Are you too getting ridiculous price tips?

Are you too getting ridiculous price tips?

I am finding that the price tips given by Airbnb are just crazy low, they wouldn;t cover the cleaning and laundry...anyone else feel the same

178 Replies 178
Sion2
Level 10
SF, CA

Yes! The average hotel room in San Francisco is 400 a night. And do not give the amenities I do. But thankfully only one guy dinged me four stars for value “because it’s too expensive and not your fault “. Logic fail. Other guest say I am under valued but even when fully booked the price suggestions are very discouragin

Angelyn1
Level 4
Lubbock, TX

How do we as hosts fight the lowball pricing on Airbnb.

it is insane and new hosts keep coming on and driving the prices even lower.

 

I don't follow Airbnb's Price Tips. They are so totally ridiculously low! If you follow them, you will be in a race to the bottom, you will attract only the people who have no $ - and you don't want them! And, you will be working for less than $0!

 

I am pricing my place high enough to make it worth my time, but a little less than nearby hotels.  I offer far too much to give my home away for FREE.  I think Airbnb is totally wacko on this! 

Alex670
Level 2
Phnom Penh, Cambodia

I looked at the price tips when I listed my apartment recently. It was suggesting $27 for November (start of the peak tourist season in Cambodia), and gradually increasing to $46 in May (when it's the hottest and start of the wet season). So they obviously have no idea about local seasonality.

 

I also find it odd they show me "properties similar to yours" which are hotel rooms and not entire apartments so perhaps they could start by comparing apples to apples.

Olga6
Level 5
London, United Kingdom

Definitely no idea about local situation!

1. Local seasonality (fo instance, in London October and November are very busy months)

2. Property price on in particular city / area (prices make no sense).

3. Lastly, but most important: as we have now max 3 months a year Airbnb rental rule prices should go 3 times up, not persistantly down. I am now 25% down in price (iven though I do not follow price tips) much that my rental limited to 90 days per year. Where is the logic?

Kimberly18
Level 3
Minneapolis, MN

well, just to demonstrate that this has no sensibility- they are sending out notices to lower the pricing and the SUPERBOWL is during the time they are suggesting lower market rates.......they are idiots. ignore them

Antonio566
Level 1
Edinburgh, United Kingdom

I think the price is made out from an algorithm, clearly set with the wrong criteria...

Airbnb probably starts from the average price in the area (with no difference between entire place or room)  minus whatever percentage for a new host , minus whatever percentage if there's no booking in the next whatever days, minus whatever percentage for good measure. 

 

I am not raising anyone to the bottom.

 I suspect based on a room shared in the hosts home as there is absolutely no relativity on their price recommendations. Race to the bottom more like and let everyone work for peanuts while they lord it up! 

 

Try Homeaway at least they seem to be getting their act together despite being swallowed up by Expedia & having been a little rudderless for the last few years. At least they don't try browbeating you with absurdly low pricing suggestions.

Carol-Lee1
Level 9
Montevallo, AL

I keep my prices up higher than the suggested prices because if I charged what AirBnB suggests it would turn into a flop house or party house.  My rates stay at the price I think is reasonable and gives me enough profit to make it worth the effort.  I don’t expect to become wealthy.  I live in a college town so I am trying to avoid students and druggies.  I have a maximum of two people, no guests.  So far I’ve not had a problem but I would if I lowered my rates.

Betsy13
Level 5
Houston, TX

The price tips are ridiculous.  They are also bogus.  Airbnb says the price tips are supposedly based on what others are charging.  But from what I can see, they are just a scam to get us to reduce our prices.  Case in point - my rate for this coming Saturday was $179.  They said others were charging closer to $163.  I changed it to $159.  I checked price tips again. Now for the exact same night they say other are charging $140.  They make money if they get more bookings because they just take a commission.  We, on the other hand, have bills to pay.  Don't fall for it.  Set a fair price.

Gaz--Gary-0
Level 4
London, United Kingdom

Price Tip suggests dropping your price by 241%

 

Yeah, because the right price for a 6 bedroom, 2 bathroom traditional Swiss ski chalet in Switzerland in the middle of the winter ski season is $50 per night for the whole thing...  Those 12 guests can pay $4 per night each - sweet deal, Thank you Price Tips calculator!

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Olga6
Level 5
London, United Kingdom

Hahaha! I am coming!

Matteo75
Level 2
Genova, Italy

It is too easy for airbnb just set the price so low...without any real study behind...i didn't use this tool to set my price...usually i start with a medium price until the 50% of the monthly night are booked that i rise the price...

Rick159
Level 2
Portsmouth, NH

AirBNB price tips are poorly developed and harmful to new users. They have no basis on real market data and the cost to rent your property to guests. Successful hospitality owners will tell you that pricing your property at 70 to 80 percent below market is a detriment to future business and ends up costing more than if you left the rooms vacant. Pricing tips are misleading and I believe causing new and less experienced owners to accept them and cause market disruption. A prime example is a hot market where all the properties are booked well in advance. I just brought on a new property and have no guests this weekend. Pricing tips suggested lowering my nightly price from $275 to $44 for Friday night. Crazy right? When all I had to do was wait 24 hours and I received a booking at full price. AirBNB please help your owners and stop strong arming them into slashing their prices. What generates more revenue? 6 nights at $300 or 18 at $50? Come on AirBNB you are smarter than that. 

6 nights at $300 or 18 at $50 gives exactly the same revenue for Airbnb and a night at $50 sells better than a night at $300, so don't blaim Airbnb for a lack of smartness. Another issue is their business moral.