potential guest 0 reviews since 2016

[Love1]

Hello Community! the question I have is this,

Why would a potential guest that has been an airbnb member for a year have 0 reviews on thier profile? does this seem odd to anyone else, or is it simply a lack of travel experiences for the potential guest? 

Thank you.

Love

[Linda108]

@Love1  I have seen that quite a bit.  Hasn't been a problem for me.  However, I usually ask the potential guest why.  Most set up a profile and just don't use it.  Or, they have traveled with other Air BNB members who book the space and thus get the review.

[Nutth0]

@Love1 I created my account on 2014 because got a invited to Airbnb host meeting but I start hosting 2017 and booking as airbnb guest this year. I think year or created account is not reflex any thing.

[HyangHee0]

Hi Love,
We host in Korea and often get guests with no reviews even when they have been with Airbnb for years. We havn't made negative experiences with such guests and no longer worry about it. These guests generally don't leave reviews in the hope not to get one from their hosts. Basically, they just do not want to leave a footprint about their travels. As a consequence, we write our reviews after guests have written one for us, or if their behaviour was unacceptable, to warn other hosts.
My advice...don't worry. 🙂

[Danny21]

I've found this a few times.

One guest in particular had alarm bells ringing so loud it hurt.

Their profile said '10 bookings, 0 reviews'

That sounds suspect to say the least.

So after quite a bit of conversation, I wasn't convinced nor appeased by their answers so I insisted that a deposit was left. They complained but eventually accepted the terms and deposit.

Suffice to say, I'm GLAD I insisted on the deposit.
They were smoking in my house and the Terms and Conditions, House Rules and Welcome Pack has in BIG writing all over it 'NO SMOKING'.

They apologised and informed them I would be keeping the deposit as they clearly broke House Rules and also I needed that money to have the house professionally cleaned to remove the smell and filth left.

I left a review accordingly. They left a review also. All it contained was '.'

So, in cases like that, I would assume they would be too ashamed and embarassed to leave any more of a review in fear that others would reject their booking.

It's unfortunate that something so important as that, the review should get published anyway to warn other Hosts.

In future, I'd check how many bookings they've made and how many reviews have been left.

If they have made bookings with no reviews, insist on a deposit.

Dan

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

Well.....I've been a member for a couple years now and started out as a guest. I am now a host but I still have no reviews. I didn't really understand the importance of leaving reviews when I was a guest, and now that I'm a host I kinda wish I had left reviews in the past. I was never really one to leave reviews to begin with......... so it's all a bit new to me. 

When I first started out as a new host 4 months ago I started with no reviews and had inquiries from guests with no reviews as well. The fact that there were no reviews was not really a problem for me. I like to exchange messages with my potential guest and I only approve if I feel comfortable about having that guest stay with me.

Also, I was surprised to hear that there are many hosts who write a good, positive review when the reality was not so because they were hoping to get a 5 star review out of their guests. With this considered, I think trusting my gut is better than relying on other reviews. 

[Linda108]

Well said, @Jessica-and-Henry0.  I encourage honest reviews when I post on this forum because I see reviews as one tool to use but not the only one.  Manipulating reviews, or trying to do so, defeats the usefulness of the review system whether it is about a restaurant or something on Amazon or Air BNB listing.  My Instant Book setting includes requiring a positive review, but I also send messages and if the guest response seems odd, I also trust my gut.