Website targets Mac users - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

Did you know the computer you use to search the internet may determine what advertisements you see first?

There are Mac computers, and there are PCs.  Orbitz, a popular travel site, knows what operating system you're on when you visit their site - so much so that they are using the information to try to get you to spend more money.

It's a computer classification that Orbitz apparently thinks may get you to pay more money for a hotel room. The online travel retailer admits that when Mac users are on its website, the pricer hotels flash up first. 

Dana Mattioli from the Wall Street Journal said, "They are 40 percent more likely to book a four- or five-star hotel and then when they stay in the same hotel as a PC user they opt for a bigger, more expensive room and get upgrades."

The Wall Street Journal broke the story. Mac users tending to have a higher household income,  $98,000 versus $74,000 a year for PC'ers. The travel website thinks Mac owners would shell out more cash: "They took that information and they said they're spending more; they want these higher start options so let's make it easier for them to find," said Mattioli.

While this may seem sneaky, Orbitz CEO says they are just maximizing their marketing options.
Barney Harford, the CEO of Orbitz , said "Pretty much all websites are aware of whether you are shopping on a PC or a Mac. That's not unusual."

If you do have a Mac, just click 'Sort by Price' to avoid the most expensive rates first.

Rival travel sites Expedia, Priceline, and Travelocity do not use a person's computer operating system when suggesting hotels, their spokespeople said. Apple declined to comment.