Question for Forum on Pricing: What Guests See - Price per Night.

[John1574]

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I’m looking at listings in my area and I find a place that is a competitor of mine with an “Entire Home” type listing, and the search blurb lists it at $78 per night, but when you click on the link there is no price per night. This is the listing:

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/13524144?location=Providence%2C%20RI%2C%20United%20States&s=oFAPvXgE

I have to pretend to book to get pricing:  when I book for one, for two nights, it come up with a price of $229 for two nights, a far cry from $78 per night.

6/29 to 7/1 

1 guest  -  $229 x 2 nights

$458

Cleaning fee  - $50

Service fee -  $73

Occupancy taxes and fees

$40

Total  $621

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If I book two guests I get:

Guests 2

$179 x 3 nights  =  $538

Cleaning fee = $50

Service fee = $84

Occupancy taxes and fees = $47

Total = $719

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I understand this has to do with smart pricing.  But it sure looks deceiving to me if I'm a guest and my budget is under $100 per night and I clicked on her listing.

Is this host using a common pricing strategy to get more views and then employing a type of bait and switch on pricing?

I list my AirBnB at $130 per night for two people  (+$50 for each person over two)  so when search results come up guests have a realistic expectation of what they will spend.

I thought pricing was evident when guests went to book.  This looks deceiving or am I missing something?

What factor should go into setting your pricing:  is it better to set up, in “Pricing” (in your listing) a price of $78 per night for one guest and then set each additional guest at $78 also, which she appears to have done.

Am I optimizing my listing at $130 per night (plus $50 per night for each additional guest up to four): or would I do better setting it at $80 for one person and $50 per each additional person up to four?  Then for two people it would still be $130 per night. I just feel that if guests can't see the pricing structure it is a type of bait and switch, a practice I abhor.

I thought guests could see the pricing structure before booking.  I have never booked on AirBnB as a guest.

Is it explained to guests, on my listing, that the price per night is for two and each additional person is $50 more per night?  Or do they have to go through the booking process and wonder why the price jumped so much?

If anyone has a link to Help info, I"d  be glad to use it.

[Kelly149]

ABB leads with the cheapest option for the listing IF the guest didn't put in any other info. So, if you have one night at $78 and all the others at $500, then the guest will see "from $78"...

not ideal, but ABB thinks that guests put in an accurate guest count and the dates before they begin searching. Maybe they do, maybe they don't...

[John1574]

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Thanks, Kelly

So I could price mine at $80 for one person per night and $50 for each additional person per night and I would get the same income but booking guests would have no idea that for two it would be $130 per night until they entered into booking.

I wonder if doing the above (lowering price to $80, +$50) would benifit my ranking on the listings page.

[Emilia42]

Hi John, when I click on this listing I can see the calendar filled with each nightly price. July 9th is $78 which Airbnb is pulling as the attractive price when you search without dates. The prices are all over the board; in August they range from $79 to $429. Usually, when a guest books they have dates in mind. It may be just us hosts who constantly pull up locations without dates to check prices. A guest will not no the true booking price unless all their searching criteria is accurate (dates, # of people.) I think most people would assume that accommodation prices are based on 2 people. Personally, I would not want to see a price double for 2 people (especially if there is only one bed and one car.) But then again, if I was traveling solo I would be very appreciative. Hmm, a hard predicament. I guess I would think who you are attracting and use that to base your prices. Mostly couples, families, or single travelers? But you should try out the pricing model that you mentioned for a little while and see how it goes.

[John1574]

Thanks,  Emilia.

 I knew I might be missing something.  Thanks for pointing me towards the calendar.  I did not even look there.

 So they must have a complex pricing system set up in their listing  based on dates and their experience.

 I just changed to a custom booking system also.  I no longer book for anything less than three days except Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday I will allow people to book for two days   I customized the calendar for July and August.

 I simply don't want weekend partiers.

My target is couples, two couples or a couple with children.

 I could give it a try (The 80+50 idea) but I feel that that is deceiving to guests looking within a budget.   The old bait and switch. 

 When they see my price at $130 as listings come up they know that it's not a cheap place.   I don't want them to waste their time just to see that it's out of their budget. 

 I'm just curious why a guest can't see the price per person on the listing.  When making my listing I thought a guest would be able to see that the price is $130 per night for two people plus $50 per for each additional person. 

