My price rule doesn't seem to have an effect

[Martin949]

I have tried to add a Price Rule for my listings though a price rule. The price rule limits the booking to minimum 7 days and that part works when I test. I have also added a 50% price increase and were expecting that to be added on top of the Smart Price for the listing. When I look at the prices it shows the same price for dates with the price rule and without the price rule. I have tried to deactivate the smart price, but then I have to add a manual price, and then that is the price showing, not anything with +50%. 

Any ideas why this doesn't work?

Best wishes
Martin Johnsen

[Paula]

Hello @Martin949,

I am tagging two of our most experienced Hosts here to see if they would like to share some insights: @Joan2709 and @Mike-And-Jane0.

Regards,

[Joan2709]

Hi @Martin949 

Can you please post a screen shot of your price rule (do you mean a Rule Set under Pro Tools?). We would need to see the details of the Rule Set as you can combine both length of stay and price increase/decrease on the same Rule Set. However, you cannot apply 2 different Rule Sets on the same date.

Rule set with a min stay and a 5% Discount

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Joan2709 I am sure I applied two rulesets to the same dates. I did this when I didn't want anyone checking in/out for a particular week and yet was happy if someone was already there.

[Joan2709]

@Mike-And-Jane0 

I'll have to check that! I always thought you could combine discounts and min stay criteria to the same Rule Set, but didn't know you could apply two separate rule sets to the same date 🤔

Thanks Mike!

[Martin949]

Hi @Joan2709 
I have made this in the Pro Tools. For the red marked period I have added the "Sommer højsæson" where the price should be increased by 50% and check in and out should only be on a Saturday. The price of DKK 640 is the Smart Price, and as you can see there is no change to the price no matter if it marked by the Rule Set.

Can you see what I do wrong?

I have also tried to remove the standard setup of weekly and monthly discounts, but that does not seem to make a difference. 

Screenshot calendar

[Joan2709]

@Martin949 

You'll have to turn off Smart Pricing if you want to use the Rule Sets. When you go to create a Rule Set, you'll see this note about turning OFF Smart pricing. Just choose the dates you want to use the Rule Set and click the dates on the calendar and add a manual price. Then apply the Rule Set:

You should see this callout on the Rule Set creation page:

Smart Pricing Overrules any Rule Set

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1168#section-heading-7-0

When you turn off Smart Pricing for specific dates, you'll see a broken arrow symbol on the calendar:

[Martin949]

@Joan2709 I have now tried to set the manual price to kr. 650, and still mark it with the rule set. Now I just see the price kr. 650.

[Joan2709]

@Martin949 

First be sure to look at the multi-calendar and the regular calendar to see if it is priced correctly. 

We don't use Smart Pricing (it's not very smart). When Airbnb says you'll have to turn off Smart Pricing to use Rule Sets, they may mean you'll have to turn off smart pricing for the whole calendar in order to use Rule Sets. 

Test this out. If you use Instant Book, turn it OFF while you are testing this. Turn off Smart Pricing by turning the slider to OFF on the calendar. Refresh your page and go back and see if the prices increased by 50% for the dates you applied the rule set.

If so, then Airbnb will not allow you to use Rule Sets to adjust pricing anywhere on the calendar with Smart Pricing on. You'll have to decide if you want to use smart pricing to adjust pricing and use your rule sets to handle the discounts for the different min stays you set. The alternative is to turn off Smart Pricing altogether and manually price and use your Rule Sets.

You could also use a third party pricing software like PriceLabs to handle this for you and not have to use Smart Pricing and/or Rule Sets at all.