Pricing

[Shannon772]

Hi everyone, As a relative newby to Airbnb, I am getting quite frustrated with the pricing options on this platform. I tried smart pricing for awhile and found that the prices range was ridiculous. The lows were SO low, just doable. So I turned smartpricing Off and entered into the calendar, the nightly prices I wanted according the season, with the prices increasing as the summer season approaches. So I checked the site and found that the prices are higher than I want. Airbnb doesn't seem to have any answers for me yet. Why is this so difficult?! Does anyone have any experience with this issue? Or can offer some advise?

Thank you

[Gordon0]

Welcome to the forum, @Shannon772. I haven't come across many who've used the so called 'smart' pricing, so you've probably done the right thing in turning it off. Are you aware that the price you set isn't the same as the guest pays? If you can explain what you think is wrong we might be able to help. 

[Shannon772]

Hi Gordon,

Yes I'm aware that the guests pay more than the listing price to include any taxes and cleaning fee but that is added after the person clicks on the listing, which should show the price I set. I set my nightly rate according to the season, so spring and summer rates will be higher than fall and winter. And also weekend rates are higher than weekdays etc. I don't know why my listing is showing a higher rate, before the listing is even clicked on and the dates added. I just talked with Airbnb support and the person was having a hard time understanding my problem. She is went as far to say that I could NOT have different prices in a month, so weekend rates had to be the same a weekday rates!? So we chatted about that and she did realize that she was incorrect. It's somewhat disturbing the support isn't more familiar with the pricing options on this platform. Finally she understood my problem and has sent it to IT. Hopefully this can be resolved soon.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Shannon772 the prices will be higher than those you set by about 14.2%+VAT (if applicable) + taxes (if applicable). Is this the issue you are seeing?

[Shannon772]

As far as I understand those prices are added after the listing is selected and the date are chosen.

VAT is not applicable in my case, I'm in Canada. Please see the image above, which I sent another person who was trying to help me, it illustrates my problem.

[Sarah977]

@Shannon772  Yes, VAT is applicable in Canada, where it is called GST.

[Shannon772]

Yes GST is 7% not 14% .

[Kia272]

@Shannon772 I'm not sure why smart pricing is such a challenge. Just set the low end at the minimum price you want to have on your listing. Then AirBnB can go crazy with pushing the price up according to demand, but the low price should not go lower than what you've designated. I set mine up like that since day one and haven't touched it since. 

I actually limit the high price too, but that's just me. I feel there's a fair top price for my listing, and I don't feel any need to get more money than that. 

I can't speak to why AirBnB is not displaying your prices correctly, but maybe try smart pricing again to see if that corrects the problem, at least for the time being. Good luck, Kia

[Shannon772]

Well if smart pricing actually in the way you describe, then by all means I still be using it. It was a nightmare, it priced my property far below my minimum. 

[M199]

@Shannon772 

Smart pricing works well IF you know how to use it correctly.

To give you an example....

We have Smart Pricing set up,  currently it is recommending $85 per night which it would apply for the next few months, including high season.  So any guest booking today may get that rate if not using minimum and maximum rates..  Yeah, no way!

Here's  the trick/hack or whatever the appropriate current terminology.

We have Smart Pricing on AND we set our minimum at $115 and our maximum at $300.  By doing this, the minimum will override the Smart Pricing lowest rate of $85 and still list at $115.  The same logic would apply to maximum rates.

The nice part is that come this July thru September, Smart Pricing automatically bumps up the rate to around $140 average per night, well above the current $85, and my minimum of $115.

I review my listing regularly and this has never failed to work properly

Hope that makes sense tk all.

@Sarah977, @Mike-And-Jane0 , @Kia272 , @Gordon0 

[Lorna170]

I am glad that it worked for you.  It consistently went below my minimum price setting during the period I was trying it out.   My minimum was set at 200 and my max was 400.  I had several bookings that came in with a nightly rate of 150, which has NEVER been an option.

[M199]

@Shannon772 

Also, keep in mind when pricing your local competitors.  I.E. other Airbnbs, hotels,  motel  Bed& Breakfasts to stay competitive.

[Shannon772]

I just off the phone with AIRBNB support and had several phones call from one person. I was first contacted by this person via chat and then I received a number of calls. No real solution was found and when I asked if there would be a difference in how the pricing is viewed in Airbnb.ca as opposed to Airbnb.com. This person's response was insane. She said AIrbnb.com has nothing to do with Airbnb.ca, and promptly hung up! What on earth!

[Sarah977]

@Shannon772  They really do seem to hire the most clueless people. 

Guests see pricing according to their own region. In Canada, the site  comes up as Airbnb .ca, in the US as Airbnb.com, in other countries differently again.

As a host, you don't need to concern yourself with that. All users will see the pricing in their own currency. So a US guest using Airbnb.com will see the price in US dollars, a Canadian using Airbnb.ca will see the price in Canadian dollars, a French guest will see the price in Euros, etc.

[Shannon772]

Thank you for your response Sarah. Yes I understand the prices in different currencies and the different domain extensions such .com, .ca, .uk etc. I tried to explain this to the support person but nope she wasn't getting it. Frighteningly inept. Still no answer to my question, though so it is somewhat frustrating. And my my chat history on this issue deleted...  ?