Guest asking for discount (Warning for Hosts)

[Anna12448]

Hi Everybody,

I thought I would post about a recent experience I had from a guest that had inquired about a discount. Now I've read in other posts most hosts don't do discounts due to how competitive Airbnb pricing can be however, this guest had claimed to be a return guest of mine. 

Now I would love to give any of my return guests a deal for booking again, and since I'm a new host I definitely could use the long term customers. But I was still a little wary on the discount since she was asking on a very popular holiday weekend. I looked into this guest's profile and found she had only one stay on her profile and it wasn't at my Airbnb. Of course, I assumed either another profile such as a significant other or friend had booked their previous stay, so I asked her for that name which she replied that she's surprising her significant other that had booked before and his name "John, Joe, or Jay." So very vague name and no dates mentioned. Fortunately, I have not had many bookings being this new to hosting so I never had anyone under those names that had booked me. 

I was wary of pressing on since I would be embarrassed to question someone so much who said they've stayed with me before but I mentioned I didn't see anyone of that name and asked what dates she stayed. After all this, I was stressed about having her even book since I felt she would be upset from jumping through hoops of questions and if she stayed with no discount she may leave me a bad review for all of this. Come to find out she never got back to me at all. Meaning she lied about being a return guest all to receive an undeserved discount on a holiday weekend. Not only did this stress me out, but I felt very uncomfortable almost booking a guest that was so willing to lie to me just for a possible $20 cheaper stay. Made me question what else she would be willing to lie about if she did stay and something happened. For all the other hosts out there, do you think I should report this profile? And please be warned on this! It will be much harder to prove this person didn't stay with the more reservations you've had.

[Basha0]

Hi Anna! I don’t really have a comment on your topic but are you part of the Sonoma Airbnb group? We have a meet up on Saturday. It’s a great group and very supportive.

My rental is also in Forestville 

[Anna12448]

Hi There @Basha0 !  I would love to join the group! Are you on here or facebook? I usually work weekends so we will see if I can make the meeting.

[Basha0]

@Anna12448 there is a Facebook group: Sonoma & Napa Region Airbnb Host Community 

Tomorrow is a meeting with Supervisor Gorin to discuss the proposed tourism tax

let me know if you can’t find the group 

[Anna12448]

I found it! Thank you!

[Helen744]

Anna12448, Anna most people offer discounts for weekly or monthly stays otherwise they tend to set their rates in relation to others nearby and adjust for 'as you say 'busy weekends'.If someone was asking for a discount then that is not a worry just move on and keep an eye on reviews and Ids .... Good Luck.. H

[Anna12448]

It's good to know that regular stays aren't regularly discounted. I wasn't sure if I was out of the loop on that one.

[Huma0]

@Anna12448 

How odd. I have had quite a few guests return for another stay and none have ever asked me for a discount. I have given some of them discounts, but that was offered from my end.

It sounds like you dodged a bullet and good on you for asking the questions. I know you are new to hosting and you don't want to put people off, but asking guests for whatever information you need to feel comfortable hosting them is not making them jump through hoops, it's necessary. Like you said, if she could lie about this, what else would she lie about?

People who are this cheap often do not make good guests anyway and are less likely to leave you a positive rating, especially for value, as they don't understand the value you are already offering. And I have also been stung by a guest who asked for a discount, was told no, booked at the advertised rating and then left 3*. When asked why, she said she had a lovely stay but "It was over my original budget." 

[Anna12448]

Thanks for the feedback! I really appreciate it. It really just threw me off and I really look into my guests since I also live on property. I just thought it would be good for other hosts to take note of as well.

[Gillian166]

@Anna12448  good on you for pressing but I 100% resonated with this " I was wary of pressing on since I would be embarrassed to question someone". this is our agreeable nature at play, where we think like a chessgame and don't want to push people into an unfavourable situation. 

but this part "After all this, I was stressed about". NO. this is where we agreeable types need to STOP.  She is a shark and you are now stressed about whether you upset her? NO. I am learning these lessons late (I am now 50) but I will be sharing them when I can. This guest probably learned this trick on some blog, but was too dumb to check how many stays you've logged. And you are correct, she's willing to lie to save $20? that means she's willing to lie about the broken wine glass, and possibly lie about staining your linens too.  

[Anna12448]

I think my main worry was offending a returning guest for not believing them. Thats something I was going to feel so bad about if that were the case because I've had only wonderful guests so far. So this little trick she tried to pull put way more stress on me than just trying to deny a guest I've never met before. 

I think you're right though, we need to stand strong as this is our property and people willing to lie to us are not the ones I would like staying. 

Thank you for the support and I hope this helps others keep an eye out for things like this. 

[Gillian166]

@Anna12448  I actually have a card in my listing encouraging returning guests to book directly and i do give them a discount in that case. 

[Susan990]

Yes repor this profile in detail to her profile page immediately.