@Mike-And-Jane0 @Patricia1556
what would you suggest Airbnb use to determine who appears at the top of the search results?
Before mind games and manipulative control comes into the fray, I'd say: Location; Suitability; Availability; Quality... Price..
I'd have to waver on Price as there are two options available here, High and Low. Of those, Airbnb would need to choose which pony to back, because as a business all they would be interested in would be the highest value return on the booking. Whichever listing could provide that would be the one at the top of the list.
If Instant Book never existed, what other sort of punishment could be imparted to reduce your rankings? Or looked at from another angle... There is a charge associated with buying the security of good quality guests via interview, as the lower quality can be dumped elsewhere - (with IB) and those would need to be the IBers lookout. Although, inexperienced non-IB hosts could cop those as well.
There's then Cancellation Policy and Damage Deposit, both low values desired there.
I'm excluding cleaning fees, as if additional, then that's a penalty on the host caused by the host, but it could also be a strategic maneuver on their part.
What about SuperHost? Will that matter? That's a 'mind game' and 'manipulative' measure I think. Controlling otherwise rational and reasonable reactions for the guests benefit.
What are hosts benefits? Damage limitation capability only. Really, having IB doesn't make much sense does it? We'd all be better off without it to make for a level playing field. (That good 'old fashioned' back to 'roots' way).
What would you suggest?