( CNN ) -- Is Orbitz trying to get Mac users to book higher-priced hotels ? The travel website 's CEO says that 's not exactly the case . But that 's how many Mac users are feeling after the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that Orbitz was steering Mac users toward higher-priced hotels than PC users , based on spending habits discovered by one of the site 's algorithms . CEO Barney Harford told CNN that Orbitz recommendation results are part of an attempt to pair customers with the hotel they 'd probably pick . In this case , Orbitz will offer recommendations based on what other PC or other Mac users selected as their final hotel , on the assumption that spending habits are the same , he said . `` What we have found is ... that Mac users are 40 % more likely to book four- or five-star hotels than PC users , '' Harford said . `` That lines up with ( the fact that ) Mac users are typically more willing to spend more money on higher-end computers . '' In the Wall Street Journal story , Orbitz engineers said they were experimenting with predictive analytics based on users ' computers , which resulted in Mac users being served up a different set of results -- often with a bigger price tag . And boy , did that anger some Mac users . Once the Journal story hit , many people took to Twitter in a fury , saying that just because they shelled out money for a MacBook does n't mean they do n't want a good deal on a hotel . Others argued that buying a pricier computer would leave them less money for a vacation and make them more inclined to seek travel deals . They argued that what Orbitz is doing is unfair and that it is forcing Mac users to take longer or dig deeper for a deal . Meanwhile , rival travel sites Expedia , Priceline and Travelocity capitalized on the furor to insist that they do n't use similar algorithms based on what type of computer their customers employ . Mac vs. PC : The stereotypes may be true . Online marketers have long culled information about users in order to better target ads . And studies show that consumers are indeed targeted in different ways based on their devices . You may see different promoted products on many sites depending on whether you 're using a mobile app or a desktop . Marketing analysts , reacting to the Orbitz story , say the thinking is that if you 're willing to shell out extra money for an iPad or MacBook , you may have more disposable income . They believe that Orbitz may be trying to skew their results for Mac users based on this perception . Orbitz , on the other hand , says it 's trying to provide Mac users with the best hotel recommendations based on what other Mac users are choosing . Orbitz data show that Mac users are likely to spend $ 20 more a night on a hotel than PC users , on average , Harford said . Harford said his company is in no way charging Mac users more for the same hotel as PC users . `` That would be absolute nonsense , '' he told CNN . Harford said customers can always ignore the recommended options and search specifically by price . `` Our goal though is to use technology to learn from the millions who search our website every day , every week , every month , to make the consumer experience better . We are really excited about the potential to use this wisdom ... to make travel better for consumers , '' he said . `` This is just one of myriad examples of how we 're making the site more customized . ''
Orbitz experiment : Company tries to display research results that pair consumer with best choice . Wall Street Journal reporter said Mac users were steered toward expensive hotels . CEO says Orbitz has found that Mac users generally prefer a nicer hotel . The experiment is not about making Mac users pay more , CEO says .