Airbnb Search Not Showing All Properties

Jen5
Level 7
Chandler, AZ

Airbnb Search Not Showing All Properties

I observed a problem with Airbnb's search engine that I reported to the community about a month ago. The person who assisted recognized the problem and passed the issue on to Airbnb. Unfortunately, after more than a dozen communications, the people at Airbnb can't see what the problem is and it's infuriating. So I'm posting the issue here again in the hopes that a second (or third or fourth...) voice will help Airbnb recognize the issue.

 

So here's how to see the problem: Do a search for any zip code and enter specific travel dates (choose a 3-5 day trip). Select 1 guest and take a screen shot of the resulting map. Now change the number of guests to 6 and take a screen shot of the map. When you compare the two screen shots, what you will see is that a lot of bigger accommodations are not shown in the search for one guest. This is a problem for guests and hosts alike as it assumes that a solo traveler won't want a house for 6 people so they're not being shown those results. If a single traveler or a couple wants a nice big house and they don't see it on Airbnb, they'll go elsewhere so this is undoubtedly costing Airbnb (and hosts) lots of money.

 

Below are screen shots for you to compare. For some bizarre reason, nobody at Airbnb can see the difference between these screen shots even though it's clear that the map for 6 guests shows properties for $2900, $1500 and $1200 that aren't being shown to the solo traveler.

 

Can others in the community please save my sanity by confirming to Airbnb that this IS a problem that needs to be fixed. I can't handle any more emails from them telling me there's nothing wrong.

46 Replies 46
Lisa7
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Jen5 very interesting -- but your screenshots aren't showing up! 

Lizzie
Former Community Manager
Former Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Hello @Jen5,

 

Thanks for posting this. As you may have seen the formatting went a little off on your post here, it may have been because of the screenshots you tried to include. I have fixed the view of your post, but I had to remove your screenshots. I wonder could you post them again to this thread so we can see what you are describing. When you uploaded them last time, did you upload the photos via clicking on the little camera icon in your tool bar? If not, it might display better if you try it this way. Fingers crossed! 

 

Do let me know if this doesn't work and I will have a rethink! 🙂 Thanks so much. 


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Jen5
Level 7
Chandler, AZ

Here are the screen shots again. This can also be recreated with the steps I provided above.

 

Here's the search results for 1 guest:

 

1 guest

Here are the results for 6 guests:

6 guest

It doesn't appear that the screen shots can be enlarged. I submitted them using the camera icon.

Luis-and-Tati0
Level 10
New York, NY

Hi @Jen5 and @Lizzie

 

I think I got what you are saying without looking at the screen shot...

You want the search results to show big houses to small groups.. Because they might want to book big houses as a luxury "item" of their vacation... Is that it??... 

 

This is not a problem... but a "feature"...

Indeed Airbnb will prioritize the right house for the right group..

their search engine is much more than you see, maching hosts with guests, hosts preferences and likability of the guest renting that specific house... 

 

You are seeing the small houses first because the area you are serching have a lot of houses that won't fit in just one page and the search engine is prioritizing the houses with a larger chance to be rented by that small group, and with that doing that lots of happy guests quickly found the right house right for (or so the system and programers think this is the right thing to do it)....

try to zoom-in to a more specific area of your search or do a search to a area with less listings you you will see all listings that will fit 1 guest.. If you select 6 guests (and over) than it will start to eliminate the smaller houses that won't fit larger groups (but not the other way around, it does not eliminate the larger houses for a small group)...

 

This is good reading material on the subject

http://nerds.airbnb.com/host-preferences/

http://nerds.airbnb.com/search/

http://blog.airbnb.com/how-search-makes-the-best-matches/

http://blog.airbnb.com/understanding-your-hosting-activity/

 

 

 

Please take a look on my pictures... the 1 and the 6 results are the same... only they changed the order so the smaller house shows first, for the 6 group it show a larger house up top because a 6 group will likely rent a larger house than 1 person alone. The 12 group eliminated the houses that won't fit this group...  

 

1.png

 

 

2.png

 

3.png

Sorry, but that is not a "feature," that's a problem. As far as I'm aware, it is not explained to people (at least not prominently) that they are seeing curated results based on what Airbnb thinks they want to see rather than basing it on all available rentals in their price rang. Somehow other sites (like Zillow) are able to show a total number of listings available in a certain area so I don't see why Airbnb can't do that. As someone who hosts a rental that's affordable enough that one or two people might decide it's a better deal than a hotel, I want people to know my listing is available as long as it's in their price range. I have no doubt that when these listings aren't readily visible to guests, they end up renting from VRBO. I don't see how this system can possibly work to Airbnb's advantage.

