View source for Priceline.com

{{Short description|American online travel agency}}
{{Distinguish|text=the Australian pharmaceuticals retailer [[Priceline (Australia)|Priceline]]}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Priceline.com
| logo = Priceline.com logo.svg
| logo_size = 
| type = [[Subsidiary]]
| industry = [[Online travel agency]]
| foundation = {{Start date and age|1997}}<br>(online 1998)
| founder = [[Jay S. Walker]]<ref>{{cite news | url=https://fortune.com/2017/04/26/priceline-jay-walker-upside-2/ | title=The Man Who Told Leisure Travelers to 'Name Your Price' Would Like a Word With Business Travelers | first=Andrew | last=Nusca | work=[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]] | date=April 26, 2017}}</ref>
| location_city = [[Norwalk, Connecticut]]
| location_country = United States
| key_people = Brett Keller ([[Chief executive officer|CEO]])<ref>{{cite web | url=https://media.priceline.com/executive-teams/ |title=Priceline: Executive Team | publisher=Priceline}}</ref>
| parent = [[Booking Holdings]]
| homepage = {{URL|www.priceline.com}}
}}

'''Priceline.com''' is an [[online travel agency]] for finding [[discounts and allowances|discount]] rates for [[travel]]-related purchases such as [[airline]] tickets and [[hotel]] stays. The company facilitates the provision of travel services from its suppliers to its clients. Priceline.com is headquartered in [[Norwalk, Connecticut]], United States and is wholly owned by [[Booking Holdings]], which also owns [[Kayak.com]], [[Booking.com]] and other sites. The company was founded in 1997. It operates in more than 200 countries and territories around the world and has partnerships with over 400 airlines and 300,000 hotels. Users can search for travel deals and discounts on the website; in the past it also offered the "Name Your Own Price" feature to bid on hotel rooms and flights.

==History==
Priceline was founded by [[Jay S. Walker]], who left the company in 2000,<ref>{{cite news
|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/tompost/2012/09/18/priceline-com-cofounder-jay-walker-on-turning-the-art-of-giving-into-a-systematic-business/ | title=Priceline.com Cofounder Jay Walker On Turning The Art Of Giving Into A Systematic Business | first=Tom | last=Post | work=[[Forbes]] |date=September 18, 2012}}</ref> by which time [[Richard S. Braddock]], [[Citicorp]]'s {{clarify span|#2,|reason=What does '#2' mean?|date=June 2025}} had come aboard as chief executive.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]
|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/09/19/business/in-my-duffel-bag-richard-s-braddock.html
|title=In my Duffel Bag: Richard S. Braddock
|author=Timothy L. O'Brien  |date=September 19, 1999}}</ref> Braddock left in 2004,<ref>{{cite news
|newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]]
|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB108142882715877850
|title=Braddock Resigns As the Chairman Of Priceline.com
|date=April 9, 2004}}</ref> having helped take the company public in 1999.<ref name=RickB.Aspen>{{cite web
   |url=https://www.aspeninstitute.org/our-people/richard-braddock
   |title=Richard Braddock}}</ref>

Entrepreneur Michael Loeb assisted in the "creation and early funding".<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.loeb.nyc/michael-loeb/ | title=Michael Loeb Biography | last=Michael | first=Loeb}}</ref>

Priceline first became known for its ''[[Name Your Own Price]]'' system, where travelers would name their price for airline tickets, hotel rooms, car rentals, and vacation packages. While the purchaser can select a general location, service level, and price. The sales are for [[opaque travel inventory]]; details are disclosed only after the transaction is complete with no possibility of cancellation.

Priceline's profit from the proceeds is the difference between the price suggested by a customer and the one charged by the service provider. It has also added a more traditional model, called Express Deals, where travelers have presented prices and a geographical perimeter within which the hotel will be located but are not told the name of the establishment.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.latimes.com/travel/la-xpm-2012-jun-27-la-trb-priceline-introduces-express-deals-for-hotels-20120625-story.html | title=Priceline introduces Express Deals for hotels | work=[[Los Angeles Times]] | first=Terry | last=Gardner | date=June 27, 2012 | url-access=subscription}}</ref>

Priceline offers a tool named Pricebreakers for Hotel bookings. It claims that the price of the hotels are up to 50% off retail. It is somewhat similar to Express Deal but instead of showing the geographical location within a perimeter, it provides the names of 3 hotels, and one of the hotels will be allocated after the payment is done.

