Hardly any bookings since June 2024. One this month for two nights. What is the problem?

[Marisa182]

In June I had a full calendar, since then, hardly any bookings. I'm wondering if somethings is wrong with my place, or are people just not traveling?

[Shelley159]

Hi @Marisa182 

SInce you're at 4.97 over almost 200 reviews, I think we can safely rule out the "is something wrong with my place" part!

My next stop was to check if you're perhaps not ranking well in search results, but you're actually showing in second position for me in University Park, flexible dates, 1 guest.

Of course, your competition will show up in more searches as your limit is 1 guest, so that takes you out of many potential bookings. But this is not something that has changed since June. Also, I want to say you should try free cancellation to rank better, but I'm not sure this will help much if your ranking is high anyway.

Your price does seem to be on the high-ish end compared to other listings that are not an entire apartment or entire house. Usually you'll get punished for this in search results, but I wonder whether guests are perhaps seeing you, but thinking the price is a bit high? With your star rating it's not unreasonable to charge your price, but if I were you I'd spend some time clicking around other listings in the area to get a feel for whether, and by how much, I could drop my price to resuscitate bookings. Let's hope a small decrease will make a big difference?

[Marisa182]

@Shelley159   Thank you so much Shelley for your excellent suggestions. I have checked out some of the other Airbnb offerings in my neighborhood, and yes, they are a bit less, but I feel that my entire small apartment,

which, by the way, when a guest enters by a separate entrance they are always surprised at how roomy the space is, and how well it is set up with a large desk for guest who come for work reasons. Most of my guests, about 95%, I think, do come for work related reasons at the university which is close by, and a few returning guests book to spend time with family in my neighborhood, but prefer to have their own accommodations.

I can't, by law, chance the one guest rule, but also by choice, it has worked out so well for me since I opened up my home to guests. In the new year if the guest scarcity doesn't improve, I will have to make some changes. Thanks again, Shelley,

Best regards, and happy holidays!