While Radiohead may have paved the way for the “pay what you want” model, we’re seeing more of them every day. Just last week I noticed video game publisher Eidos announced it would adopt the idea for its Championship Manager 2010 title. Today I ran across one of the more ambitious I’ve seen – Spanish travel site Atrapalo (“trap it,” in English) is offering what they’ve called “The Deal.”
According a translation of Atrapalo’s site on CMD Global “The Deal” works like this:
“Go on vacation and pay what you want. Leave, and when you get back, we’ll talk. If you’ve liked it, pay us what you consider fair. If you haven’t enjoyed it, don’t pay us anything. Do you accept the deal?”
They also make it clear there’s no minimum price or hidden fees.
So is this strategy a good idea? I think it might be. Besides the word of mouth and viral buzz, it’s certainly a way for Atrapalo to stand out among peers. Online travel sites seem to be a category with less-than-average loyalty. Think about it: Most customers are simply in search of a killer deal… and Atrapalo’s pretty much trumps anyone else’s. Even if everyone behaves – and pays – honestly, it’s still the gamble with the least risk and, I’d argue, top-of-mind when people book their travel.
What do you think? Curious to hear any/all thoughts on this, as well as the “pay what you want” model in general.