 They really can't see that?  OMG!

[John1574]

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I'm just learning on this forum (from another thread about cleaning fees) that when searching for a booking it is important to put in prospective dates.  AirBnB could do a better job of walking guests through the booking process.  I've been searching without dates just to see a ballpark figure.

I'm still curious why (or if) a guest (can or) can't see the price per person on the listing without booking for certain dates.  So far, I think not.

When making my listing, I thought a guest would be able to see that the price is $130 per night for two people plus $50 per for each additional person. 

[Pat96]

Wow. You all really have a dilemma! I suppose I’m in the cheap seats at $70 per night here on the East Coast and a one time cleaning fee of $20. I only allow 2 people max - period - one bed- no children under 12.  A single person pays the same as there is one bed and my work is identical. No additional people can be accommodated. 

[John1574]

 You have the dilemma Pat,  you got nothing to b*cth about. 

 Here's our dilemma, when guests search for a place to stay they look at some places that are priced at $70 per night, but when they try booking they find the price double or triple  or  double triple.

I guess that's because Airbnb leads with the lowest price possible as a come on or a bait and switch.

 I'd like to simplify my listing for the guests vis a vie pricing just as you have done. 

[Ned-And-Laura0]

Its not a bait and switch.  Many hosts have seasonal pricing with some times of the year being much lower then other times.  People sometimes book months in advance.  So if they do a search with no dates given then the website has no way of knowing if they are booking in 6 days or 6 months.  It's reasonable to display the lowest price in this situation I think.  What else would they show?  The highest possible price?  Now it would probably be better if they put something like "Starting at" or "Available from" next to the amount, maybe they will one day.

[Oomesh-Kumarsingh0]

@John0 I have just open the link and i have check for the availability of this host calender.It seems that she is using the smart pricing system which allows her to set a minimum price and maximum price depending on demand the price vary.It is certainly a good way to obtain more viewers because the place appears cheaper until you select the dates.Concerning the fee for extra guest it is only visible when you select the number of guest from which the host charges an extra fee.Happy hosting!!!

[John1574]

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I'm begining to see the light.

Not liking what I'm seeing.

I'd prefer the pricing structure be spelled out plainly for guests to see - on the listing - with the caveat that prices may vary a certain percentage depending on availability in the area.

I'm not sure I would ever use AinBnB as a guest for that reason alone.

[Oomesh-Kumarsingh0]

@John0 Airbnb still have some advantages for guests that no other online platform can offer.For example the 48hours free cancellation that was just introduce.The pricing is fixed when someone select the dates and number guests which most guests do while booking. I am sure one day you will put yourself in the guest shoes.It is actually a good way to see how other hosts deal with their guests and compare what they are offering etc.Good luck and happy hosting!!!

[Pearl18]

I completely agree. I switched on smart pricing to see how it would work. I set my minimum at £28 and max at £50, with AirBNB assuring me they wouldn’t go below my minimum.  My rooms immediately switched to being advertised at £19 per night which is way too low. So I switched off smart pricing and put it back to a nightly rate - but my room is still being advertised at £19.  And like you, I can only see my prices if I pretend I’m a guest looking to book.

This has got to be the worst online platform for selling accommodation.  And HOW do you get in touch with them to ask them to correct their error? It’s a mystery. Once my current batch of bookings is through, I’m switching to Booking.com. AirBNb is rubbish.

[Cindy84]

Hey John, 

Personally I wouldn't book with anyone that fee ed me to death" like that. Jmo.   Do what you feel is best for you.  

[John1574]

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I agree, Cynthia.  Fee'd to death . . .  death by a thousand cuts, er, fees. 

My main point, now, is that I would like for a potential guests to see on my listing the base pricing spelled out in a simple format.

Example: 

BASE PRICE:* 

$100 per night for two guests: 

$50 per night for each additional guest up to four.  

Discounts offered for 7 days and over or for 30 days. No other discounts offered.

* Price may vary up or down (a certain percentage)  based on market conditions and seasonal availability.

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If I were browising AirBnB listings, I would appreciate seeing pricing laid out in a format I could understand before begining the booking process.

I find the current system decieving, mis-leading and burdensome for potential guests. 

I still think it resembles a bait & switch tactic, something that I believe is illegal in the U.S.

Sorry, all the $78 rooms are taken, but we have a great one for $140.  That is bait & switch.