking preferences. If you care at all about getting, say, a non-smoking room, definitely do this. Some hotel chains say they can change these things in your reservations, some say they can't. Sometimes if you call the hotel's front desk directly it's easier. You might need to wait an hour or two after your successful Priceline bid for the reservation to make it into the hotel's computer system.

Andrew