Customers who use Priceline’s booking application for Apple mobile devices are not your typical online buyers, according to Priceline. Their booking window can be extremely tight.
According to a two-week sample, Priceline said 82% of mobile customers booked their hotel rooms within one day of arrival.
In comparison, 45% of hotel customers using Priceline’s opaque product (Name Your Own Price) on a laptop or desktop computer booked within one day before arrival.
Also, 58% of mobile customers were within 20 miles of their hotel at the time of booking, and 35% were within one mile of their hotel. The findings suggest that these customers had already arrived at their destination before making a reservation.
"Early data supports the notion that mobile device-enabled travelers buy their travel differently compared to those on a desktop," said John Caine, a Priceline senior vice president who is part of the company’s mobile development team.
"If this is the case, then travel companies may need to tweak existing offerings and technologies, or create entirely new ones to address this segment of the traveling community."
Priceline said 79% of mobile customers booked stays of only one night, compared with 62% of desktop users booking hotels with Priceline’s opaque product.
Also, 82% of mobile customers chose hotels with at least three stars, compared with 75% using name Your Own Price on a laptop or desktop computer.
Priceline launched its mobile application for Apple devices a year ago.