Airbnb Answers: Pricing tools that drive host success

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Airbnb Answers: Pricing tools that drive host success

You asked: Can Airbnb offer hosts more flexibility and options to set our pricing?

 

Leading up to the last Host Q&A, you asked for more flexibility with your pricing options. We went straight to the team that plans and builds these tools to see what’s on the horizon. What we learned was surprising. It turns out we’ve built solutions for much of what you’re asking for, but lots of hosts don’t know about or use the pricing settings available. We also found out that sometimes offering certain types of discounts harms rather than helps your business. Intrigued? We were too.

 

To make sure you have the latest insights on pricing, let’s take a look at what your options are and how your feedback influences what we build.

 

Current pricing options

 

You specifically asked for the ability to set different prices according to a guest’s length of stay, or based on the days of the week (for example, charging a different price for middle of the week vs. weekend stays). We actually have tools that help you do both! You can offer a discount for stays longer than a week or a month, and you can set up custom weekend pricing.

 

You also asked about charging guests based on the number of beds they use, rather than the number of guests staying in the listing. While we understand that more beds used means more linens to clean, it’s sometimes difficult for guests to anticipate how many beds they’ll use at the time of booking. For example, not every listing describes if beds are queen sized or double, how many sleeper sofas there are, or how the beds are arranged in a room. Some guests may want to see the place before deciding if they’ll share a double bed with a friend or sleep on the pull-out couch. However, guests can accurately and confidently say how many people will be staying, and you can charge an extra guest fee to account for that. If the cost of cleaning and check-in for shorter stays is a concern, you can add cleaning fees to offset those costs.

 

How host feedback is shaping our work

 

Your feedback shows us where things aren’t working for you, and where we can do better. Based on what you’ve told us, we’re focusing our efforts on making every tool more accessible and intuitive. And we’re helping hosts understand how pricing tools work together, which rules take priority when multiple rules overlap, and how to use the tools you have for maximum benefit to you.

 

When it comes to building new pricing tools, we try to account for a multitude of host preferences while keeping things simple enough for guests to still want to book your space with Airbnb. To do this, we solicit host feedback, test new ideas, and notice what happens to bookings when we add new options.

 

Here’s a little insight into how we test and pass along our learnings to you: Sometimes we can anticipate reliable opportunities to boost your earnings. For example, you may have seen insight messages on your calendar and emails highlighting discount opportunities for specific dates that would otherwise go unbooked. When you apply these discounts, we highlight to travelers the value you’re offering and that attracts bookings.

 

Alternatively, sometimes we find that less is more—like in a recent test in which hosts added discounts for 3-6 night stays in areas we noticed travelers were searching for accommodation, and it turned out the guests who booked those discounted spaces would likely have booked the listing at the regular price for the same duration. It’s these types of insights that we pass along to you in how we build and what we recommend.

 

You always have control over the price you set for your space. And we’re committed to sharing what we learn about pricing best practices. We’re excited that Airbnb offers competitive pricing flexibility for you, a simple booking experience for your guests, and the promise that we’ll continue to listen to your ideas about how to make pricing even better.


In the latest Host Q&A, CEO and Head of Community Brian Chesky answered top-voted questions during a livestream event. For questions he didn’t have time to address, we’ve introduced Airbnb Answers. Want to ask more? We’ll let you know in Airbnb Updates when the question platform will open for the upcoming June 27th Host Q&A.

291 Replies 291
Marcus2
Level 4
London, United Kingdom

Regarding feed back on guests: please put the ability to have photos of how guests leave the apartments as sometime guests are so dirty that they have to be charged extra. 

Nicki28
Level 3
England, GB

I have a minimum 2 night stay, because it is just too much work to get my place ready for one night. However, very occasionally I would accept a one night booking. For example on the night of the Cheltenham Gold Cup. I don’t think the site allows that. Any ideas? Thanks Nicki x

Patrick86
Level 3
Prague, Czech Republic

I agree that the argument that guests "don't know how many beds they need" is speciuos. For one of my apartments which has 2 beds I regularly get bookings for 2 guests who intend to use both beds and for whom my apartment is much cheaper than 2 single rooms in a hotel. Two guests using 2 beds creates as much work as 4 guests using both beds but I can only charge as if I have 2 guests sharing a bed. It would be more than helpful to be able to charge extra if 2 people use 2 beds.

Alwyn0
Level 3
Walvis Bay, Namibia

Additional fee for pets! That is all. 

PET OPTION BUTTON that has an automatic fee that is added!!!  Why doesn't Airbnb have this yet????

Ann408
Level 2
England, United Kingdom

Why do airbnb charge so much for cleaning charges,  example 2 night stay My charge £70 p n.

You charged clients £161 I received £134.96 a big difference when I have already paid you?

Dora2
Level 4
Hveragerði, Iceland

I would be so happy to be able to double the fee of cleaning when people do not follow house rules. Guests now have to accept the house rules before making the booking....so when people are disrespectful and leave the house in bad order and not respecting house rules/manual, it could take the double of time cleaning/preparing for next guests, which sometime I don´t have !

