Public-facing price versus back-end price setting discrepancy causing loss of business...Help!

[John5979]

Has anyone else experienced a serious Airbnb pricing glitch that affected bookings? We host a well-established property in Somerset, VA with years of strong performance on Airbnb. Then, we experienced a sharp decline in bookings in 2025, followed by literally no activity this year, yet, including during what is normally one of our busiest wedding and tourism seasons. After months trying to understand what was happening, we discovered an approximate $500/night discrepancy between our backend pricing settings and what appeared publicly on our listing. Now the reason for this inactivity became clear and our hearts sunk. How long has it been this way? We got this issue fixed for a few days...and it has now reappeared. We have escalated. Has this happened to anyone? And if so, was Airbnb ultimately able to fix it? Thank you. 

[Emiel1 · Accepted solution]

@John5979 

I looked at your listing. I noticed you charge an extra guest fee (approx USD 125,-) for every guest after the first guest.

This is rather unusual when offeing a whole house. It will increase the base price per night for 6 guests significally.

Added screen shots: for a 3  nights stay:

6 guests:

1 guest:

[Karen114]

Wow good catch @Emiel1 !

[John5979]

Your reply resolved my problem. Thank you very much for taking the time to explain this to me. What I was trying to convey was that the whole house sleeps 6 at a certain amount per night, and guest number 7 would have to pay an additional amount...The system was interpreting, I believe, that the whole house had a price and every one of the 6 guests would have to pay an additional amount. Working with Specialized Techs now to make sure this is the case. If you have a moment and look at it again, hopefully, this won't happen when you enter the number of guests. Thank you again! 

[Emiel1]

@John5979 

Seems OK to me now, booking form calculates now same price for the house if occupied by 1 to 6 guests.

[John5979]

Understood. Much appreciated. Thanks for checking again and letting me know. All best. 

[Marie8425]

@John5979 

A thought maybe there was a slump in after Jult, can just happen not because your listing has a problem.  Now it is a long time no coversions. the Airbnb computer says low interest so ut keeps putting your lusting lower which decreases your traffic more.

Easy to fix your Overall Ratinfg is excellent, a lirrle work to rebuild traffic again.

Airbnb computer reads Date Modified to see if Host is being active.  You want to update your listing regularly when you ptsh Save yhay date is updated.

Airbnb Guidebooks great for potential Guests but also read by General Internet Search Engines  wken responding yo quries for lodging.

Creaye an Airbnb Custom Link,copy the link posting on Social Media pages it is a picture ad foryour listing.

Airbnb Cusyom Discounts do the 20% discount Airbnb will provpde marketinf.  I do 4 differenr days for four different weeks that is 4 different Airbnb zMarketing.

Your listing has great Reveiws, rebuilding traffic is usially a couple of weeks, then your normal traffic will come back.

[John5979]

Thank you, again. This is very helpful.