It's high time to remove all fees and let guests and hosts win!

[Frederic54]

The Hospitality industry, and Gig Economy are bound to change dramatically. Airbnb's hosts and "exchange platforms' operators", who once thought they were part of a genuine partnership, are awakening to the cold reality that they were merely pawns to corporations willing to dismiss them in a blink of an eye, overriding policies, and ignoring their commitments. This pandemic has shed a laser beam light on decaying models and forces governing the majority of these multi-billions $ organizations.
- Fees, specifically platform fees (15% paid by guests, up to 10% paid by hosts), and payment transaction fees (up to 5%) must disappear!
- For consumers, real actual benefits and added values are born from a purely organic, self-policing, highly distributed, open source and frictionless transparent ecosystem. Think of Blockchain transforming financial services!
- The hospitality war between traditional hotels and Gig economy platforms needs a truce. Most guests enjoy both the predictable hotel, and the personalized experiences. If they are to survive, they'll need to join forces.
*solicitation removed*

[Mikki0]

This is ridiculous. Anyone who thought they were in a partnership didn't understand Airbnb's business model. They are platform that provides a place for those looking to share a place to stay with those looking for a place to stay. Toss in a couple of perqs, like insurance policy, payment handling. And you get that for a measly 3% (in my case) fee. It's like thinking your a partner with Match.com. 

If you don't like it, build a website for your listing, pay the merchant fees, charge for background checks and go into business for yourself. 

[Frederic54]

Thanks Mikki. I think that's what ** is offering basically a completely free, no fees whatsoever App for hosts, guests and even hotels to boost fill rates without the "middle man" aka VRBO, Airbnb, booking.com etc...

**[Link removed in line with Community Center Guidelines]

[Sarah977]

@Frederic54 So if this site you posted doesn't charge any fees, how do they make money? I'm sure they haven't done it for altruistic reasons.

[Frederic54]

that's correct! $0 fees ever! The business model relies on Blockchain and crypto currency pegged to Gold and converted to fiat stable coins = meaning you get paid the same in your bank account in USD$, or Taiwanese $ or pesos...The model is open source, organic growth and the income will come with ancillary services such as airport pick up recommendations,  cleaning or insurance...In any events Guests and Hosts will save at least 15% to 20% in these stupid fees...

[Sarah977]

@Frederic54 Well, you may as well have written that in Swahili for how understandable your explanation was to me. I don't know anything about what Blockchain means (yes, I've looked it up and even the explanations that are supposed to be designed to be simple don't make sense to someone who isn't versed in techie talk), cryptocurrency, fiat stable coins, open source or organic growth. 

And I wouldn't be one bit interested in airport pick-up services, cleaning, or insurance.

Is this something you are involved with on a business level? Because I see you've posted this in multiple threads around the forum, as well as this one.

[Frederic54]

Am a super hosts with many properties in the US and Internationally...I have grown extremely frustrated with these platforms! Am in tech, and currently working in tech. Bottom line: I believe that charging any fees is just a broken model for the value delivered. I believe in the case of Gigoyu (that's not my company by the way!), even you don't want any services, you are welcome to use the platform. Who does not want a free, open, and transparent service...? I certainly have been waiting for this for a long time! #takecontrol (back)

PEACE

[Sarah977]

@Frederic54  A platform that uses language to explain how it works that only techies can understand isn't what I would call transparent. 

There's a ton of stuff about the way Airbnb runs its business that I find super objectionable, but paying a 3% service charge isn't one of them.

[Mikki0]

@Frederic54 Oh, I see. Blockchain, cryptocurrency, gold - because no one has ever lost money with those incredibly unstable services. You think you'll  be able to find guests (or they find you), and pay no fees, and survive, with a promise of income to come with ancillary service recommendations?  More power to you. 

I pay 3% for all the services Airbnb has to offer, not your "up to 10%". For that, I get a link on a website, an insurance policy, customer service, peer reviewed guests, no hassle direct deposit, and a community. Not to mention positive cash flow. Your recommendation sounds like way more effort and risk to get to where I'm already at.

I learned long ago that anyone offering anything for free, is never offering anything for free. 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Frederic54 The website is a joke. All the links take you back to the front page. It feels like something that is too good to be true so it probably is. I would love to be proved wrong however!

[Helen3]

Your post just looks like a cheaply veiled plug for this website @Frederic54 

It is just simply ridiculous to believe that a listing platform re run a huge global marketing platform without charging guests or hosts fees. Who is going to pay for the portal? Who is going to pay for customer services? Who is going to pay for the staff to develop the site? to market it? for their legal team? for their policy team that advocates on behalf of STRs?

Love to hear your thoughts on how a site that doesn't charge any fees can monetise and market itself.

[Frederic54]

Hello. Well...It's based on the highly distributed and open source model Blockchain technology. The idea is to build a highly organic self policing app, and move away from traditional models. I mean ultimately what does Airbnb do?They broker a financial transaction and help fill a calendar...At the core its payments and scheduling and I think guests and hosts has had it with these stupid fees...Running this with technology is close to free or very low cost. Anyways...that's my $0.02 and I will definitely give it a go. Peace

[Robbie54]

Highly organic? Lol what is this nonsense? 

[Sarah977]

@Frederic54  " Well...It's based on the highly distributed and open source model Blockchain technology. The idea is to build a highly organic self policing app..."

Again, you seem incapable of explaining this in a way that a non-techie can understand.

[Helen3]

@Sarah977  by 'organic' Freddie means this Airbnb 'rival' is not going to invest any money in marketing and advertising to promote listings and attract guests;  but instead will rely on word of mouth marketing such as PR, media relations, SEO.

This new website which he just 'happened upon',  made him so joyous that he couldn't help himself but to rush here and join this community so he could litter the forum with links to this wonderkid website.

The wonderkid STR website on the block has no contact details, you can't enter the site without registering and  it has no information about the partners behind it, doesn't tell you what it offers or how it is marketing itself .

It is planning on monetising it's website by including lots of advertising links on the site for host related products. So a standard commission-based marketing model.

Talk about trying to take hosts on this forum as fools.....