Expedia delivers consumers everything they need for researching, planning, and purchasing a whole trip. The company provides direct access to one of the broadest selections of travel products and services through its North American Web site, localized versions throughout Europe, and extensive partnerships in Asia. Serving many different consumer segments — from families booking a summer vacation to individuals arranging a quick weekend getaway, Expedia provides travellers with the ability to research, plan, and book their comprehensive travel needs. Expedia-branded Web sites feature airline tickets, hotel reservations, car rental, cruises, and many other in-destination services from a broad selection of partners.
Purpose
Expedia.com is an e-Commerce transaction broker which lias consumers and specific service providers in the travel industry. It is a one pit stop for everything that one may need to book for an overseas trip.
Services offered on expedia.com
Expedia facilitates search for various service providers, such as Hotels, Cars, Flights, etc. Transactions for necessary bookings and reservations can be made upon confirmation. It enhances convenience for consumers in the search and settlement of services in just one site. Comparisons can also be made easily with many options avaliable. Just like what Expedia promises - Expedia is committed to giving you the information and tools you need to confidently build the best possible trip.
Features and Design
Expedia.com provides travellers with all necessary information on Vacation Packages, Hotels, Cars, Flights, Cruises, Activities and various promotions. In the initial planning stage, an overview of all avaliable options is first presented. Users are then able to choose and view details of their choices. Choices are presented with pictures and detailed information for users to make decision which suits them best. Expedia also offer travellers with tour packages. Tour packages are specially planned and designed to ensure travellers enjoy the best trip possible.
Expedia.com is easy to access and navigate. Booking of a vacation can be done easily with just a few clicks in step-by-step procedures.
Firstly, the initial planning involves a search.
Next, when the search is done, various options are presented that fits your plan.
If user wish to drive to the destination, he/she is able to make use of the map and driving directions provided by Expedia.com.
All in all, the site is easy to access with simple nagivations and clear instructions.
Strength
- Simple step-by-step procedures
Expedia.com has clear instructions to guide interested consumers through the process of transaction. From the very initial stage of planning, users are able to browse through the website without any difficulty. Expedia.com made use of clear header bar, tabs and icons to direct users to their desired page. Instructions are straight-forward, making procedures simple and easy for consumers to follow. - Extensive Range of services
Expedia.com offers both the booking of flights and hotels on their website. This gives them an advantage over their other competitor’s website (for e.g. booking.com and priceline.com) which only provide either the booking of flights or the booking of accommodation. This saves a lot of trouble for the customer as they can book their whole travel on the website rather than switching between websites to match the availability of the flights and hotel stay days. Adding to that, Expedia.com also have a 24hr customer hotline for enquiry. - Detailed description of product
Expedia.com is seen to have consumers' interests at best. In an e-Commerce platform, consumers depend largely on the website, in this case the Transaction Broker to provide accurate and extensive information on the products. Expedia provides very detailed information and colourful images to give consumers the best description of their choices.
For example, in the section of Hotels, each hotel is presented with information, like Hotel Details, Location & Map, Pictures, Traveler Opinions and Rooms & Rates. Moving ahead of other similar Transaction Broker in the travel industry, Expedia provides up-to-date information like flexible rates charged by the hotels charged at different days. Information is presented at a glance.
Weakness
- Credit Card Security
Although it may not be a big weakness, but we have to acknowledge it because credit card security issue is most probably the biggest fear of customers of the website, or for that matter, any e-commerce website. This is especially applicable to customers that are new to purchasing merchandises or services from the world-wide web. Most new customers will not be comfortable giving out their credit numbers. - Changes done by hotel or airline may not be the liability of the website
There are times when the hotel or flights are fully booked, and without the customer’s notice, they are automatically transferred to another flight or hotel. This is a difficult situation as most of the time the website will not be informed of it because it will be most likely be told to the customers only when they are at the airport or at the hotel itself. Many a times, it will cause unhappiness because it will be different from their desired timings of flights or locations of hotels. The website, being a third party, will not be able to solve such a problem and the customers will most probably leave a bad review although it may not be at the fault of the e-commerce transaction broker. - Misrepresentation or Misconception of information
For advertisement purposes, hotels may promote their own accommodation packages with misrepresentation or purposely designed to trick the customers into having misconceptions to purchase their accommodation. One example will be over simplifying the area map of the location of the hotel, to make the customers have the perception that it is near amenities and public transportation. This again will not be the fault of the website, but since customers booked the hotel through this website, customers will see it as the liability of the website to give them specific and accurate information.
Security and Privacy
A very important component of an e-Commerce Transaction Broker is its security system. The security system has to be well-built in order to provide consumers complete confidence in the brokering procedures and to safeguard the information disclosed.
A sophisticated system will have to fulfill following 4 requirements:
- Authentication: Sender and recipient must prove their identities to each other.
- Privacy: Information must be kept from unauthorized parties.
- Integrity: Message must not be altered or tampered with.
- Non-repudiation: Proof is needed that the message was indeed received.
Moving into the information age, internet transaction has been popularised. With high traffic and large amount of information passing throughout on worldwide basis, internet security is raised to be a major issue.
In knowing so, Expedia places security and confidentiality of consumers' personal information as their highest priority. They have drawn up their very own Privacy Policy to inform consumers of their privacy practices. Privacy Policy clearly explains to consumers about actions Expedia takes to protect their concern.
Expedia.com is encrypted and certified by GTE CyberTrust Global Root.
