I pay about $650.00 per house for 3 homes in annual fees to Home Away to be on all of their websites. (To be on just one of their websites is about $350.) About 10 days ago the Home Away company (also owns VRBO and Vacationrentals.com) started charging a sum between 4% and 10% to the guests when they book on top of the annual fees that I already pay. If they would charge a flat 3% I wouldn't have been as concerned, but 10% for a $300. booking? Business has already slowed down. I would pay Airbnb an annual fee plus the 3% and they could get hundreds of thousands disgruntled Home Away homeowners if they would do it. I searched for a subscription to Airbnb so I can speak to guests prior to booking, but not seeing it offered. I only have my lower end home on Airbnb, not the two nicer ones as I need to make sure that a large party isn't going to happen. My two larger homes are quite secluded and I just give a code for guests and never actually meet them.
Airbnb could still do it the way they do now for anyone who is already happy with the system and have another option where we can speak to guests by paying an annual fee. I would still use their credit card system as 3% is very much worth that. Some people might bypass that system and take a check from guests instead, but they would be just making work for themselves. Most of us are busy people and like everything to happen and be recorded online.
There are literally hundreds of thousands of unhappy Home Away users right now (search blogs with "home away and service fees").
Airbnb could take over if they wanted to be larger than Home Away.