KAYAK.COM LAUNCHES NEW PERSONALIZATION TOOL THAT “PINS” RESULTS FOR EASIER COMPARISON
Site Recognized by Kiplinger’s as Top 25 Travel Site
NORWALK, Conn. - November 30, 2006 - In an industry-first, Kayak.com introduces “Pins” to its list of revolutionary travel search features. Pins lets consumers select and save a preferred flight, hotel or rental car at the top of their search results as they evaluate other options. Kayak.com also announces that Kiplinger’s Personal Finance has selected the site as one of its recommended “25 Best Travel Sites.”
To Pin a preferred travel option, users select the pushpin icon listed next to every search result for flights, hotels and rental cars. After a specific option has been “Pinned”, it will remain at the top of the page while users click through pages of results or interact with Kayak.com’s search filters to adjust their parameters. Travelers can Pin and compare unlimited options and can delete a Pin by clicking on the “Trash” icon within the search results. Pinned results will reappear atop the search results when registered users conduct future searches.
Equally important, Kayak.com remembers which results consumers Pin. Subsequent consumer requests for travel information are then personalized based on previously Pinned travel options. For example, a consumer who usually Pins four star hotels will see more four star hotels in their default search results.
“Kayak.com’s industry-first Pins is one of the many personalization features that helps consumers make informed purchasing decisions,” said Kayak.com CTO and Co-Founder, Paul English. “By grouping preferred options at the top of the page, users can quickly and easily scroll through and compare pages of results side-by-side with highlighted favorites. Never again will consumers have to remember or write down cumbersome itinerary details to compare with other options during the search process. Once again, Kayak.com has designed a tool that simplifies the shopping experience.”
Pins is yet another feature that enables users to personalize Kayak.com. As the leader in Travel 2.0, Kayak.com continues to enhance the search experience for the consumer by innovating personalization technology. Users benefit from more relevant search results, providing a more efficient and productive search experience. Features are divided into two categories:
- Explicit: Registered users share preferences with Kayak.com
- Users who share preferences for favorite airlines, type of seat, hotel brands, star rating and car size in the “My Profile” section will see customized results.
- Custom Places lets a user set and save a destination, such as an office address or relative’s home, and organize search results around that place.
- Consumers can set Fare and Buzz Alerts and receive an email or RSS notification when Kayak.com find fares that meet or beat a minimum price.
- Forum Watch alerts the user once a message is posted to a specified forum.
- Implicit: Kayak.com observes and saves consumer shopping patterns for later use.
- Much like Amazon, Kayak.com remembers recent searches and tailors search results based on previous clicks.
- Kayak.com displays recent “Search History” on the homepage and comprehensive Search History in the My Profile section so users can easily recreate a search for updated pricing and availability.
Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Award
Kayak.com was recently recognized in Kiplinger’s collection of the 25 Best Travel Sites for having the “Top Airfare Tool for The Time Pressed Traveler.”
“Kayak.com fetches fares (plus hotel rates and other travel products, if you ask) from more than 120 sources. Click on the best deal, and Kayak.com will send you to a site where you can buy the ticket. If your itinerary is flexible, you can boost your chances of finding a deal by searching for dates up to three days before and after your ideal travel dates,” wrote Kiplinger’s.
This is the eighth major award that Kayak.com has received this year, and it follows similar recognition by Forbes.com, BusinessWeek, TIME, Associated Press and U.S. News & World Report.
