Airbnb 2022 Summer Release: What you need to know

[Airbnb]

Our 2022 Summer Release represents the biggest change to Airbnb in a decade. We’re introducing:

• Airbnb Categories: A new way to search that makes it easy for guests to discover millions of homes they never knew existed

• Split Stays: An innovative feature that pairs two listings when a guest searches for a longer stay

• AirCover: The most comprehensive protection in travel, included for free with every stay

Get all the details on the Resource Center, and tell us: Will you be updating your listing for Airbnb Categories and Split Stays? How will you update it?

[John5097]

@Susan1188 

Guest starting a search area likely getting a sticker shock when they see such expensive listings. 

Airbnb is very trustworthy and look out for guest, but a lot guest are distrustful, and going to panic when they can't find the places they have in mind, and every time they try, it defaults to week long bookings at super expensive listings. 

Hence the decrease is bookings. 

[Natasha-and-John0]

It makes me angry looking at it every single time. What they are doing is criminal. 

[Katherine815]

I’m also seeing these 8. Ridiculous. 

I did contact support earlier in the week. Check out their very helpful reply:

ABB

Hi, this is Jonelle and I’m one of the Community Specialists here at Airbnb. Sorry for not responding right away to your message, as we are receiving a high volume of concerns as of the moment. Rest assured that we are doing our best to address all concerns that we are receiving.

I am sorry to hear that your listing is not listing as beachfront under the category. I regret to hear about this situation as this does not align with the experience Airbnb wants to provide. 

In relation to the category, because this feature is new it will take some time for everything to be working smoothly however, once the guest is looking for a reservation in the area the listing is in they are able to view your listing.

ME:

Hi Joelle - This is the same standard message the pervious rep gave me

ABB

There isn't anything else that we are able to do, because the feature is new it will take some time for the listing to show up in the specific category.

ME

Wow. So I just have to wait and hope that somehow your new algorithm or new system will let my listing be visible under the one category it actually belongs in?? That’s ridiculous.

ABB

I can imagine that this is the last thing you would ever want to deal with and I’m so sorry that was your experience. We are currently working to improve the feature for our users.

I gave up. Not a response that inspires confidence. Does this mean they’re working on fixing this giant disaster? It’s been over two weeks… I don’t think they’re working that hard…

[Mark116]

@Suzanne302  Yes those are the properties I'm seeing also.  Our views are now down to 8, so maybe the algo finally found us and 'improved' the search function to weed us out.   We also just got one of those all 5 star category but 4 overall reviews from some 1st time Airbnb users...   It's all very demoralizing.

[Natasha-and-John0]

People are suggesting we take legal action.

[Molly396]

@Natasha-and-John0 love to know more about this advice.. what’s the grounds?? 

we are with you! 

[Kristina46]

This will go nowhere. For one thing, you agreed to Binding arbitration in their TOS. You can't sue. We as users don't have any rights whatsoever. We do what they tell us or we leave. Pretty simple. 

[Helen744]

@Kristina46 unless your country removes habeas corpus and becomes a dictatorship the 'consumer rights 'cannot be removed.At least that,s how it works in my part of the free world . Signs ,waivers  here do not matter if consumer rights sink below general laws. For instance 'no returns ' signs in shops are not valid People cannot simply write a sign , no matter how big the company and remove your legal rights. H

[Kristina46]

It has nothing to do within of  that. You agreed to Airbnb's terms of service when you signed up to host with them. Part of those terms is that you agree to binding arbitration in the event of a dispute. If you, as an Australian, want to sue them, you would have to file such a suit in the US and it would still go nowhere and be a waste of time and money. 

[Helen744]

@Kristina46  If I steal from someone then they can certainly take me to court just about anywhere in the world  I do not give those actual rights for instance to my private property away because someone runs a business . Not sure what you are talking about but if I buy something from a shop and it is 'not fit for purpose'  then I can get my money back any silly sign is irrelevant .If i sign up to a booking contract and I get 'no bookings even though I have had my money go to the company then an explanation is required by an honest broker because if I do something like steal from a guest I can be suspended but if a guest breaks my stuff I have to 'deal with it 'the plot thickens .If a host has thousands of dollars in bookings and is suspended by an untrained kid who hides their actual identity and then this impacts in all types of ways on the guest then there is a clear chain of fault and it is not stopping at the host and that is a court case . Bingo H

[Helen744]

Oh and Kristina . Any contract is broken when one party changes the terms of the contract without proper notification and or without agreement from the other party and writing it on a piece of paper does not make it real Any more than a wooden nickel H

[Kristina46]

Once again.. YOU DID NOT SIGN A CONTRACT. Goodbye, done here. 

[Suzanne302]

@Helen744 

Airbnb has not stolen anything from anyone. You get paid for any bookings you have completed and you pay Airbnb for the privilege of using their platform.

What Airbnb has done is crappy, yes, and I am not a fan, but they haven't done anything that warrants a lawsuit. They provide a service to you, and they are still providing that service. That's your privilege to take advantage of it, but most certainly not a "right."

I thought frivolous "I'm inconvenienced so I'm entitled to compensation!!!!!!!!" lawsuits were purely an American embarrassment, but, I see there are people like that in other countries as well, apparently.

[Helen744]

@Suzanne302, I really do not know what you are talking about . Rock on H

[Helen744]

@Suzanne302 thanks for the personal message but I think you have gotten the wrong end of the stick . I was having an ongoing conversation with Kris about points of law . Nothing personal  H