BUDGET Rent A Car has launched an on-line bidding service on its Internet site allowing customers to name their own price for the hire of a vehicle.
BidBudget asks customers to fill out a short form indicating what car type, where they want to pick the car up and when and then asks the price the customer is prepared to pay.
Within a day, the company will respond with an e-mail notifying whether the bid is accepted or not.
Budget says it created the product in response to changing consumer travel purchasing patterns and claims it is the first car-rental company to offer on-line bidding through its home page.
Initially customers will only be able to book cars in the US where owner Budget Group is based but the product will eventually be rolled out to the UK.
A spokesman for the company said: “If you are travelling to the US you can sort out your car rental through BidBudget before you go. Of course, unreasonable offers will be rejected straight away.”
The company was unable to say how much cheaper customers will be able to pay for the hiring of a car. “It depends on supply and demand,” the spokesman said.
BidBudget can be found at www.drivebudget.com