Anyone use a VPN such as hidemyass.com to achieve better fares?

[bushtuckerman]

Just wondering if any members use a VPN such as www.hidemyass.com to pick up better-priced fares than would be achievable otherwise. As we know, customers with Australian IP addresses can pay a premium when purchasing goods and services from OS.

I am seeking a one-way fare from BKK to SYD departing on 28 or 29 August 2015. However, recent falls in the AU$ means I have less spending power in China and Thailand, and flights are more expensive when compared to 2014. I would like to understand if there is a worthwhile saving achievable from purchasing a VPN membership.

You views and experiences (good and bad) would be appreciated, particularly from anyone who has used a VPN for purchasing flights.

Cheers
Bush

 

[burmans]

There are free VPN services out there (albeit with occasional ads). Eg Hotspot shield. Never used for this particular purpose but have used in other circumstances.

 

[ftm]

I jave generally found that changing the country on the website gives you local prices from whatever country is selected. Would be fascinated to know that its cheaper if you you also have a local IP !

 

[Happy Trails]

Ex BKK I've never noticed any difference in price whether using a local or Aus IP and with or without a VPN.

 

[bushtuckerman]

Thank you for you prompt replies.

I downloaded the trial version of Hotspot Shield, and it works OK.

However, I too could not find better prices irrespective of where the IP was 'located'.

Interestingly, if I routed through India, the price was considerably more expensive than could be achieved using an Australian IP address.

MAS was on sale last week ($417 BKK-SYD), but when I tried to book today the specials were gone. Qantas and Emirates currently have BKK-SYD for about $556, which is still a bit expensive for me. Scoot/Tiger combo has BKK-SYD with a short delay in SIN, but it's subject to regulatory approval.

Thanks again.

Cheers
Bush

 

[Moopere]

I got significantly better pricing from VA on J class last year using the HKT website for return rather than buying a round trip ticket direct from Aus, but I've never tried to actually hide my IP address. Things are tightening up a bit I've noticed, but I still check for price savings buying 2x one way tickets rather than a single return.

 

[Archphoto]

Currently the one-way prices I get are as follows (I'm based in BKK, so this is the result using a Thai ISP):

28/8

• QF24 Y THB14190
• QF8418 J THB51545
• TG471 Y THB20685
• TG471 J THB59150

29/8

• QF421-QF82 Y 14485 (J* BKK-SIN, then QF SIN-SYD)
• QF8418 J THB51545
• TG471 Y THB20685
• TG471 J THB59150

Not sure how they compare to the results you're getting from AU.

 

[N860CR]

I'd say $550 for a one-way, nine hour flight on a full service airline is pretty dirt cheap personally.

 

[chrisjohnson]

<redacted as advertising>

 

[whatmeworry]

Sometimes deleting cookies helps get the better price.

 

[drewbles]

I can't help but think the whole geo-location-pricing thing is a storm in a teacup.

If you're in AU, many USA sites (such as Macy's etc) will default to AUD where yes, the price is higher than the USD equivalent. All these sites also offer you the ability to change to the US site and be charged in USD, but may not allow shipping to AU so it's a catch 22.

I work for a company that has offices in the USA, UK and Australia, so can 'pretend' to be in any of them, and have not noticed any difference in pricing on a 'same currency' basis. The sites generally tend to make you pay more in your local currency than theirs, but that's easily avoided. It's a lazy/stupid tax.

Then there's places like AA where the AU site (as in the .com.au) has a fraction of the available flights that the .com has, and is more expensive just about every time.

It's more about knowing the ins and outs than it is using a VPN. Methinks someone who doesn't know about how businesses run whinged to TT/ACA a few too many times, and it got mainstream coverage where none should really exist.

 

[drivatruk]

I can't help but think the whole geo-location-pricing thing is a storm in a teacup.

If you're in AU, many USA sites (such as Macy's etc) will default to AUD where yes, the price is higher than the USD equivalent. All these sites also offer you the ability to change to the US site and be charged in USD, but may not allow shipping to AU so it's a catch 22.

Macy's also block a lot of the available brand names suck as Ck on the au website. I tried using a forwarding service but the cancelled the sale as my CC was Australian.

I booked an Airasia flight from Mel to Dps and it was cheaper to buy it as two singles.

I also booked one with changeable dates from dps to Mel return with the smart idea of changing the dates so the originating flight was from Mel. It was $200 or so cheaper. When i tried to change the dates online wouldn't let me. Thought id lost 600 in a failed experiment. Tried to change over the phone and they said i was changing the route and wouldn't allow it. HUACA and all fixed.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I jave generally found that changing the country on the website gives you local prices from whatever country is selected

!

This. Also my daughter, who is an IT Consultant, found no difference except when booking through local portals.


One thing she did find useful though was to search on the pic used in some tours etc as often resellers will re-use the same pic and this allowed her to find the cheapest deal for particular things that se was interested in.

 

[marki]

I can't help but think the whole geo-location-pricing thing is a storm in a teacup.

If you're in AU, many USA sites (such as Macy's etc) will default to AUD where yes, the price is higher than the USD equivalent. All these sites also offer you the ability to change to the US site and be charged in USD, but may not allow shipping to AU so it's a catch 22.

I work for a company that has offices in the USA, UK and Australia, so can 'pretend' to be in any of them, and have not noticed any difference in pricing on a 'same currency' basis. The sites generally tend to make you pay more in your local currency than theirs, but that's easily avoided. It's a lazy/stupid tax.

Then there's places like AA where the AU site (as in the .com.au) has a fraction of the available flights that the .com has, and is more expensive just about every time.

