Complaint Review: Priceline.com

On 12/18/2004, My daughter used priceline.com for the first time. She thought they had accepted her offer of $245 for an airline ticket. Instead they had offered her an alternative ticket for $434. Since she thought they had received her original offer she hit the purchase button. Once that was hit, they came back to show her that the ticket she had purchased was $434.00. She immediately called them back and tried to explain she didn't understand the purchase and would like my credit card credited. They said once you hit that button, there are no refunds on any accounts. I called my Credit card company to block the purchase, and they said Priceline never negotiates with anyone, unless someone has stolen your card. She had also made a misspelling on the last name, and Priceline told her they would have to charge an additional $100 to make that correction.

I spoke with 3 people in top management and was treated like a robot and read my rites. I told them I was a person and would like to be treated as an individual. No other company treats a mistake that is taken care of immediately with this kind of disrespect. They finally let me file a complaint with their fraud department, who said that sinse I had okayed my daughter to use my credit card to make the purchase, they could not change their policy. I told him I would never purchase through them again, and the airlines are much more decent about changes. They let you have a 24 hour cancellation period, plus their prices are just as competitive on the web as Priceline. I have yet to get a true 40% discount that they toot their horn about.

If I go directly to the airline, I can usually get the same price as their discounted price. They have a nonrefundable policy even if someone makes the mistake of clicking the button at an inopportune time. I made a mistake once with another company and they were civil enough to work with me and change the mistake.

Priceline is just an "scam" unless you are very proficient and understand their language. Their "No turning back" policy seems to defy the Business world's ethical policy of having a certain amount of hours after a contract is signed to change your mind. Bad business ethics.

Carolyn
Middlebury, Indiana
U.S.A.

sorry, allowing you to give a competitors name would instigate others to just file against their competition, to only come back later to suggest their company your comments on this policy are welcome! CLICK here to see why Rip-off Report, as a matter of policy, deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.