Travelers can still choose to name their price for airline tickets, hotel rooms, and rental cars. The number of airlines, hotels and car rental company participants in the name your own price program has increased as these suppliers utilize this opaque market Priceline created to sell their perishable inventory without lowering prices through other traditional sales channels. Priceline also sells discounted cruises, as well as tours and attractions.

In 2002, Priceline licensed its ''[[Name Your Own Price]]'' travel system to [[eBay]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Priceline and eBay Team Up to Provide Enhanced Travel Services {{!}} Booking Holdings|url=https://ir.bookingholdings.com/news-releases/news-release-details/priceline-and-ebay-team-provide-enhanced-travel-services|access-date=2020-11-28|website=ir.bookingholdings.com|language=en}}</ref>

In November 2007, Priceline “permanently” eliminated all booking fees on published airfares.

In April 2014, Priceline.com Incorporated changed its name to "The Priceline Group Inc." The corporate name change was intended to create a clear delineation between the global Priceline business.<ref>{{cite press release | publisher=[[PR Newswire]] | url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pricelinecom-incorporated-announces-corporate-name-change-253351601.html | title=Priceline.com Incorporated Announces Corporate Name Change | date=April 1, 2014}}</ref> Now, Priceline.com is one of six primary brands of Booking Holdings.<ref>{{cite web | publisher=[[Booking Holdings]] | url=https://www.bookingholdings.com/ |title=Booking Holdings}}</ref>

Priceline announced in May 2015 that it would invest an additional $250 million in [[China|Chinese]] online travel company [[Ctrip]] to tap the fast-growing China market.<ref>{{cite news | first=Ankit | last=Ajmera | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ctrip-com-intl-equity-priceline-group-idUSKBN0OB0YQ20150526 | title=Priceline to invest additional $250 million in China's Ctrip.com | work=[[Reuters]] |date=26 May 2015}}</ref>

Priceline officially ended its ''[[Name Your Own Price]]'' deals for flight bookings in 2016,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Why Did Priceline Discontinue Its 'Name Your Own Price' Option For Flight Bookings? -|url=https://www.trefis.com/stock/pcln/articles/375685/why-did-priceline-discontinue-its-name-your-own-price-option-for-flight-bookings/2016-09-06|access-date=2021-10-04|website=Trefis}}</ref> rental cars in 2018<ref>{{Cite web|last=Trejos|first=Nancy|title=Priceline ends 'Name Your Own Price' deals for rental cars|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/roadwarriorvoices/2018/03/26/priceline-ends-name-your-own-price-deals-rental-cars/457678002/|access-date=2021-10-04|website=USA TODAY|language=en-US}}</ref> and hotels in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2012-11-12|title=How to Use Priceline's 'Name Your Own Price'- Simplified|url=https://goingawesomeplaces.com/how-to-use-priceline-simplified/|access-date=2021-10-04|website=Going Awesome Places|language=en-US}}</ref>

===Other services===
Priceline.com experimented with selling gasoline and groceries under the ''Name Your Own Price'' model in 2000, at the height of the [[dot-com bubble]], through a partially owned affiliate, WebHouse Club.

Priceline got into the [[online auction]] business with ''Priceline Yard Sales'', where individuals would use the Priceline system to haggle for various second-hand items and trade them in person.

Priceline sold [[long distance telephone service]] and automobiles under the ''Name Your Own Price'' model.

These experiments were terminated in 2002.

Another experiment, the ''Name Your Own Rate'' system for home loans, continues under a license with [[EverBank]].

