In a startling finding, The Free Press Journal discovered that the price of several hotel rooms visible on apps were at great variance depending on the device. The rates were higher, with instances of Rs3,000 hike, on iPhone as compared to android devices.
This 'device disparity' may lead to consumer exploitation as many throng Mumbai for New Year celebrations and look for staying options. Hence, one should be cautious, while booking hotels.
The FPJ compared hotel booking rates for the period between December 30, 2024, and January 1, 2025. The results are as follows: Hotel Kohinoor Elite (near BKC) Rs8,910 on Android vs Rs9,900 on iPhone, Hotel Radisson (Andheri MIDC) Rs18,626 on Android vs Rs22,500 on iPhone. Similar was the case for Hotel Fern Residency and Holiday Inn, whose location was not clearly defined on the app. While the price for a Hotel Fern room was Rs20,437 on Android, it was Rs22,708 on iPhone. For Holiday Inn, it was Rs11,996 on Android vs Rs12,038 on iPhone.
Advocate Shirish Deshpande, chairman of Mumbai Grahak Panchayat, said,“There is a Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) under the department of consumer affairs, which is empowered to track and prevent such unfair trade practices.” The CCPA has the authority to take suo motu cognizance of such cases, he added. If a preliminary inquiry finds merit in the allegations, the CCPA can take action, said Deshpande.
“In this case, it appears that the programming of the software has been manipulated to display different prices based on the device. This is a blatant form of discrimination and consumer exploitation. The CCPA must step in immediately to address this issue,” he said
Consumer activist Gaurang Vora said there needs to be stricter regulation of the hotel industry. “The government must hold such businesses accountable for escalating prices unfairly. The consumer is king and no one should exploit the king,” he added.
