Am I just an ungrateful LL user?

[ngillis]

So this is the second time that I bid and won a hotel package only to see the exact same package come up on LL at a much lower initial bid price. Just found the same package I bought for $250 less! Yes, I'm still getting a better deal than if I went to the hotel directly but it still sticks in my craw. Has this happened to anyone else? Is it fair to expect something from LL customer service?

[Mountie]

Yes, you sound ungrateful!

[danielboldea]

So this is the second time that I bid and won a hotel package only to see the exact same package come up on LL at a much lower initial bid price. Just found the same package I bought for $250 less! Yes, I'm still getting a better deal than if I went to the hotel directly but it still sticks in my craw. Has this happened to anyone else? Is it fair to expect something from LL customer service?

Did you purchase a mystery auction? Overbidding is becoming more and more common with the mystery auctions. Customers need to research and figure out the property in question (which is quite easy for most offers) and bid accordingly.

I understand your frustration, but an auction is an auction. You bid it, you buy it!

I wouldn't "expect something from LL customer service", it wouldn't be right for the second bidder who was willing to pay, say, $5 less than you were.

[kyshel]

I echo both replies. Only once did I pay more than the price of a previous auction but I was bidding against another person. I was worried that that property might not be available again (and it wasn't for months! Whew, good choice on my part!) I only paid about $60 more than the original $1200 (small pittance in this case). You do need to establish your price, based on the going rate on LL or deals at the hotel's website.We've all seen more than enough crazy bids on mystery auctions. Some people placing multiple bids against themselves (erroneously thinking it was proxy bidding?)
There are only so many packages per property in a given time frame and those might vary due to currency fluctuations, as well. I've seen some of my purchased deals go both ways.I also had one safari deal jump from $1500 to $4000 (after I bought the low one) I guess they only offered one shot at it. Even the lodge was astonished by the price I paid!!
I hope what you bought is still a good deal in your mind, based on when you bought it. Cheers!

[ngillis]

I appreciate fellow LL posters setting me straight! Money is really tight so I was disappointed at seeing the same packages offered with a significantly lower bid price but that's part of the auction process. It's still a great deal and I appreciate LL making it available. Thanks again!

[jmbklj]

Actually I've seen the reverse - where I won an auction and later the same package started with a higher minimum bid. A perfect example right now is the Montana Sky Lodge we visited in August. It's now back up for auction at a higher minimum bid price. Plus our package was for 7 nights; now it's a higher price for 6 nights.

But hey I understand that, especially for a new property that needs the exposure and publicity. Once it's more established, their minimum price may be higher or lower, based on their current supply and demand.

[[email protected]]

I too usually see an auction that I have won come up a few weeks or months later with a higher price. It is unusual to see a package come back with a lower price - were you bidding against others, if that is the case, then yes the price would be lower the 2nd time around if there were no bidders.

[cutemup2]

There are plus and minus to the bidding process. I agree you have to do the research. The dates may be different and the occupancy could attribute to higher/lower prices. For me it's the idea that everything is included as well as the perks (which seem to be a little less at the moment). These are tough times for everyone. It's my responsibility to 'know' what a good deal is.
I'm not sure you are ungrateful, just learning the ropes! Enjoy your vacation.

[thepiranha]

I understand why you would be disappointed, but I've never had that experience. In fact, I've noticed that most auction packages go up a few dollars after I've made my purchase and another identical package is offered. It's very possible that the auctions you mentioned appeared with lower initial prices because the dates were different. You may have bought a package for a high season stay and the lower deal was for a low season stay.

As Daniel stated, a lot of people don't do their research and overbid, particularly on Mystery Auctions. For example, the recently concluded Northern Italy Mystery Auction for Bagni di Pisa went for $699. The starting bid is $550. I paid $532 for it last month. That shows that: 1) the price for the same package went up from $532 to $550; and 2) whoever bought the Mystery Auction didn't do his/her homework because he/she could have bought the package for $550 in a regular auction.