Thomas Cook has stopped offering online discounts on its website, in a bid offer standardised prices on the high street and online.
The retailer claimed the move has ‘changed travel retailing forever’ by stopping online discounting.
The operator is now offering the same price for its holidays whether booked online at thomascook.com, in one of its 1100 stores across the UK or through its UK based call centres.
As a result of a recent trial in its stores and online, Thomas Cook has been aligning all its prices so customers can expect the same availability and price regardless of how they book, ahead of a huge turn-of-year marketing campaign.
But the operator would not comment on how it would affect pricing and commissions with travel agents.
A spokesperson added “We don’t discuss individual commercial agreements that we have with our partners – the launch of Price Parity is to ensure that our customers can get the best price for their Thomas Cook holiday, wherever they book.”
Mike Hoban, marketing, sales and ecommerce director at Thomas Cook, said, “The travel industry is crying out for true multi-channel retailing, with more products, more channels and more markets than many other sectors.
“Following extensive trials in our stores and online, we’re revolutionising travel retail by bringing clear pricing to customers so they get the best price available at the time of booking, whether they do this online, in-store or on the phone.”
It fits in with Thomas Cook’s plan to unveil a brand new concept store in Leeds White Rose shopping centre before the end of the year where customers can book online using in-store tablets or with one of the store’s ‘travel experts’.