In 2016, Brett Keller was named CEO of the priceline.com brand.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSASC09GSS | title=CORRECTED-BRIEF-Priceline Group appoints Brett Keller as CEO of Priceline.com | work=[[Reuters]] | date=November 7, 2016}}</ref>

==Spokespeople==

===William Shatner===
In 1997,<ref>{{cite press release | url=https://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4029964.html | title=William Shatner Takes Center Stage In New Priceline Negotiator Advertising Campaign | publisher=Hospitality Net | date=17 January 2007}}</ref> [[William Shatner]] became the spokesman for Priceline.com, agreeing to do the spots in exchange for [[stock]] in the company.<ref>{{cite news | first=Nicholas | last=Carlson | work=[[Business Insider]] | url=https://www.businessinsider.com/william-shatner-has-made-600-million-shilling-pricelinecom-2010-5 | title=William Shatner Has Made $600 Million Shilling Priceline.com | date=May 4, 2010}}</ref> Shatner allegedly sold the stock before the burst of the [[dot-com bubble]], making a $600 million profit; however, this number was disputed as an [[urban legend]] by CEO Jeffery Boyd.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.cnbc.com/2013/11/08/no-mega-bucks-for-shatner-on-priceline-stock-ceo.html | title=No megabucks for Shatner on Priceline stock: CEO | first=Matthew J. | last=Belvedere | work=[[CNBC]] | date=November 8, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.aol.com/2010/05/05/william-shatner-lives-long-and-prospers-but-not-600-million/ | title=William Shatner Lives Long and Prospers -- but Did He Really Make $600 Million? | first=JONATHAN | last=BERR | work=[[Aol.com]] | date=May 5, 2010}}</ref> An early ad campaign featuring Shatner had him belt out popular songs in [[spoken word]], in the style of his album, ''[[The Transformed Man]]''. He was "replaced" in 2004 by his ''[[Star Trek]]'' co-star, [[Leonard Nimoy]]. Shatner still appeared in spots for Priceline, running into Nimoy as his replacement. When that campaign ended, Shatner again became Priceline's sole spokesperson.

In 2007, an ad campaign by [[Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners]] had Shatner take on the role of the Priceline Negotiator. In commercials that began airing January 22, 2012, Shatner's Negotiator character apparently dies as a bus falls off a bridge and explodes.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.csmonitor.com/Business/Latest-News-Wires/2012/0119/William-Shatner-dies-again.-Bye-bye-Priceline-Negotiator | title=William Shatner 'dies' again. Bye-bye Priceline Negotiator. | last=Elber | first=Lynn | publisher=[[Christian Science Monitor]] | agency=[[Associated Press]] | date=January 19, 2012}}</ref> Subsequent ads have featured his "spirit," still advertising Priceline.com from beyond the grave. In August 2012, Shatner was brought back in a commercial located on a stormy, cloudy beach, parodying the end of the film ''[[Point Break]]''. A man, apparently an investigator, stands next to Shatner. Shatner is holding a wooden surfboard, wearing a suit with shortened pants and pitching the new way of booking a hotel. He states that surfing is his life now and "we'll see where the waves take me. Sayonara!" and goes charging into the waves.

Priceline has been parodied on ''[[The Tonight Show with Jay Leno]]'' and in multiple ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' skits. In a September 2008 ''SNL'' skit, during the opening monologue by Olympian [[Michael Phelps]], Shatner rose from the audience to give Phelps tips on product endorsements.<ref>{{Cite web|date=September 15, 2008|title=SNL peason premiere fails to live up to expectations |url=https://ndsmcobserver.com/2008/09/snl-peason-premiere-fails-to-live-up-to-expectations/|access-date=2021-02-08|website=The Observer}}</ref>

===Theresa Caputo===
In June 2012, Theresa Caputo, star of the television show ''[[Long Island Medium]],'' appeared in a commercial for Priceline.com, in which she portrayed herself "connecting" with the late Priceline Negotiator character previously played by William Shatner.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tvs-long-island-medium-theresa-caputo-channels-the-dearly-departed-negotiator-in-new-pricelinecom-tv-spot-160222485.html|title=TV's Long Island Medium Theresa Caputo Channels The Dearly Departed Negotiator In New Priceline.com TV Spot (Press Release)|date=25 June 2012|website=PR Newswire|language=en|access-date=2020-04-29}}</ref> However, this commercial has sparked controversy, since the commercial appears to make light of the Native American belief of [[Smudge stick|smudging]].

