Payments update: Retiring the Group Payments feature

[Airbnb]

When we introduced Group Payments, we were trying to create a simple way for guests to split booking costs when traveling in a group. This arrangement meant the person organizing the trip wouldn’t have to pay all of the money up front, and hosts would have more visibility into who’s staying in their home since they’d be able to see profiles of everyone who contributed.

But we heard from you that holding your listing for 72 hours while waiting for all of the guests to pay was inconvenient. We considered the overall usefulness of this feature and its impact on the whole community and have decided to remove it in mid-September 2018. Any existing reservation that was paid for with Group Payments will be honored; we’re simply preventing new reservations from being made with Group Payments. We appreciate your feedback and will continue to work to build the simplest, most beneficial tools to support your hosting success.

[Roger257]

I imagine that the future helped guests and hosts.  We just needed a 24 hour time limit instead.

I think others agree.  Cheers!

[Jim414]

It seems to me that there is a very simple solution...

1. Give hosts the selectable choice to offer this option... or not, and if they do, with a selectable timeframe option of 24 hrs, 48 hrs or 72 hrs.

If a host doesn't like this option for their they don't have to offer it. If they want payment in 24hrs, they select it.

Everybody happy!

Easy!

[เชา-เพง-Shaopeng0]

Such a bad idea.... 

[Elaine14]

I've had groups wanting to book a house I manage on behalf of a friend, but because they all get paid at different times of the month, they tend to struggle to get all the money collected on time.  As I was certain they genuinely wanted to book - and this was actually before the group booking system was put into place  - what I did was to block off the dates for them manually , until such a time that they all had their money available.  This actually meant it was blocked off for over a month, not just the mere 3 days being discussed here.  As a caring host, I was happy to help this group to be able to book the accommodation they needed to have while they were to be attending a course together. 

[Dinah9]

I find all the negativity on this conversation a bit depressing.  Not saying that I have not been guilty of it too. I can be just as negative!  So I just wanted to say that 99% of the time air bnb get it right.  They have been a lifeline for us and we have had a great time being hosts.  So thanks for all you do and for listening to us, even if we don't always like your response.   There are sooo many worse organisations to work for.

[Rebecca662]

I am disappointed hta the group payment function will be discontinued without a trial of a reduction in time to contribute payment within a much shorter time - say 12 hours. I host a 8 bedroom house and a 12 bedroom house, and group payment function is a convenient and easy way for my guests to book.I am happy, as a host to wait for payment. Rebecca

[Downtown-Rentals0]

I completely agree with others that it’s a

grest concept but the 72hr window was the problem.

i can’t believe how Airbnb does not listen at all

[Melissa654]

There is no need for group payments. With applications like Zelle and Venmo the primary guest can book via their credit/ debit and friends can pay them directly. It was insane to have guests take 3 days to pay. I’ve had reservations cancelled due to payment issues and my listing was off the calendar for days. 

Keep that aspect simple and don’t over complicate booking process please!

[Duane4]

Why not give guests the ability to get pledges before they book. The only thing that bothered me about group payments was the 72 hours. Most of the ones we got were well less than 72 hours however.

Is it really any different than when a group books and can't only get the money for the first payment and than cancles because they can't make the final payment?

As was said by others, just another good idea that's being removed because of one flaw with the system. 72 hours is just too long to wait.

[John26]

Group payments are not the problem, it’s the implementation. It would have been nice to have groups confirm the reservation. If one or two members didn’t pay their portion then that amount would have to be paid by the remaining members.  

[Jiw0]

Great news!   This was super annoying.  Also it facillitated the type of group where some backpackers meet up at some location and then decide to 'team up' and share an AirBnb in some other place to save costs.  These are then peopel without much of a relationship together leading to all sorts of problems.

[Theresa53]

I think group payment are great!!!!   It help making the payment  where the group all can put thier money in to make the rental for the house.   I had one group participate and it was excellent.

[Jennifer660]

I complained about this feature and am glad it was removed. People pay instantly when they book. Why should a group have more time to pay and meanwhile block your listing, whether for 12 hours or 72. It is not my problem how they coordinate and how they get repaid by their friends. My listing was tied up for several days, they finally all paid, and then promptly canceled. It was more aggravation than it was worth.

The only way I could see this working where it did not negatively impact the host would be to allow one person to pay and then others could copay and the original person would get reimbursed by AirBnB. But it seems like more trouble than it would be worth.

[Dennis248]

As a host, I wasn't a fan of this feature, so I won't miss it. Nevertheless, it's pretty common at restaurants these days for a group to hand the server a bunch of credit cards and let him/her figure it out. My point is that it's convenient for guests, who have come to expect flexibility. The length of the delay was the problem for hosts, so shortening it might have been the better fix.

[Sarah977]

@Jennifer660 Actually, guests have 24 hours to pay now. I agree that the payment should be instant.