Random Search Dates???

[M199]

@Stephanie   @Sybe , @Quincy

Can you explain a major issue with the "latest Airbnb version update" please!!

IMHO there is a major flaw in the search engine relating to booking availability dates.  Having, as a guest, searched local Airbnbs, 1 guest. Yes, I know all my local competition,  STR, BNB, hotels, motels, trailer parks, camp grounds.. After getting beyond the weekend, week, month etc on Airbnb,  I looked at multiple local listings the "avaliable dates".  In every listing the "available date" was some random date in the past or future not related to anything definable.  For example, searching today,

 (May 28, 2022), some listings show dates for bookings prior to May 28, 2022.  As well , others show weeks in October 2022, when there are earlier weeks/dates available.

Can anyone explain??  I can't understand how this discrepancy can benefit Airbnb, hosts or guests.

Below are screen shots of my listing .  If you would like to PM me, I will be happy to refer you to other listings. Just to clarify  the search  screen shot shows October 20-27 , the first weekly availability shows September 18, a month earlier.

 

 

[Emiel1]

@M199 

Your second screenshot shows september 18 as first possibility to book a week.

Are you saying "searching for a week" shows oktober 20-27 as first oppertunity to book ?

[M199]

Hi @Emiel1 

Exactly!!! We hve a neighbour Airbnb, we work together.  After the upgrade, the site showed availability of availability dates after available dates, as per my screen shots. 

Other local Airbnb rentals show 2023 as availability, even though 2022 dates are available. I can send links.

At this point, like Laura, we're working to the end of 2022 and we're done with Airbnb.  I  signed on, despite my husbands objection to the Airbnbs negative party reputation because local property manager didn't have the global appeal. This year, we have international guests, 1 family from the UK, and 2 separate families from France.

It has been an experience, but now, having had 1 missed and 2 less than expected guest reviews,we're done.  Selling our 23 year cottage and bailing.

Airbnb, IMHO, has lost it's  heart and soul to corporate stakeholders.

[Emiel1]

@M199 

You have great reviews and average rating is very high (4.94) !

I noticed your listing is categorized by Airbnb under CHALETS

The issue you mention which is the search results is complicated to reproduce, but i will try.

BTW i only use the website (not the app)

[M199]

Hi @Emiel1 

Here's another one as of 5 minutes ago.  Blue Feather in Tobermory, Ontario hosted by Scott.  We know him because we hosted him last year and they so excited about the Airbnb experience, they decided to host as well. Showing May 6-13, yet dates available October/November 2022.  Btw, the May dates do not show in either 2022 or 2023.

To verify, skip dates and select 2 guests.

 

 

[Ruth413]

@M199 @Emiel1      I have found the exact same thing with my listings.  They are showing up results in 2023 when we have plenty available in 2022.  They are not showing up at all in weekend stays because my minimum is a 3 night booking - personally I think a 3 night stay over Friday, Saturday, & Sunday counts as a weekend stay !

Also when I search a full week.  It is showing as a split stay, even though the property is available for that week.  It is only when you zoom in to the exact place it then shows it is available for a full week.  And worse of all on the split stay option it is saying we are situated in Oxford which is around 100 miles from us !

You couldn't make it up it is so bad. 

[Emiel1]

@Ruth413 

Airbnb considers a weekend as a fridaynight + saturdaynight stay (The "weekend pricing' also affects only these days) . So indeed with minimum stay of 3 nights you will not show up on a search with options "flexible", "a weekend".

You own 3 listings about the same cottage + hut, offered in different variaties.

I was curious about catagories assigned and found:

Hut: TINY HOMES, CHALETS , SHEPHERD'S HUTS , COUNTRYSIDE

Cottage: COUNTRYSIDE

I noticed something remarkable when shown by category:

Listing photo in search is not always the main photo of the listing.

(BTW prices are in USD)

[Ruth413]

@M199 @Branka-and-Silvia0 

@Emiel1 Thank you for checking that out for me.  I have been trying to work out how to find out which category I am in myself but was finding it difficult.  In one way that is an approvement that I am at least placed in categories.  

Surprisingly though, I have had a booking for the cottage lately but absolutely zilch for the Huts and these were definitely the most popular beforehand being slightly quirky.  The views for both have dropped from around 20 plus a day to between 2-5 a day and I think half of them are me doing research !

The photo situation and the heading change really gets under my skin because I don't think the view is the best photo to show regarding the huts but it shows that way when you hit the countryside filter which in a way makes sense but still doesn't help.

Re the dollars situation, I am baffled by that one and the only thing I can think of it is worked out on who is looking and I think the viewer can change their currency settings ?

The really annoying thing for me is the split stay situation and being misrepresented in where we are situated.  I can just imagine a guest not realising that we are over 100 miles from Oxford arriving and then complaining.

It is interesting that they are showing how far away we are from you.  Is this new ? and I am wondering how relevant it is to guests. 

Also the "any week" selection is presumably not a full week then and as on my listings it is showing  for 5 or 6 nights.  Which is also slightly annoying as the Huts are available for a full week and it is only showing for the 5 or 6 days.  I just hope that future guests have the idea of putting in exact dates if they want a full week etc. and not just browse because that way it doesn't look as if I am available.  