[[JREF]] President [[DJ Grothe]] released an open letter calling out Priceline.com for endorsing Caputo, stating, "It is difficult to watch the show and not feel heartbroken for those who are desperate to hear from the departed... and even more so if they are being manipulated by a charlatan." Grothe urges Priceline.com to "invite... your new representative" to take the James Randi [[One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge]] and prove her credentials.<ref>{{cite news | last=Grothe | first=DJ | title=Priceline.com: Will You Prove Your Spokesperson Worthy for a Million Dollars? | url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/pricelinecom-will-you-pro_b_1773947 | work=[[HuffPost]] | date=August 13, 2012}}</ref>

===Kaley Cuoco===
In January 2013, [[Kaley Cuoco]] from the sitcom ''[[The Big Bang Theory]]'' joined William Shatner as his fictitious daughter in Priceline.com commercials.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/01/09/cuoco-shatner-priceline-ads/1819799/ | work=[[USA Today]] | title=Kaley Cuoco joins Shatner in Priceline ads | date=January 9, 2013}}</ref>

==Criticisms==
Priceline does not include [[resort fee]] amounts in the bidding. Therefore, it's possible to win a bid for a hotel and then be forced to pay mandatory resort fees (for example, often $25 per night for resort hotels in Las Vegas).<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/11/your-money/when-hotels-add-resort-fees-to-pricelines-price.html | title=Name Your Price, Then Get Ready for the Fees | date=11 September 2011 | work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> Priceline continues this practice despite a 2012 warning to the industry from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.cnn.com/travel/article/hotels-resort-fees-warning/index.html | first=Marnie | last=Hunter | work=[[CNN]] | title=FTC warns hotels about 'resort fees' |date=November 28, 2012 }}</ref>{{not in source|date=February 2024}} The FTC continues to state the following regarding how hotels and third parties should disclose such fees:

{{Quote|Listing the "[[resort fee]]" near the quoted price or in the fine print—or referring to other fees that "may apply"—isn't good enough.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0046-travel-tips | title=Travel Tips - Consumer Information | date=11 May 2021 | publisher=[[Federal Trade Commission]]}}</ref>{{not in source|date=February 2024}} }}

Priceline was one of the companies accused in 2013 of using the services of [[Wiki-PR]], a public relations firm specialized in editing of Wikipedia that has been accused of subverting Wikipedia content for business interest.<ref>{{cite news | title=Is Wikipedia for Sale? | url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/is-wikipedia-for-sale/ | date=October 19, 2013 | first=Martin | last=Robbins | work=[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]] | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019224957/http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/is-wikipedia-for-sale | archive-date=October 19, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title=Wikipedia sends cease-and-desist letter to PR firm offering paid edits to site | url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/nov/21/wikipedia-cease-and-desist-pr-firm-offering-paid-edits | first=Charles | last=Arthur | work=[[The Guardian]] |location=London | date=November 21, 2013 | quote=Among companies whose entries are said to have been edited by the company are those for Priceline and the communications company Viacom}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Booking.com]]
* [[Expedia]]
* [[Travelocity]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|www.priceline.com}}

{{Booking Holdings}}
{{Travel ticket search engines}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Priceline.Com}}
[[Category:Booking Holdings]]
[[Category:American travel websites]]
[[Category:American companies established in 1997]]
[[Category:Transport companies established in 1997]]
[[Category:Internet properties established in 1998]]
[[Category:Online travel agencies]]
[[Category:Travel ticket search engines]]
[[Category:American corporate subsidiaries]]
[[Category:Companies based in Norwalk, Connecticut]]
[[Category:1997 establishments in Connecticut]]