Pros & Cons of Online Booking

There are many pros and cons of online booking. The Internet has made access to information and reservations fast, easy and convenient. At the same time, it has dehumanized the process. This sometimes leaves customers ranting at a computer screen that can not sympathize with or solve a booking problem.

Significance

The most significant advantage of online booking is the array of options you are instantly presented with. When booking flights and hotel rooms, you can often see all the available dates, the prices and options. This is not always told to you when booking over the phone or in person. However, this convenience comes with a price. Website designers are experts at identifying a product that a web surfer might be interested in and directing her to a website where she can buy it. While booking online, you are constantly being sold something even if you are not interested in it. This can be incredibly annoying.

Time Frame

Speed is a pro and a con of online booking. It is fast and easy to compare services on several websites and then book one with a credit card. This time frame is convenient if you know exactly what you want and what a good deal is. However, this speed has taken deliberation out of many bookings. It is so easy to click your way through the process that many consumers fail to think through the transaction. This can lead to hasty decisions and buyer's remorse. It is far easier to press a few buttons on your computer at home than it is to speak to a travel representative who can advise you of your options.

Benefits

A primary benefit touted by online booking websites is the reduced cost of booking over the Internet. Airlines and hotel chains tend to discount prices online or charge an extra fee to talk to their operators over the phone. It costs them more to have an operator handle a transaction. Many of them entice customers to book online by offering web-only deals. Prices also tend to be lower online since there is more immediate competition and prices can be compared between websites instantly.

Considerations

Customers must consider potential problems that can arise from a booking handled strictly online. Operators tend to verbally tell you about restrictions and penalties so you can consider the consequences of your booking. Online, this is contained in the small print that most people click past without reading. Many reservations made online must be canceled online. Some airlines and hotels do not allow you to call in a cancellation of a booking made on the Internet. This can be inconvenient if you are not near an Internet connection when you realize you need to change your plans.

Warning

Websites go down occasionally and lose information. Your purchase or reservation could disappear. Websites have warnings urging you to print transaction confirmations but many people do not. There is also fraud on the Internet. Criminals try to steal your credit card numbers with fake websites and other scams. Online booking providers have made significant improvements in security, but fraud still occurs. Those who book online should take great care to only deal with legitimate websites and to use a secure Internet connection when transmitting credit card data.