Articles tagged “amazon”

In a twist, Expedia is now arguing that consolidation in the travel market -- i.e. Expedia acquiring everything that isn't bolted down -- will benefit consumers because prices will come down. That hasn't happened in the airline industry but we'll see how it plays out for hotel rates.

Don't believe Amazon's statements about its minimalist intentions in the hotel sphere. This is just the beginning. The next phase will be to really scale up the service with inventory partners.

Google was adamant that it needed to compete in local search and it didn't mind playing hardball with Yelp, TripAdvisor, CitySearch, and others to get its way.

And so it begins. Amazon is experimenting and grasping for new ways to makes its mark in the hotel business. The new effort, which rolled out in the last couple of weeks, has been in the works at least since last Fall. It is modest at this point but no one knows where it is heading.

Google dodged a bullet in 2013 when the FTC terminated its antitrust probe without forcing meaningful concessions or filing suit. Now we know that the rank and file within the FTC wanted to fight it out with Google in court.

Amazon is meeting with hotels and hotel middlemen to ramp up its hotel supply, but is taking a deliberate approach and is currently conducting A/B testing of its new hotel-shopping experience. But, this is obviously just the opening shot.

Well this is bound to be interesting. Amazon appears to be going it alone to launch its own travel service for independent hotels in drive markets. Amazon has huge marketing power, but don't expect Amazon Travel to turn the hotel industry on its head any time soon.

Now that TripAdvisor is a standalone public company, CEO Steve Kaufer is getting downright candid about the competition. He has lots to say about rivals or would-be rivals, including former parent Expedia, Google, Amazon, Booking.com and Kayak, among others.

Gogo has always done an excellent job making it easier for passengers to pay quickly. It used iTunes account info early on and the Amazon method is a logical next step.

Map wars are continuing to heat up: First Apple saves TomTom's bacon with its deal to feature its maps in iOS 6, now Amazon lends Nokia a hand and adds it to its sure-to-be-blockbuster new Kindle Fire.