Anyone else not really feeling “Categories?”

[Richard531]

I've always felt that Brian Chesky was a little out of touch.  But I gotta say: I’m starting to feel that way more now than ever. It’s the same self-righteous attitude on his latest video, but his time he went a little too far and is taking the direction of the company with him.    

That is, the continued pounding of the war drum: "People can work from wherever they want now."  And it’s been discussed 100 times, but let’s remind everyone that this line of thinking forgets ~80% of the workforce/would-be travelers! 

Teachers, plumbers, garbage men, electricians, doctors, gardeners, therapists, restaurant workers, retail workers, delivery drivers, general contractors, mothers/fathers, THE STAFF WE DEPEND ON, like house cleaners, handymen, and our very selves as property managers and project directors of new listings.  None of them/us can, "Work from wherever they (we) want."  And never will we be able to work from wherever we want.  So the whole entry point is flawed from the start.  I get it, a billionaire CEO can load up his pooch and get on a ferry to an awesome 3 BR/ 2 Bath listing.  He can hole up there for a week and “work” while he does a couple virtual yoga class, gets food delivered, and has a masseuse to come to the home.  But everyone else? Not so much. 

It makes me cringe when he deduces that just because a portion of a portion of the workforce can kinda/sorta work from home now on a more consistent basis that the entire market would say out loud "Hummm, where should I go?" when contemplating travel plans.  That’s just not how it goes in the real world.

99% of us have a TIME in which to vacation and a DESTINATION in mind that we'd like to go to.  THEN, we book flights, and THEN we find our accommodations based on those parameters.    

The more conspicuous problem for "Categories" and thinking that, "People can work from wherever they want," is that the WFH mantra is slowly eroding as Covid-19 gets deeper and deeper into the rearview (THANK GOD).  It's all going to get back to normal.  And sooner than we think. 

Meanwhile, we’ll be stuck with these "Categories" as our guests are being peddled treehouses in Brazil and castles in Ireland when all they really want is a decent/cost effective beach condo in Miami or a house to enjoy with their family in the California Hi-Desert. 

I'm not one to just resist change!  But I think Airbnb really missed the ball on this.  

[Robin129]

I think you are closer to being right than wrong. 

Anytime there is significant change, especially without warning, there is resistance. I think it will take a few more weeks before we truly know if the mess we are dealing with now will work out favorably. 

I agree that many are ready to "get back to normal" but there are many that are not, and probably will not. The new battle is the energy and inflation tag team. How do we as hosts anticipate the guests shrinking descretionary  travel funds, provide value, and still make a profit?

[Jenny]

Hi @Richard531 

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

I've passed your post over to the team as feedback about the new changes.  

Jenny

[Gillian166]

so there's already a few threads on this, but hey, the more the merrier. let me re-post something I put in another thread, but with some bonus material for new veiwers, same as what you wrote. shorter. snarkier. ©

The whole premise of this rollout is flawed. 

hypothesis: nowadays people are working differently

conclusion: therefore they travel differently

what now??!  I've never been one for #followthescience but please, where's the hard data on this? 

did they undergo a personality transformation ( maybe... the last 2 years has left its mark on all of us in some way) - so suddenly they are interested in historic castles in france?

did they get a raise?  - and now can afford more expensive vacations ??
did they get more time off?  - and now have a whole month to vacation in France, with their dog. ???

oh, and let's assume that whatever is happening in Nth America behaviourally is sufficient research to roll out across the globe. Well nothing new there!!  ["summer" rollout haha] 
btw don't try to travel to Australia with your pet, we don't allow that, and we might make you do the world's cringiest apology video (see:Depp/Heard).

[Susan1188]

just posting a link to the original threads to try to keep all these feedback together.
https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Airbnb-Updates/Airbnb-2022-Summer-Release-What-you-need-to-know/...



@Jenny  

I'd like to chime in once again as the experience is evolving...

Before this new release, I felt I had hit a really sweet spot with the algorithm, getting viewed and booked by guests who were a perfect fit for me.  Almost eerily, many had something in common with me - having lived in a similar place, similar life, etc and I thought it was possibly due to the algorithm matching hosts and guests.  Needless to say when it's a good fit everyone has a wonderful experience!

I have now had several TRIP REQUESTS that I had to refuse, clearly people who did not read the listing, had nothing in common with my prior excellent guests, nothing in common with me, did not even fit the rules for instant book etc.  Had more in common with other guests I had refused or rated poorly or had to call client support about.

This makes sense, since you are now pushing out "surprising" listings on people who otherwise would not have found me - you're "selling" me to people I don't want as clients.  As a result it's a bad deal all around, not fun for them to get refused, not fun for me to see my conversion rate go down!

