Little red price flashes

[Andrew157]

One feature of our local airBnB site is the little red price flashes. They appear on the listing and on the location map. A guest has raised a concern about them and out listing. She was looking to book in June 2017 which for our two person apartment is high season and was viewing from Australia. Her concern was for our listing the red flash and the final quoted nightly rate was different. In fact the difference was in the region of Aus$20 or 5% of the price.

We had a discussion about this and she is happy to book at the price we have set which is £70 per night with £15 cleaning fee. I think she accepts this is good value compared with other apartments locally of the same standard. She is the first guest to request the apartment be set up as two single beds which is a fairly unique feature of our place.

Now I suggested she discussed the price flashes with airBnB. Apparently she did and was told I had control over them. If I do I must have missed that button.

My thoughts are they contain a price which is a result of an algorithm of all the prices set. So as I have put the whole of 2017 on which includes high season and the December and January  low season our average is low whereas the other hosts who have only entered a few weeks have an average which is accurate.

I have also checked on the airBnB.com.au site they have a similar feature and I sww we are in the top twenty properties in the Lakes District National park according to them.

My concern here is to ensure that out listing is as accurate as possible.

Anyone any thoughts?

[Steve143]

Hello @Andrew157,

What does she mean by the "final quoted nightly rate"? Is it her payment total divided by the number of nights?

If yes, then that will be higher than your set nightly rate because it includes your cleaning fee and Airbnb's service fee.

When I look at your listing using Aus $ the red flash says $128/night for the 11th to the 14th of June. The cleaning fee is $25 and Airbnb's fee is $61 so the total is $446 which for 3 nights is $148 or $20 more than your set nightly rate.

Aye, you control it in the sense that you set the nightly accommodation rate + the cleaning fee onto which Airbnb adds their % fee.

Steve.

[Andrew157]

Her message read

Hi Andrew I just wanted to check the price with you as it states $99 per night (plus other fees) but then it is actually $117? I went back to check other accommodation and what was listed as the price per night was the same price when I requested a booking with theirs. Why is your actual price higher than stated initially? Thanks ........

I explained about the additional costs etc. Also I have no idea what rate of conversion airBnB use from UK£ to Aus$ and whether it goes via EUROS as they are based in Ireland

[Steve143]

Hello @Andrew157,

She doesn't really explain when she sees AUD $99 and what she does to result in it showing $117.

One possibility is that she sees $99 before she enters any dates. I see $100 before I enter dates. So your base price may be set, on your calendar under "Pricing settings", to be that. When she then enters dates she'lll see the price you have set for those dates.

When I enter checkin on the 12th and checkout on the 15th of June I see $117.

If this is what she's doing then it may be that the other places she's mentioned have their base price set and have not set different prices for specific dates. In that case she'd see no difference between the red flash price before and after entering her dates.

Steve.