Discount on 1st booking

[Cathy176]

Hi Host fellows

Dis you encouted this?

when I post my listing, airbnb suggest that 15% off for 1st time booking for the room , I pressed YES when posted the listing. Tonight a guest booked that room with 15% off price. then 2 minutes later another guest complained that he planned to book that room at that price (15% off), but final price showed is higher price. He requests my explanation. I replied that this is Airbnb practice and someone just booked. He said this is misleading and let me to change into that price,,, soso, I offered him another room with lower price, but he didn't accept and wants me to change the price for that room on my end and consider his suggestion. 

For me only 10 dollar difference, I can give him a special offer. But i really don't want to be kind of threatened and called "misleading".

How do you handle this guest?

Thanks.

Cathy 

[Gina32]

@Cathy176 Oh my goodness, What other tricks are airbnb going to play with us? AND leave us to deal with.

I am shocked to hear of this practice.

It is a shame we cannot warn new listings to "not fall for this trick"

Obviously abb are only interested in their own pockets....discounting your first stay by 15% is outrageous....I would think all those listing have thought very carefully about the return on their investment they require.

I'm sorry you have to deal with this situation.

Just tell them that's the price and move on. There will be others who did not see the original offer. You will get appreciative guests.

[Andrew157]

I agree unless the chancer stays he cannot leave a review. A first booking special offer is just that and therefore is not available to second bookings. He can be as annoyed as he wants but if he persists I would be looking to block him 

[Helga0]

Though luck. When I book a train in France, it shows a low price with a message "only 2 places at this price, book quickly". Happens that I want it, but someone else has found his credit card quicker. 

I'd be tempted to answer, that for the very first booking, airbnb offered a lower price and you offer a chocolate on the pillow. You can't influence airbnb, but exceptionally, the second guest will get a bedtime sweet too. 

And leave it at that. 

When you set up a new listing, you attract all kind of people trying to profit from your lack of experience. That was the same beforr airbnb and will be the same as long as humans exist. Don't be bothered by it. 

You profit from a 4 weeks boost in ranking. After that, your prices obtained define also who will see your listing. Don't go too low for no reason. 

[Andrew157]

We are almost at the point of launching our second listing. Airbnb offered us the chance to discount our first booking by 15%. We declined as we will always set competitive rates for our guests. 

I can't see the point of this 15% discount 

[Sean119]

ABB wants you to discount because they still get most of their fees and you take the profit loss.  Offering a discount can often be interperted to mean that your prices are too high...which is why we are very reluctant to ever discount.  Add value, don't lose money.

[Michael1131]

I also added the 15% discount for the first booking. Now after the first booking it seems that the discount stays. I cannot find a way to turn it off. Anybody found a way??

[Konstantinos0]

The discount for  a new listing - which i too accepted - was offered to me for the first 4 bookings, so as to entine guests to stay and leave a review with the promise from abb that it will be selectively promoted to travellers. As I have another identical older listing without discounts, i wanted to see the impact of abb's campaign and to see if demand is really price sensitive.   I assumed the offer-promotion was/is the same for all hosts. It was also valid till some time in late June.

[Lee133]

Team, This isn't a bad idea for a first time host with a new place. The whole idea is to get them with x3 bookings upfront and to help get them ratings to boost their profile, which I think is a great trade-off. If your in a super tourist heavy area like Wash D.C. or NYC, then you can certainly afford to by pass this dangling carrot, however, one shoe doesn't fit all markets. Best, Alvin