Instant Book

[John854]

I have just found out today that Instant Book (going forward IB) is a DEFAULT search parameter

for potential guests.  The only reason I found this out is that in the last 60 days or so my viewings

and reservation requests have completely dropped to ZERO.  The person searching for a place to

stay has to turn IB off to see ALL LISTINGS otherwise they will see ONLY IB listings.  Once again

Airbnb has decided for us and is FORCING us to be IB Hosts or your listing will not be seen by

potential guests, unless they actively turn IB off.  My contention is that most searchers don't even

know what IB is or if they care.  They are getting search results and that's all they care about and that's

also the reason I am not getting bookings or views for my listing.

How can they not understand that IB is NOT ONE SIZE FITS ALL?  I have another

job, I do not always have my place ready for guests nor does my schedule allow me to drop

other responsibilities to clean and prep for guests.

I can't help but feel Airbnb is discriminating against me and it's pretty overt.  If you feel the same,

please "Like" this comment so we can get this escalated up the Airbnb chain.  They are giving Instant

Book listings priority.  Why don't they give priority to Super Hosts, Hosts with Zero Cancellations, Hosts

with Years of Experience?

[Bryan20]

If I open my house/home and this not being a Hotel I expect to be able to accept the person I feel happy with.  Airbnb has been presserised into this IB by Hotel companies saying we discrinimate on who we allow into our house.  Remember this is our home!

Again Airbnb we do not run a hotel we live with the people we invite into our home and therefore no IB should be the normal thing. I should and I hope all other hosts never allow IB as it is excellent to be able speak to the would-be-guest on email and to get some idaea of who they.

If I do not feel happy with them I should be allowed to say no without being penalised by having my calander blocked for that period.

As a Super Host for 3 years I have had fantastic guests who come as strangers and leave as friends. Why! no IB and I speak to them to feel happy as who I'm allowing to live with me and my family.

Bryan

[Cath2]

I am in exactly the same position, having been a superhost for some 4 years. It seems highly unfair, and totally out of line with what was so beautiful and special about the airbnb community and its personal touch as opposed to other rental sites. It is a real kick in the teeth on the part of airbnb to so many of the original hosts who made the site so popular. Basically I am no longer getting bookings because people are not seeing my listing, but I don't want to accept people that I haven't checked out personally first, or chatted to briefly to see if the place really is a good fit for them and that our ideals are in line! It is not some soulless hotel - it is my beloved home that I am opening up! And I have loved welcoming guests from all walks of life and all over the world who are looking for the kind of experience I can offer. But with this new instant book feature automatically turned on for guests searching, I might as well list my property on booking, trip advisor, or any other site. This makes me so sad! Has anyone had any word from airbnb on this problem, and whether they're going to change this?

[John854]

Bryan and Cath,

Thanks for helping support this issue.  I have no problem with IB for those that want to use it.  My problem is Airbnb defaulting to "IB only" searches for potential guests.  It should be an "option" that the guest has to envoke, not one that turns on automatically and eliminates all those that are not IB.  It just does not make sense and it does not help level the playing field.

John

[Cath2]

I agree entirely, John!

[Cath2]

I fear I may have to succumb to allowing IB... Does anyone know the current policy on cancelling a reservation if you send a message to the guest after they IB and feel like they're not a good fit for your listing? I'd be worried that it would affect superhost status (not that that seems to count for much any more)...?

[Vera47]

I am completly against IB and will not succumb to this! It seems to me that airbnb becomes more and more unpersonal , so sad about .

It is my home and my life I agreed to share with and I hope the site will remind as it start's.

[Bryan20]

Hi everyone

I totally agree keep up the pressure on Airbnb. As one of you said it has been we who have given Airbnb it's good name and nature and Airbnb will soon see that it will loose it's appeal if the personal touch is deleted. I would love to see if the figures show that IB has increased their proffits or they have gone down! No, Airbnb has not commented on IB that I know of and certainly not to any of my previous comments.

When I sent something to Airbnb it is though I have thrown the comment down a deep dark well and it is never to appear again!

[Cathy65]

I'm surprised some of you are just finding out about this -- I'm guessing ABB has been rolling this out in different markets at different times. IB is an abomination for all the reasons others have articulated. I am VERY uncomfortable having unvetted people coming to stay with me, but have been FORCED to accept this dangerous, anxiety-producing practice. If I did not turn IB on, my listings would disappear. Basically, you accept this or for all practical purposes, you are kicked off ABB. Superhost or not.

[John854]

Hi Cathy,

I completely agree.  The problem is, there's NO WAY to escalate issue within Airbnb as a host.  You can call a "case manager" and that's as far as you're going to get.  You can open a trouble ticket and they will close it within 24 hours.  You cannot (CANNOT) get passed the initial contact.  Because they are "case managers" they think they are MANAGERS and refuse to escalate above them.

We even have an Airbnb office here in Portland and you cannot get hold of anyone there either.  Support for hosts is DISMAL.  That's all that can be said.

John

[Vice0]

Im a host for 3 years now, and from this year i become superhost. This is the worst posible option for me. If IB became a must have option ill gladly go to booking . com This is totaly unfair for us hosts.

[Bryan20]

Does anyone know if Airbnb read these comments we are making or are we just crying on each others shoulders?

[Cath2]

I sent a link to this page when I also wrote to petition airbnb directly about the issue (response@airbnb.com)... They were very helpful in their response and assured me that IB was NOT a default in the search... I checked and it no longer was. So I like to think we are being heard, @Bryan0...

[Sean119]

The ridiculous thing about the default IB search filter is that when you zoom in on an area, with multiple ABB listings w/o IB, there are "no search results".  So ABB is shorting the guest, host, and themselves if a unawares guest searches for a particular area (without an IB listing).

STUPID.

[Cara22]

@Cath, I just checked and InstantBook is still turned on by default in the area I was searching. There was a text beside the area of the screen that said "This filter is on because there are tons of homes available that you can book instantly. You can turn it off to see more results." --> not very helpful as most guests won't notice this/bother to click.

As a fellow multi-year superhost who is very uncomfortable with the idea of being forced into instant book, I see a trend -- those of us who are most careful to ensure positive guest experiences and therefore wish to vet future guests will be seen as expendable as the company reaches saturation of volume of guests/instant-book accommodations.

I would never reject a guest based on human rights related criteria (e.g., race, sexual orientation, etc.), but my listings have quirks (e.g., in a lively, central neighbourhood where noise can travel) and I like to make sure I can offer a 5 star experience catered to those who book.

It seems many are having this issue (e.g., https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Host-Voice/Why-is-instant-booking-now-default-when-searching-Air...

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/This-is-what-I-wrote-to-BnB-about-them-foisting-instant-...

http://all-about-airbnb.com/post/151523939816/extra-host-fees-for-non-instant-book-hosts)

But unless somehow the dangers/issues are publicised more widely and AirBnb decides to listen, it seems they would rather get new hosts who will accept their conditions than keep those on whose backs the platform gained its positive reputation.