Please go back to the old system.

[Jenny]

Thanks for this, @Susan1188, I've added your thoughts to our list of feedback.

[Susan1188]

@Jenny 

It seems logical to me:

These guests have perhaps introduced a search another location - let's say, a Spanish town known for it's drunken free-for-alls, happy hour all day and foam party discos and topless bars. Whereas my area is a prime location for golfers, tennis, luxury shopping, and retirees.

Maybe they clicked on "Benidorm" or "Torremolinos" and then clicked on the category  "pool" or "view".  Update:  I'm almost CERTAIN this is the case because they each mentioned "I picked your place for the view / pool".

According to your new system,  the zone zooms out, way out!  and proposes my place to people who originally typed in "Torremolinos".  Because I did have a 2 day hole in my calendar and was proposing a great price.

These are guests who would not like it here, who would not respect my gorgeous place and annoy the neighbors and probably wind up arrested.

=> BEFORE the roll out:  I could give very deep discount and still get the same high quality guest

=> AFTER the roll out: if I discount my price, I'm bottom feeding the worst of he worst, groups of young people looking to party - they never would have thought to come to Marbella, because here they will get arrested for drunken behaviour and even stopped if shirtless in the street.  Thanks Airbnb for proposing "something different" to these holidaymakers with the new algorithm!

Please include this observation in your report!

Thank you Jenny!

[Jenny]

Thanks @Susan1188 - I've added that to the feedback!

Jenny

[Kristina46]

Me too! a lot of weird inquiries, some asking to communicate outside the platform, some clearly not reading a word. Others brand new users with no reviews. 

[Susan1188]

Lots and lots of brand new users.  
Not sure if it's linked to the "rollout".
Lots of people wanting to try airbnb, I'm finding lots of educating is necessary.

[Huma0]

@Kristina46 

I'm not getting a lot of weird enquiries because, since the roll out, I'm hardly getting any enquiries at all. I've had a total of seven enquiries and one (withdrawn) booking request in total across my three listings, which is really a dire amount.

Of these, almost all asked questions that are answered on the listing (Is the bathroom private or shared? Do I live there too?) but disappeared when provided again with the information or asked to read the listing. A couple seemed to have no clue where in London I was located. Again this info is on the listing. 

I am sure the low number of enquires/bookings is due to the Summer Release, but I am not sure if that is also what is causing mostly confused/unsuitable guests to contact me.

[Helen744]

@Huma0 I have been wracking my brains and have now tried to add the words 'Vacant now' and "check the calendar " into the opening words of my listing ,hoping to catch the eye of anyone who accidentally opens it ,because the weeks displayed for when I am available are too far in the future. I have also adopted your chalkboard idea which works a treat and thrills the guests but only after they are already here.Its a shemozzle because I am looking at vacancies right now  while people are being turned away by this odd  booking app. Prices are being adjusted down and that to a certain extent is okay because it is winter  but since I just managed to get super host back then it is not so good .I am relying on the tried and tested hosts to help steer this because we are in deep water I think . Some people are making out okay because for some reason , and I suspect it is geographical boundaries , I am not showing up properly on the map.  all the best H

[Helen744]

Also the couple that dont know where you are I hazard its because of the way the map is behaving. Its like throwing a dart at a moving dart board. I have also become even stricter with my guests because I have dropped my prices and am still IB, I really must have those ids and vax certs just to check whose ,who before any trouble can break out in that area. Its stressful and there are a lot of new players . All we can do is keep on keeping on. H

[Huma0]

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@Helen744 wrote:

@Huma0 I have been wracking my brains and have now tried to add the words 'Vacant now' and "check the calendar " into the opening words of my listing ,hoping to catch the eye of anyone who accidentally opens it ,because the weeks displayed for when I am available are too far in the future.

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Yes, it's ridiculous that we should have to resort to these kinds of measures. I think I will have to do some more investigation into which dates are showing as available for my listings. I know I am not getting views, so I suspect that is the overall issue for me, but why I am not getting any views may have less to do with categories than not showing in searches when the dates are actually available. I do have bookings going forward (were either made prior to the Summer Release or are repeat guests), but after those, nada.

Glad to hear the chalk board is working for you though! 

[Mark116]

@Richard531  I agree, it also feels surprisingly US-centric for a global company.  The 'information economy' itself never quite panned out, and certainly there are many parts of the world where work from home jobs will not be the norm for a long time, either because of the local economy or due to infrastructure limitations on wifi/electricity.  For a company that prides itself on diversity, commonality and being global, this roll out is oddly targeted to what is a niche customer--upper middle class 'Western' digital nomad.