Are you too getting ridiculous price tips?

[Stephanie27]

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

[Rob-And-Kate0]

Price tips aren't helpful for owners in general. Imagine if they took just a bit of their cash flow to hire temps to monitor the pricing at local hotels in key regions, then tell all of us how to be better priced but still retain good profit...now *that* would be a good owner service. Renters still get value pricing that they want too.  

[Andreas-and-Anna0]

Yes, I do and I have never agreed with it, even when I started. Always put in my own price. It’s suggestion, that all

[Victoria567]

Turn OFF the price tips in your setting.

Stick to your own price....otherwise it’s a race to the bottom and quite frankly I’m not interested in taking part.

[John1080]

If I used the price tips, I'd make half of what I make, and in fact, after costs would make nothing at all. 

[Herbert--Herbie-0]

Not only are price tips crazy low but what ever "data" they are based on is flawed, at least in my market place. I own a ski resort property in Vermont, and the price INCREASES sharply as ski season ENDS! I have told AirBnB about this but nothing has been done.

[Linds1]

Yes, thank you for bringing up this talking point!!!  I am a brand new host.  I procrastinated being a host for the last year and a half because every time I looked to see what other hosts in my area charge, I decided it was not worth the time and money to charge so little (Colorado Springs, I'm talking to *you*!).  It seems the hosts in my community have undercut each other to the point that they have ended up in a hole!  I wish other hosts in my area would agree to increase prices together because we are charging way under the market value for an area where people want to spend vacations.  It was not until I published that I realized that AirBnB actually prompts you to lower prices to meet a scoring system with them - if I don't make the grade, my BnB may not be seen by shoppers.  This was a surprise after reading, "you set the price."  I kept complying with AirBnB's messages to lower my price so my listing would be seen.  It was only this week that I realized this is an automated response and no matter how low the price is, they will always ask me to lower it. (I actually thought someone was reviewing my listing and thought I was charging too much, so to make the grade, I complied. I sent an email to AirBnb about it and was their response was not helpful in any way. 

When I moved to my area just over a year ago, I stayed in hotels for a month before hearing about AirBnB from my realtor.  I felt that the highest price I originally posted for my BnB was a bargain compared to what I spent on hotels, especially considering that hotels in the area regularly sell out, my guests get garage parking ($20 per night in a hotel), bottomless cups of *good* coffee and tea with their choice of creamer (I headed to a coffee shop each morning because the hotel coffee was terrible or we would get just one Keurig pod and horrible GMO or dairy creamers), plus free breakfast and snacks in addition to a larger and more comfortable suite.  And now our city is charging hosts, as well. Today, Airbnb is telling me to lower my price to $24/night!!!  I have my first guests here now and love hosting, yet I am still trying to decide if this is something I can afford to continue pursuing.  I have blocked my calendar except for weekends and special events for now (was originally scheduled to do this full-time).  

Hosts invest a significant amount of time and money.  It does not come without risks.  What we are doing has great value - more than a hotel room, in my opinion.  

[Marsha17]

I've been a host in Kansas City and now Wichita.  We cannot afford to use the Price Tips that Airbnb so cavalierly suggests to us.  You have brought up some information that I've never heard, like consumers won't see your home if you don't go along with the suggested price tips.  I used to live in Colorado Springs, so I know what you mean about it being a Vacation Destination.  

At any rate, the price suggestions once had me booking 5 large Brazilians for $17/night for a 1700 foot condo.  I turned it down, and then faced the rebuke from Airbnb.  I would have had to clean for weeks, as I have a total of 3 queen beds, and 2 twin beds.  

I have also learned the hard way that you must change your base price not only on the pricing page, but also on the calendar, as I have had guests book for less than my stated base price on the Pricing page. Upon discovering this, I looked everywhere, and found that my calendar still showed Smart Pricing!  

I love being a host, but I'm not fond of washing sheets, cleaning bathrooms and kitchens for FREE.  I have set a base price and now stick to it. Maybe I rent less often, but at least it's worth my time when I do.  

[Kimberly18]

my over the top suggested pricing was when the pricing tip for my 3 bedroom, 2 bath home 2 miles from downtown was suggested to be $47/night during the SUPERBOWL last year, when hotel rooms 30 miles away were going for 10 times that.  It's total BS. I now list on other sites and get much more reasonable responses.  I make 3 x more to rent a room in my house than these yutzes think I should charge for the whole upper end house rental.  and the fact that they execute punitive measures if you don't accept ridiculous offers or people you can't even verify.  no thanks.

[Meta4]

Good tips thank you. I too have had to accept a very low price booking for a week on this coming Sunday. Must check on the calendar too as per your suggestion.

[Meta4]

I've had to accept a week of stay on this coming Sunday for E18/night as it was instant booking. My electricity bill that will be spent on Aircondition they'll use would be 3 x of that price here in Jakarta, Indonesia. I don't know how for the guests not to use the AC.

[Marsha17]

When we travelled to Thailand, they had a meter on the electricity, and we had to acknowledge the reading when we arrived, and then when we left, so that they could charge us separately for Air Conditioning.  

[Jeffry6]

you can charge extra for electricity and cleaning fee but then your price will become less attracctive. It is always different side of a coin. Will you after higher sales volume or higher net sales? Good luck for choosing between those two...

My advice? just do what you want and enjoy to do...

[Iksa0]

I never use the suggested price, because it asked for lower price all the time. 

[Savvas10]

Sure i'll follow suggested price if airbnb comes here to change sheets and clean the rooms.

Also pay the electric bill.