Airbnb Favoring Those That Use Instant Book - NOT COOL

Airbnb Favoring Those That Use Instant Book - NOT COOL

I think it's incredibly unfair that Airbnb is now forcing our hands as hosts to use Instant Book.  Recent changes to the default search settings give priorty search rankings to hosts that have instant booked activated and those that do not have it turned on get brushed under the rug.  I do not mind the function and actually think it's a cool filter to offer on your listing, but it's wrong to punish those that don't want to use it.  I have been hosting for 4 years, sustained 5 star superhost status with over 750 reviews and now my listing isn't even showing up after 10-15 pages of other listings, most of which are new hosts with less than 5 stars, less than 20 reviews, but they have instant book turned on.  This shadows those that have worked so hard to build the Airbnb community to where it is today.  I am part of a very large community of hosts here in Venice, CA and many of us that choose not to use it have seen a tremendous decline in inquires since Airbnb updated their algorithm.  We have no choice but to turn it on which has led to many unwanted and unvetted guests. Please resort back to the original default search settings.  You're hurting a lot of really good people.

 

 

 

10 Comments
Gail121
Level 2

 I do not like feeling like a hotel and will not use instant-book.   I should not fall behind on the search criteria for this preference but now I know why my inquiries and bookings have decreased.  Why should you lean us toward the less personal and less safe instant booking?  This is my home I am sharing.  I sleep here too.  Maybe instant book works best with entire place listings.  I have no interest in it.

Simone288
Level 3

According to my experience , the Instant book system is not really a good idea. It is easier for the host not to deal with his guests, not all of them are very nice persons, they need a place to sleep and eventually to have funny moments with their partners and that's all. But some of our guests need more interaction with us, they are not completely happy that they have to deal alone with a strange house. Some of my guests wanted not only my advice on the phone, they needed to know me and to connect with me personally. Because I didn't know them before , I hesitated even to visit them after they were already in my apartment. Of course they complained about the lack of communication, and their review was not nice at all. It's true, the people have different points of view, I am only very disappointed because I know I give everything for a guest to feel happy as long as he is my guest. But I am thinking that maybe thevInstant book makes the host-guest connection very poor and almost abnormal.

We , the hosts and our guests need warmer relationships and Airbnb has to find the way and to help us to get to it. 

Nancy391
Level 2

I agree with this very much.  I know Airbnb was embarassed by all the publicity that implied that most hosts are racist. (Although I've since read that there were other sources of bias such as mispellings and red flag words that skewed the findings.)  I also know that conventional wisdom says you need to make booking as quick and easy as possible.  But they are throwing the baby out with the bathwater pushing this instant book.  My interactions with a shopping guest are crucial to set the stage.   My home is NOT a hotel.  That is a lot of what sets us apart and makes it "cool" to use an Airbnb.

 

I will not turn on Instant Book.  Instead I have listed my property on several additional listing sites and am looking for more.  I have a program that syncs my calendar. which is the biggest hassle.  I'm pleased to say that, after 5 months, about 25% of my bookings now come from other listing sites or referrals. We forget that we have real power in this equation.  

Laura---Yasu0
Level 2

As a long-term, high-ranking superhost in my region, I am in complete agreement with these comments and believe that Instant Book should be used only as a feature and not factor in to a listing's ranking in searches nor in a host's ranking in any way.  It is a disappointing step sideways toward more commercialism in the Airbnb platform and the barrage of inducements to use it has soured my opinion of the company.

Nick8
Level 2

I like the good old days when AirBnB had more mum & dad feel to it.... This is not expedia or booking.com... alternative travellers and what airbnb seems to be doing is wanting to become more like Expedia and Booking.com

Gail121
Level 2

I agree with Nick ... airbnb is going downhill at a fast pace with all the new changes they have made in the past several years. I miss the good old days too. Keep it simple or you will lose your original base of sweet folks who started this journey with you.  We are not interested in corporate like training programs, and fancy magazines, mugs, or whatever.   

Simone288
Level 3

Well said Gail! 

Boris41
Level 3

I'm switching to other sites like tripadvisor etc because of this policy. If we all do that, then AirBNB has no hosts and no instant bookings, problem solved.

Patrick92
Level 3

Has everyone on this thread called & emailed your Airbnb representatives?  These threads are great but I think they have little impact unless they are followed up with actual direct complaints.  Do everything you can to make them aware of our issue, especially from all corners of the country.  Thanks everyone!

Bernard108
Level 2

Superhost for 14 consecutive terms, I saw new bookings drop by 90% last summer, when "instant booking" was activated as default filter in the search engine, and my listing became invisible to all those who did not deactivate it. So I had to accept it, but I don't like it: 1° I liked the long dialogue that started when a would be guest wrote hid first enquiry mail. (I always replied and accepted very fast, and I've only declined one request in five years, as I couldn't be there for check-in) 2° Though I always keep my calendars up to date within minutes of getting bookings from other sites, there is a slight risk that during those minutes an "instant booking" might come through, and I would then have to cancel it, which I find quite discourteous...