Low Ball offers - how not to impact on search results. What's the best strategy?

[Nidhi---Sam0]

Hi airbnb'ers,

We are increasingly finding people making crazy offers by way of seeking unrealistic discounts for long term stays - the latest...£60 per night for a 2 bed flat in central London. I mean it's so unrealistic.We started declining  these - and then realised that if this goes on and we keep declining, it won't do our ratings any good. And then we thought of sending a special offer and we did this a couple of times, but they never responded. Apart from which, when people low-ball you to that extent, do you REALLY want to have them in your flat/house - they're bound to find something wrong and complain bitterly giving a low star rating, thereby ruining our business. So what to do...?

[Sarah977]

@Nidhi---Sam0  If these are in the form of an inquiry, you don't need to waste a decline. Just messaging back within 24 hours is all you have to do.

If it's a booking request, message telling them you don't offer discounts and urge them to withdraw the request right away so they will be free to look for a place that fits their budget. If tjey withdraw it before the 24 hours runs out, you won't have to decline.

[Emilia42]

Do nothing; other than respond with "There is a long-term discount built into the price. Good luck in your search." 

Inquiries need not a pre-approval nor a decline. Just written text that implies 'not interested.'

[Lisa723]

@Nidhi---Sam0  @Emilia42 @Sarah977 

Guests cannot send a booking request or an inquiry for a lower rate than you are offering. All they can do is include some text that asks for a different one. If you approve the inquiry/request you are not approving the lower rate. You are approving the booking at your advertised rate. So that’s what I would do, and if the guest doesn’t want to pay that rate it’s on them to not book, or cancel.

[Sarah977]

@Lisa723  Yes, and that would be a good thing to message the guest to get them to withdraw a request. "No, I don't offer discounts. If you wish to proceed with the booking at the stated price, I will accept the request- if you don't wish to proceed, withdraw the request ASAP so you don't get charged."

[Nidhi---Sam0]

@Lisa723 Right, I get that. But when you do this, ie approve the booking at your advertised rate, are you not then blocking the calendar for 24 hours while they, presumably, do nothing?

[Lisa723]

@Nidhi---Sam0pre-approving an inquiry does not block your calendar— and there’s no real need to pre-approve an inquiry anyway, you just need to respond. Yes, accepting a request to book will block your calendar until the guest cancels. If that is a problem for you you can do as @Sarah977 suggests and tell them to withdraw the request if they don’t wish to be charged and have to cancel.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Nidhi---Sam0 Approving an inquiry is actually a major irritant if you are a guest. When I was recently approved as a guest I was then bombarded by irritating Airbnb messages to finalise my booking even though my plans had changed.

[Helen3]

If you are getting a lot of these make it clear up front that any discounts for longer stays are incorporated into your booking rate and additional discounts won't be considered @Nidhi---Sam0