It's more about knowing the ins and outs than it is using a VPN. Methinks someone who doesn't know about how businesses run whinged to TT/ACA a few too many times, and it got mainstream coverage where none should really exist.

You will not even know what is blocked and what is not.

I always have to use a VPN when purchasing goods in LOTFAP online. One because they frequently block a transaction even though it's shipping address is in the states.

Most recently with goods purchased at Ralph Lauren. The July 4th sales were crazy 60% off. Free Shipping.

Best Buy drewbles see how far you will get with them!!!

Or try opening Bang Olfsen in the USofA

Now we're talking .......

Ok now order something from Best Buy on specials see how far you go? (From AU )

Order something from LOTFAP B&O see how far u go? ( From AU)

Then to by-pass tax u need to have an address in one of the tax free states i.e. like Oregon !

Macy's will hide stuff from you , u won't be able to access special sales or use the discounts coupons.

There is s big difference! You cannot watch catch up TV from the USA without an IP address originating in the States.

The lastest APC computer magazine has a whole special on Geoblocks and "hidemyass" was S**T

Only two really count for die hard Netflix USA watchers, where you have 12000 titles to choose from as compared to Ozzie 4000 or less.

I could say which two were the best but the APC computer magazine is downloadable next time you fly with Qantas via Press Reader!

 

[drewbles]

You will not even know what is blocked and what is not.

I always have to use a VPN when purchasing goods in LOTFAP online. One because they frequently block a transaction even though it's shipping address is in the states.

Most recently with goods purchased at Ralph Lauren. The July 4th sales were crazy 60% off. Free Shipping.

Best Buy drewbles see how far you will get with them!!!

Or try opening Bang Olfsen in the USofA

Now we're talking .......

Ok now order something from Best Buy on specials see how far you go? (From AU )

Order something from LOTFAP B&O see how far u go? ( From AU)

Then to by-pass tax u need to have an address in one of the tax free states i.e. like Oregon !

Macy's will hide stuff from you , u won't be able to access special sales or use the discounts coupons.

There is s big difference! You cannot watch catch up TV from the USA without an IP address originating in the States.

The lastest APC computer magazine has a whole special on Geoblocks and "hidemyass" was S**T

Only two really count for die hard Netflix USA watchers, where you have 12000 titles to choose from as compared to Ozzie 4000 or less.

I could say which two were the best but the APC computer magazine is downloadable next time you fly with Qantas via Press Reader!

I deploy VPN's for a living so I know a little about them

Retailers not allowing people to shop from outside their country or not shipping to certain countries or restricting product availability or cancelling orders when they see foreign CC's or shipping forwarders, are commonplace. No VPN is going to help with that.

This thread was about there being a significant pricing differential when shopping from AU vs US, not availability of product ranges, geoblocking or the like.

There are benefits to having a VPN, but they are not the 'be all and end all' or solutions.

I've been in the USA, shopping on certain sites, and tried to use my AU CC. Denied "sorry you do not have a US CC, too bad, so sad". I've used a US card and then entered a MyUSA address and again, Denied "We have detected you are using some kind of postal forwarding service and owing to copyright laws we will not allow your purchase to be sent outside the country".

A lot of it comes to the shipping address. I frequently buy things from Best Buy and the like, from Australia, using an AU CC. I ship it to our USA office though.

I shop *a lot* with Ralph Lauren (as in, 95% of my wardrobe is polo shirts, their dress shirts and jeans/pants). I do not use a VPN. I pay in USD, using my 28º Card, and ship to Boston (they will not ship outside the USA). They do not differentiate pricing based on location, just restrict where they ship to.

There are advantages to VPN's, yes, but avoiding differential pricing (in one single currency; not disparate ones) is not one of them.

 

[marki]

For me there is a big difference in pricing I cannot get tickets cheaper in Oz on a lot of occasions. VPN does it. For showing me prices a Native American would. As for your AU card being denied change the address on it to an American One. There that's worth the price of admission !

Yawn Drewbles keep underplaying the significance yet it's a big force out there!

As for the US forwarder change them to another one that's in a different location to bypass the you seem to be using a freight forwarder plus in Boston and NY your paying Tax

 

[drewbles]

For me there is a big difference in pricing I cannot get tickets cheaper in Oz on a lot of occasions. VPN does it. For showing me prices a Native American would. As for your AU card being denied change the address on it to an American One. There that's worth the price of admission !

Yawn Drewbles keep underplaying the significance yet it's a big force out there!

As for the US forwarder change them to another one that's in a different location to bypass the you seem to be using a freight forwarder plus in Boston and NY your paying Tax

I work in the industry. There's no need to downplay, it's simply not there. You cannot compare AUD with USD. You have to take taxes (both state and local) into account, forex, and the type of cards they accept.

As I mentioned, companies offer differenet pricing for different regions, in different currencies. I'm yet to find a site that charges in USD and says 'hey, you're coming from Australia, so we'll up the USD price and charge you accordingly'. I think you've totally missed my points, but i'll leave it at that.

 

[marki]

Ok I missed your point ( no I don't think so)..... I don't think it's so rare to see upping of prices in USD terms and most websites force you into Au dollar site that is way more expensive. I do agree however that it is rare to see upping up of US prices just because of an IP address anomaly. But there are obstacles that the good people above have already described.

I do appreciate however that your in the industry and operate VPN's for a living,
Does using VPN give u an advantage over the competition?
I also use it for anonymity provided,

As to the taxes you can completely avoid by having an address in a state not having sales tax.

Unlike Boston or NY