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Expedia Buys Orbitz for $1.6B in Cash

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Re: Expedia Buys Orbitz for $1.6B in Cash

#2
All these sites seem to use the exact same backend services, so it's difficult to care. About the only site I use regularly is hotels.com because they have a loyalty scheme (book 10 nights, get 1 free) - and even then I'm sure there's some catch I'm not aware of that makes them the same as everyone else.

Re: Expedia Buys Orbitz for $1.6B in Cash

#4
post #2

All these sites seem to use the exact same backend services, so it's difficult to care. About the only site I use regularly is hotels.com because they have a loyalty scheme (book 10 nights, get 1 free) - and even then I'm sure there's some catch I'm not aware of that makes them the same as everyone else.

It's actually a big deal in the travel industry. Yes, for the most part they are all the same. Online travel sites have negotiated contracts with the hotels that prevent them from selling their inventory at lower prices to anyone else, so you're not going to get a much better deal where ever you book.

The big thing here is this makes the Expedia umbrella by far the largest distribution channel for online hotel reservations. It gives them quite a bit of leverage when negotiating contracts with the hotel chains in the future. Especially when they are responsible for something like 35% of all the hotels' reservations.

Re: Expedia Buys Orbitz for $1.6B in Cash

#5
post #2

All these sites seem to use the exact same backend services, so it's difficult to care. About the only site I use regularly is hotels.com because they have a loyalty scheme (book 10 nights, get 1 free) - and even then I'm sure there's some catch I'm not aware of that makes them the same as everyone else.

[deleted]

Re: Expedia Buys Orbitz for $1.6B in Cash

#6
I applied for a Job at Orbitz yesterday and today this news came. Orbitz ratings are pretty solid on Glassdoor and that makes them one of the best companies to work for in the Chicagoland area, hope it remains the same after the merger.

Re: Expedia Buys Orbitz for $1.6B in Cash

#7
post #3

Surprised there are no anti-trust concerns.

why would there be? priceline is already bigger than expedia.

source: know people who work at both places and internet. https://www.google.com/finance?q=NASDAQ%3APCLN&ei=j8zcVNvlGo...

https://www.google.com/finance?q=NASDAQ%3AEXPE&ei=1czcVIimKr...

look at profits and market cap.

Re: Expedia Buys Orbitz for $1.6B in Cash

#8
post #2

All these sites seem to use the exact same backend services, so it's difficult to care. About the only site I use regularly is hotels.com because they have a loyalty scheme (book 10 nights, get 1 free) - and even then I'm sure there's some catch I'm not aware of that makes them the same as everyone else.

It's actually a big deal in the travel industry. Yes, for the most part they are all the same. Online travel sites have negotiated contracts with the hotels that prevent them from selling their inventory at lower prices to anyone else, so you're not going to get a much better deal where ever you book. The big thing here is this makes the Expedia umbrella by far the largest distribution channel for online hotel reserv…

If the no lower prices thing is true, how come comparison engines like triage have such wildly varying prices? Are different bookers taking hits on their margins to drive business?

Re: Expedia Buys Orbitz for $1.6B in Cash

#9
According to Forbes, hotels represent 97% of Priceline's revenue with 23% margins. Car rentals and cruises represented 9% margins and airlines at 3% margins.

Assuming Expedia and Orbitz have similar profiles, then this is really a market share fight to capture the largest pool of hotel transactions.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2013/01/10/bre...

Re: Expedia Buys Orbitz for $1.6B in Cash

#10
post #3

Surprised there are no anti-trust concerns.

why would there be? priceline is already bigger than expedia. source: know people who work at both places and internet. https://www.google.com/finance?q=NASDAQ%3APCLN&ei=j8zcVNvlGo... https://www.google.com/finance?q=NASDAQ%3AEXPE&ei=1czcVIimKr... look at profits and market cap.

Who uses Priceline? Do they have any other brands besides their main one? I always thinking of them as that "name your own price" thing, the mechanics of which never appealed to me.
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