I'll add that your screen shots of Davenport, FL aren't a good example of this problem as that appears to be an area where all the houses fit over six people so the results are the same for 1 guest and 6 guests. In most areas, there would be many more properties that only fit one or two guests and that's when it becomes noticeable that the larger properties (which may not cost much more) aren't being shown to all guests.

I trully get your point... You want to see a more "mixed" results on the search without sliding the price range bar to select the higher end homes...

But if you work with VRBO, FlipKey, HomeAway and others, you know how many leads vs booking you have... I no longer work with them... When I had my houses listed on 4 websites I did not get close to the occupancy I have now, and I was getting about 18-12 inquiries for 1 confirmed booking...

I'm sorry to "interrupt" this informative thread but I want to introduce my problem which is generally the same as this one. My property doesn't show up until the user narrows the price range to within a few dollars of my price. If the price range isn't narrowed dramatically Airbnb will return over 300 properties many, many of which are hours from the desired location. Ask for Antibes and you will get listings from Cannes, Nice, Villefranche, and beyond Monaco, whichh is even in a different country. I know this isn't the same specific problem but generally it is - the search algoritm that Airbnb is using is seriously flawed. If I request Antibes, and my property is in Antibes and satisfies all of the search arguments, why doesn't it show when dozens of properties that don't even match the location show? I suspect that the search algorithm was changed sometime late last year and the new one has major programming problems. Perhaps they tried to add intelligence to the search but they didn't. I believe that the reason my property shows with the very limited price range is that I've eliminated anything else they can show. It would be interesting to see how their search is conducted.

This is important to me and I am completely frustrated. My email to Airbnb has only rerturned a "thank you for your patience" message. Is there a number at which I can reach them?  Thanks!

Hi @Joan3

 

Yes, your problem is part of this conversation... How the search engine works!

When I search for private rooms in "Antibes, France" your listing show up for me on page #4

You have a beautiful home!

To increase you visibility you need to improve your profile and your listing...

Add more pictures, If available for you request a Airbnb Photographer to go to your house (if is available is free!)

https://www.airbnb.com/info/photography

 

You need to virify your profile, Google account, facebook and others, also add a ID like a passport!

Send request to friends to create a reference about you

Turn on "Instant Book" if you don't screen your guest before they book with you...

 

 

All this information is here...

http://blog.airbnb.com/how-search-makes-the-best-matches/

 

Luis

Are you an Airbnb troll? I searched with the same arguments that you claim to have used and my listing is not there. BTW, I do not have a home I have an apartment. Further, there are many references from former guests, all of them extremely favorable. I maintain my original assertion, the search engine that Airbnb is using has serious flaws. It's obvious from all of the complaints from other people whose listings arent' showing. I've also noticed that many people ask for number to call but none ever get an answer. But then many people do call and don't get any help. I could design a search algorithm off the top of my head that would work better than what is being used now. Finally, why in the world would I add a passport? 

@Joan3

I'm certainly no troll... I'm just a host with more XP than you and I can help you get your listing better placed...

If you didn't want help you shouldn't ask for it... That's why I suggested your verifying your account with an ID... You certainly need more than 4 pics, references and instant book will help a lot too…

 

Here is a video I made for you...

The first search using Chrome with my account logged in... Your listing is the first to appear because the website uses cookies to track my previous visited listings...

The second search is using Internet Explorer not logged in and clean (no cookies or history), your listing showed in page #3...

https://youtu.be/69mCXgcIU6M

 

NOW just trolling you...

"I could design a search algorithm off the top of my head that would work better than what is being used now"

 

They have 31 open engineering positions at their headquarters...

https://www.airbnb.com/careers/departments

 

First, let me apologize for the troll comment - it stems from my frustration with airbnb, not you. I have sent numerous messages to them asking simple questions such as why listings literally hours from Antibes appear but not mine. I have never received an answer. So, I believe that they have 31 open positions. I have over 25 years of experience in software development with a major company and I don't plan to give that up for Airbnb. 

Thank you for the video although it went a little too fast and there was no sound. But I did see that my listing appeared although the price was wrong. I don't understand one point that you made about "verifying my account with an ID." How is that done? Also, I am a bit nervous about using instant booking, I need to know a little about my guests for obvious reasons. Note that I have had numerous inquiries and guests during the past few years, this isn't my first year. Yet the inquiries stopped completely around December. I still believe tht they changed something. 

I appreciate your help especially since you ae the only one willing to respond. 

Meanwhile, the issue I addressed is now being overlooked. I don't know what it will take to get Airbnb to address it. I've spoken to representatives about it but they couldn't even see the problem. How am I supposed to get through to someone who can look at two pictures side by side and not see obvious differences even when the differences are explicitly pointed out?