So many things to fix !

[Emiel1]

@Ruth413 

Please do no bother about the USD, i use it myself as default currency when making screenshots, being a main currency in the world. The comment about is was just a warning...

The "distance" is new and seems to me less relevant.

I use the direct URL to the search system of a host to find categories attached, i explained it in a few other threads.

The search optiona used were "flexible", "1 week" which is the default.

A lot of hosts complain about less views.

Some reasons are:

- The default setting (flexible, 1 week)

- Wider search range (zoom level on the map) by default

- Results not limited to 300 results (as before)

- Change in (display of) filter options

- Price filter hidden now under "filters"

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Emiel1 @M199 @Ruth413 

I just searched without a destination selected, the Tiny homes, Chalets, Beach and Beachfront, Amazing pools and views, Farms and Earth homes category,  and it showed me homes in Croatia and Slovenia only

Other categories contain listings from all over the world

Not that we don't have iconic cities like Dubrovnik, or National parks or Chef's kitchens for example...or that only Croatia and Slovenia have Tiny homes, Beachfront and Chalets 😄

It's just totally weird

[Emiel1]

@Branka-and-Silvia0 

I tried it too and yes, some categories limit results to my own country (and sometimes adjecent countries). If you use the "show map" button it becomes even more clear: categories use different regions to search for results.

[Aj119]

This new release has messed up a lot of things and hopefully Airbnb tried to save face soon before it's to late. We've been hosts for 5 years with four properties, super host since the beginning and never came close to losing it, 4.9 starts overall with 500+ reviews. Typically fully booked and now it's radio silent! no bookings. Something is wrong with the code and very broken. 

[M199]

@Emiel1 , @Ruth413 , @Branka-and-Silvia0 

@Emiel1 ,  Thank you for your earlier compliment.

Your USD comment may explain why my listing price shows way higher than my listed CDN$ price, and I'm not getting the usual amount of bookings.  For that, I will check my settings which in the past have always been CDN$.  However, the first page shows a booking price that is way higher than my room rate.  I assumed that it included taxes, yet when clicking on "Reserve", the rate drops significantly.  Now I wonder!

Further to your last comment, that is quite likely, but doesn't explain when comparing the same search from the same location on a) mobile app, b) mobile app using browser website and c) laptop.

Just to add, using a laptop, I eventually found my place, but not until I scrolled in very close.  With regards to categories and "Chalet" is not on the list. As well, I can't find my listing in any other category, like Cabin or Tiny Home. 

Here's the list what I see when comparing the Laptop to the mobile app, I really need to wonder if things are so distorted that they vary by country or region.  Alphabetical would be a bonus! Another note,  as well, the categories in a mobile app vs laptop are in completely different orders.

Another question, if a guest finds their perfect place on their cell phone and they want to book using a laptop, how do guests connect the two?

LAPTOP SEARCH -the bolded italic items show on the mobile app and laptop.

1. All homes
2. Cabins
3. Lakefront
4. Amazing Views
5. Design
6. Camping
7. Tiny Homes
8. Yurts
9. Farms
10. Bed & Breakfasts
11. Barns
12. Iconic Cities
13. Countryside
14. Off-the-grid
15. National Parks
16. Amazing Pools
17. Boats
18. Vineyards
19. A-Frames
20. Islands
21. Skiing
22. Shared Homes
23. Domes
24. Ski-in/Ski-out

Mobile App Search - Not Included in the Laptop Search

1. Beach
2. Arctic
3. OMG!
4. Surfing
5. Tree Houses
6. Caves
7. Golfing
8. Earth Homes
9. Tropical
10. Luxe
11. Chef's Kitchens
12. Castles
13. Historical Homes
14. Mansions
15. Campers
16. Casas Particulares
17. Kezhans
18. Container
19. Minsun
20. Beachfront
21. Ryokan
22. Windmills
23. Shepherd's Huts
24. Desert
25. Towers
26. Houseboats
27. Creative Spaces
28. Trielle
29. Riad
30. Dammusos
31. Lake

[Emiel1]

@M199 

I did not discuss USD regarding your listing , as it was a reply on another member (Ruth413)....

Search system:

The search system uses a lot of "hidden" parameters, which the guest has no control over.

Like the search history of the guest, the location of the guest and much more "gathered information" we do not know.

(We can read-out the cookies, but not being able to interpret what the values are used for on the platform...)

So it means SAME searches can come with different results each time.Also the amount of categories shown will vary, as you also discovered. And also the platform (app/website) used can give different results. BTW a listing found on the app can easily be booked on the website, you need the listing number (or URL)

Your listing is (only) categorized under "CHALETS", I use the direct URL to the search system to check this. Which is more reliable the a general search, as it concentrates only on the listing(s) of the specific host.

BTW

Until now I could not reproduce the issue with the "availability".

But will try again later.

[M199]

@Emiel1 , @Branka-and-Silvia0 , @Ruth413 

Interesting to note that none of the Admins initially tagged have responded.