Bookings Significantly Down

Anna1064
Level 1
London, United Kingdom

Bookings Significantly Down

Hi, 

 

I have been using airbnb for a number of years, however I am finding that this year bookings have been very quiet. 

I normally find this time of year is the busiest, with bookings coming in for both the summer and Christmas time. We have gone from gettting a booking every 2/3 weeks, to none in 2 months.

Could anyone help/shine a light into how I could improve the listing? Anything that has worked well for you when hosting? 


You can see my listing here, as you can see we are very competitively priced. Offering the best facilities and largest apartment in the area for a competitive price. 

 

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/11670566?location=Ch%C3%A2teau%20d%27Oex%2C%20Switzerland&adults=8&s=...

Thank you in advance! 

16 Replies 16

@Anna1064 Same, so not sure what is going on! I believe hotels/boutique hotels have joined, not sure if they take over bookings! Doesn't helpwhen overzealous competitors create negative reviews and governments cramp down pushing punitive unreasonable policy that hurt its inhabitants trying to make a living. Surely if they 'those authorities/politicians know how to create decent jobs for their inhabitants! people wouldn't need to find alternatives to pay their humble living expenses and bills!

 

So over bad politics who has no idea on why tech industries provide sharing success stories. 

 

 

 

Bad or unture reviews off course are very bad for Business but Airbnb allows it so they can blame their own polices, also they have bought in a platform tax and for the city they collect a tenancy fee! It is better to rent my property on a yearly lease I would be also far less hassle than dealing with people and their demands!

Ute42
Level 10
Germany

.

Hi @Anna1064 ,

 

You said that You are doing airbnb for  a couple of years, but You listing has one review only:

 

The host canceled this reservation 30 days before arrival. This is an automated posting.

 

Not a single guest review available. That is a problem of course.

Imtiaz2
Level 2
Maidenhead, United Kingdom

Hi Anna,

Looking at your listing you have a few things that could be causing this problem.

 

1) Your listing requires a mandatory 5 day stay, what if i wanted a 3 day weekend?  Or a mid week getaway.  You are potentially loosing access to a list of people that take short breaks.

 

2) You listing rate, it is a flat £268/night - regardless of guests, so again, if I look at it as if i was going with my partner, I could pay £1665 for the week for 2 of us, potentially a similar rate to hotel pricing, wheresomeone will come and make my bed and clean up after me.  

Whereas, if i invite a further 6 people on my trip and they each pay for their own flights, £1665/2 = £832.5 per person, or, 1665/8 = 208 per person - now that looks attractive to a group.

 

3) your cleaning fees - are you really spending £154 on leaning after each guest

 

All these little things detract from a cost concious society right now...

 

I'd say have a think abour your target market and pricing strategy.

Hope that helps.

Amy38
Level 10
Nashville, TN

My bookings have fallen off a cliff.  after being booked for 20-27 days in each of the last 3 months, I have nothing from Abnb for June or July. It is tourist season here and this makes no sense.

in June I have two bookings through another platform.  The drop is precipitous enough that I wonder if Abnb is punishing me for using another platform.

 

I tweeted to Abnb and got a quick and useless response from customer service.

 

Any ideas?

check out this thread. A lot of people have had issues since the update last month

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Where-do-we-go-from-here/td-p/1627826

@Richard2341 

You have answered to 2018 post with a thread caused by the 2022 summer release … 🤪

 

 

.
Annie
Bryan10
Level 10
Feltham, United Kingdom

Me too, much fewer bookings compared to the last couple of years. I put it down to there being so many more hosts these days, = more choice for guests, which brings the prices down. We're all constrained by finances, so the guests look for cheaper places to stay, I guess that's normal. 

James914
Level 1
Davenport, CA

We have had bookings almost every day up until about a week ago when they simply stopped dead in the water.  Have no idea what is wrong.  Have tried to ask Airbnb but have gotten no meaningful response.  Have tried going to "smart Pricing" but, so far, no results..   Any ideas?

Ned-And-Laura0
Level 10
Simi Valley, CA

Do you guys monitor the competition?  See how many similar hosts there are and what they are charging?  Not just comparing nightly rates, but amenities, cleaning fees, cancellation requirements, etc and also see how their photos look.  Maybe there are some new players in your area offering better accommodations at a lower price with one night bookings and no cleaning fee?  I agree, a 5 day minimum seems like it would limit a LOT of potential guests, especially if the competition has 3 days or even 2.  I check on the local competition at least once a week.  I log out, then then search my area for comparable places.  I always try and beat the competition in all categories. If they have strict cancellation, I have moderate.  If they have a cleaning fee I have no cleaning fee.  I look at their photos and find ways I can showcase my space better.  One big thing that stood out for me was I had a very comparable host nearby who listed all the rules and followed each rule with "if you don't agree then don't book"  Must have said that 5 or 6 times, very unwelcoming.  For example, "There are stairs going down to the apartment, if you can't get down the stairs, don't book this space"  I can see why she said this and probably had a problem at one time.  I also have stairs so I said "There is a long set of stairs so you'll need to be able to navigate this, if you need help with your bags, please let us know and we'll be happy to assist!"    So my point is, try and make your space more appealing in every possible way.  See what they are missing or doing wrong and try and fill that need. 

 

Ned-And-Laura0
Level 10
Simi Valley, CA

One other thing...I learned this trick back in the day when I was online dating (married now and I met my wife online!) but if you update your profile and/or pictures, your listing shows up higher in the algorithm.  I have noticed my views increase in the days following an update and then slowly drops until I update again.  Even just changing a word and saving, that's all it takes.

Lilia22
Level 6
Bluffton, SC

Hi everyone.

 

Summer is gone and fall is here; so are fall prices (lower than summer) but no bookings!!

 

My October is okay but for November and December I have a total of one booking!!!! 

In comparison with last year, I was booked back to back.  I also was brand new to hosting and wanted the reviews to establish Villa Lizette.  So my prices were lower.  But since than, we have upgraded the villa's bathroom, furniture, what we offer, etc. so I cater to a "better" guests.

 

77 reviews later and the bookings for the fall and winter 2018/19 are DOWN!

I have checked the competition, their prices, what they offer, etc. but I am only willing to go down on my prices to a point... otherwise I start attracting the kind of guests that I don't want.  And YES, if my prices go up, I take the cleaning fee and vice versa.  Still no bookings.  Have rearranged how I describe Villa Lizette, and still no new bookings.  I try not to go above $100 per night for the guest, including Airbnb fees and still no new bookings!

 

Anyone else in the States experiencing the same? 

Up above I see three hosts from US and all others from Europe.

 

What's going on???? :O(

Chong17
Level 2
Seri Kembangan, Malaysia

mine also going down this year.... used to be good booking rate in 1st quarter (2018).... this year unlikely more than 10 days each month in the 1st quarter 2019....
yearly_day_chart_000008.png

Victoria567
Level 10
Scotland, United Kingdom

Hi @Anna0

Too many air bnb listings.

Too many new hosts.

Too much spare accommodation= oversupply.

 

Downturn in global spending in many European countries so we are all feeling the pinch of austerity.