Also when guests don´t respect check out time, I want the ability to charge waiting time, 30 minutes €50 and so on, this is not my primary work,and people are often cleaning/preparing for next guests on their lunch brake..

Thank you 🙂

Estie1
Level 2
Giv'atayim, IL

I would like to be able to set different prices depends if it is the whole apartments or only one room.

There is no way to differ between dates that the whole apartment can be available and dates that only a room is available.

Thanks

Sue117
Level 2
Hoedspruit, South Africa

I woud like to see child rates separated by a choice of age. We charge 50% of the Adult sharing rate for children up to the age of 12 and from the age for 13 year to 18 year they are charge the adult sharing rate.

Also if we have a Single in any room We charge a extra 50% supplement of the sharing rate. I can't do this in AirBnB.

Winny1
Level 3
Tyrol, Austria

1) I would like the pricing for the new month that automatically rolls out to reflect the prices on the SAME month the year before. I adjust my prices to high season, mid season, should season, low season and currently i need to adjust it each month for all 4 listings when it could just copy what I did last year so I only need to make minor adjustments to reflect this or next years public holidays. Hope its clear June 2019 should show prices of June 2018 that have already been set. Is this possible already?

 

2) I would like more flexibility with adjusting the length of stay for specific dates or season so I can continue to use 'Instant Book'. We are based at a ski resort and I would like to only take 5 days plus bookings in winter and 3 days plus in summer, and the rest open. Is this possible?

ElizabethAnn0
Level 2
Cape Town, South Africa

My concern is you keep asking us to cut pricing ... all very well ... for a South African coming to stay . If any most countries coming on holiday to Cape Town a very popular tourist attraction.... the dollar is at most time 8x R1 so working on a cost rough example If you want us to push our pricing down these countries EU included are getting a free holiday . You don’t give us R1 to $ 1 or one £= R16-18 € 14-16  . 

I am fortune to stay in a beautiful part of South Sfrica I see

where holiday makers go most is over R2400 a nite they convert and it’s cheap ... believe me I’ve lived here far longer than many others I know there sleeping crts I actually have borrowed a cleaner ... but honestly would never do that again . She told be we never stripe mattered covers nor pillows . Gosh I thought paying that much they should buy new covers , always give those to needy . October through to April is high season for Cape Town May to sept is low season .I sincerely hope I’ve explained how the rate of exchange affects us ( ME ) 

my husband is German so any Austrian polish and Russian he can communicate . We chat to people while taking a stroll and often meet them ... when he ask what they paying our mouths drop open ... again knowing the area and most times .. what they pay for I could and do offer a higher quality of stay . 

Thank you for allowing me to have my say

regards Elizabeth Fire Cottage . 

Gidisa0
Level 1
Ethiopia

I would like pricing on weekend including cleaning fee. 

Winny1
Level 3
Tyrol, Austria

3) The third item, like lots of other guests have noted, I would like to be able to set discounts on days between bookings, or empty dates that are coming up soon. I want it to be a discount and not just dropping the price manually in the calender.

Miranda73
Level 2
London, United Kingdom

Hello airbnb community. My wish would be for Airbnb to collaborate with a big trusted organisation like SHELTER to help the occasional person in imminent danger/women needing safe haven for example) to stay in airbnb accomodation if the place is free. Parameters would be strictly set by hosts and there would be absolutely no pressure to be part of the scheme. I have two high end ine-bed flats and am a Superhost, but feel strongly that I would like to give back to the local community since airbnb is my main income now. Airbnb has comprehensive insurance and for like-minded hosts there could be a legal arrangement with the local branch of SHELTER. For example.. I would only want to shelter woman needing to get out of a violent home, no pets or children- no drug problems or convictions- and would agree to no more than two nights in a row to allow SHELTER a little more time to organise other accomodation. I would also have to speak personally to a SHELTER representative prior to accepting. On these rare occasions, the cleaning fee would still be paid (perhaps at a reduced rate if my co-host accepts) and Airbnb could wave their service fee as a charitable donation. Otherwise I would be happy to make no profit to help someone who really needs a calm haven, hot bath and safe space. Considering the humble beginnings of Airbnb I think this is a fitting charity for Airbnb to link arms with, would show city councils that they have an ongoing ethical platform, and make hotels look laughably profit driven. After all,  we are all profiting from sheltering those who can afford to pay. .why not help those who really need a roof over their heads in a crisis if our rooms are sitting empty for a night or two. Having spoken to SHELTER, I know this is something they would appreciate enormously, but as hosts we need a firm framework in which to be charitable. My area is Liverpool. Thank you, Miranda

Howard55
Level 2
Weston-super-Mare, GB

I would like to give discounts for 5 or 6 day stays. At the moment if a guest wishes to book 5 days it is cheaper for them to book 7 therefore claiming a discount . Even though they only stay 5 nights. To be fair to guests I have to go through the long winded special offer option.