The discount system and pricing offers are too inflexible for the pandemic. Offers we need to make are running into 2021 and beyond

[Rob-And-Maggie0]

Now that the UK is open for business we are encouraging UK staycation bookings by offering total flexibility and large discounts for longer stays aimed to encourage longer bookings during the pandemic between Sept 2020 and April 2021 . After April 2021 we hope that things might be getting back to normal. I do not intend to offer 50% discounts in summer 2021 and would want to have moderate cancellation policy for bookings. However your systems don't allow us to set seasonal discounts so that offer is running effectively for all of 2021 - indeed forever . I've just had an enquiry (not a booking thank goodness) for the month of July 2021 asking for total flexibility and the 50% discount . That will be our best month next year if the pandemic has gone and I can't possibly accept that.

I can't see any way of dealing with this other than setting very high prices for next year to counterbalance the discounts I want offer this autumn (which will just discourage 2-3 day bookings) or blocking the months of April-September 2021 which I don't really want to do.

We need to be able to set special prices and discounts for specific periods ahead for periods which we can define. I'm sure it's a lot of development work but you need to reflect the realities of a winter and summer where the Covid situation may be totally different within months.

Hope this doesn't fall on deaf ears. If things stay as they are there will be chaos next Spring .

[Helen3]

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/help/article/503/how-do-i-set-a-custom-price-for-specific-nights-weeks-or-m...

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Rob-And-Maggie0 setting prices is easy - It just takes time.

Cancellation policies are harder and I don't think its possible to vary this by season.

[Rob-And-Maggie0]

Thanks but you misunderstand my point. I've been doing this for 6 years and I know how to change prices. The problem is that I've set my price minimum  (I'm letting smart pricing apply at the moment but it would be the same problem if I set each days prices individually through 2020- 2021). I've set a high discount for long bookings this autumn to attract longer bookings at this difficult time. BUT it's also being offered next summer. I don't want that. I can't switch the weekly and monthly discount off without switching it off in every month, but I want it this autumn. I COULD get prices at the level I want for summer next year by doubling my prices in June-August as the 50% discount would halve them, except that nobody would even look at my property if I over-priced it so much and therefore  they would never see the discount. You understand now? If you set a discount for particular circumstances in one season (e.g Covid Autumn 2020) it applies to every month. Totally unintended consequence.

[Rob-And-Maggie0]

Thanks but you misunderstand my point. I've been doing this for 6 years and I know how to change prices. The problem is that I've set my price minimum  (I'm letting smart pricing apply at the moment but it would be the same problem if I set each days prices individually through 2020- 2021). I've set a high discount for long bookings this autumn to attract longer bookings at this difficult time. BUT it's also being offered next summer. I don't want that. I can't switch the weekly and monthly discount off without switching it off in every month, but I want it this autumn. I COULD get prices at the level I want for summer next year by doubling my prices in June-August as the 50% discount would halve them, except that nobody would even look at my property if I over-priced it so much and therefore  they would never see the discount. You understand now? If you set a discount for particular circumstances in one season (e.g Covid Autumn 2020) it applies to every month. Totally unintended consequence.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Rob-And-Maggie0 then one solution is to make next year unavailable until you have filled this year with highly discounted bookings. Then remove the discount and open up next years dates

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Rob-And-Maggie0 I've just looked at my listing and you can set long stay discounts for specific date ranges using rule sets.

No idea if it works but there is no reason why it wouldn't.