Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : Booking Holdings (formerly Priceline) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Richard Karpel who wrote (2333)	3/14/2000 1:40:00 PM
From: spal	Respond to of 2743

Richard You bring up some interesting points. As far as there now being 8 airlines in the PCLN fold, it has not been widely broadcast that the top US arilines are now setting up their own communal discount airfare website to auction off their excess inventory - more than likely taking away a significan component of PCLN's revenue stream. Microsoft has already implemented a similar reverse auction process on its Expedia web site. So many powerful players are quitely chipping away big blocks of PCLN's business. S Pal

To: Richard Karpel who wrote (2333)	3/16/2000 9:53:00 PM
From: SAPGuru	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 2743

Richard - you claim that the PCLN business-model is very complex. I don't know - you could also claim that it is very similar to any other combined auction/e-tailer. As you probably know, all the e-tailer are trying multiple concepts of auction, different verticals and B2B. The only complication with PCLN is the quality of the web-site. It doesn't have a (site quality)/(market cap) ratio as compared to other e-tailers on the scene. With regards to the hype about the patented PCLN model of naming your own price - By using common sense, it should be obvious that it is technically impossible to claim any kind of patent for this idea. Simple because it is not any different compared to the other auctions or even e-tailing. PCLN can only get the patent on the marketing sentence 'Name your own price' and there is nothing complex about that. I could imagine more complex business models, but haven't heard or more important seen anything on the PCLN web site that suggest anything, except simple e-tailing. Actually, the PCLN web-site feel and works more like a e-tailer than a auction. Before you name your own price the web-site will let you no what price will be successful and given that you are supposed to get feedback within the hour they already have any possible successful price on the database. Expedia.com are doing it now too, but it doesn't really matter anyway because the expedia.com are doing the lowest price anyway (they do respond to the marketing hype from PCLN in this way!). The PCLN value rest on the brand name build over the last year. I don't think the value is in the 10-20 billion range. More value would have to be based on features like on AMAZON.COM where reviews, product suggestions, statistics and the likes.