Color coding on calendar

[Susie1]

What does the color coding mean on the calendar?

[Clare0]

The gray color means that your space is not available for new reservations because either you already have the date(s) reserved or you have blocked those dates for whatever reason.  Is your question about something else?

[Elise7]

What does the orange color mean on the calendar? I have orange color prices and a line through some of my calendar days. What does this mean? Also there are 2 tones of orange, a dark & bright orange.

[Clare0]

@Elise7 My calendar shows pricing in red, or orange, too.  My take is that this is Airbnb's way of telling you that your pricing is too high according to their evaluation of the market in your area.  Their pricing tips are about $75 less than what I want to charge (the don't take into consideration the occupancy taxes I have to pay) so I'm in the red.  The closer you get to what they think you ought to charge the orange will turn to yellow, green, and, I think eventually to blue. 

As for the line through your calendar days, I haven't seen that.  Could you send a screen shot?

[Jeanne12]

It does seem to be related to the pricing but only when your over. If your under their suggested price, it stays blue.  I went $1 over the suggested and it turned yellow. It's a cheap rental, $40 and $8 over their suggested turned it red.

[Holly450]

IN THAT CASE IS THERE NO DIFFERENCE WHEN THERE IS A LINE CROSSED THROUGH THE DATE?

[Emily102]

but I have no reservations pending. Why are the dates not available. I have even gone to View My Calendar, selected all of the dates, pressed the Available button and put in price and clicked Save, and now it still shows that I cannot accept inquiry because dates are not available. this is nuts. 

[Clare0]

@Emily102 Are you referring to October 21 -22?  If you are using a mobile app, try accessing the website throug Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox.  Sometimes apps are glitchy. 

[Alicia145]

@Emily102 I have the same issue, my listing doesnt show on other browsers and it says that any date in not available, the calendar also shows on red, I guess for the pricing, did u eventually solve this?

Thanks,

A.

[Jp8]

The dark gray dates on the calendar when you are in a message conversation are the days that are for that person

[Trip-and-Anita0]

It's very poor design to add color coding with noexplanation(IMHO).  Also, I run 90% occupancy with all my pricing "too high" in the red...so i wouldn't worry too much about their suggestions unless you are really into renting all the time, I am ok with pricing some people  out of my rental...I have had ZERO issues with destructive guests (I have a cabin in Lake Tahoe.)  I lived full time in my cabin for years, and now rent it outbecausee i moved, but I love my hood and my neighbors, so if $30 extra on my place means I rent it less to people but with no worries..I'm ok.  Also, it does not seem to me like the Tahoe recommendations take into account local "holidays" like the anual snow fest, and the fack that MLK day is a super high ski rental holiday etc.

So anyway, I don't worry much about the colors.

[Alex740]

Totally agree with you that color coding with no explanation is poor design. And it's not the only example of it on their site.

[Andre57]

What does green mean ? A potential renter wanted those days. I turned him down, his price wasnt agreeable to me. But now I m stuck witht he blue green

[Jim-and-Marcia0]

About the color lines on the calendar... yes it's related to pricing. If your price is at or below Airbnb's suggested price (based on their algorythyms of supply and demand and other factors), the date will show as blue (blue-green). For our listing I typically see if it is above their suggested price but less than $20 more, it will show as yellow. If it is $20 or more above their suggested price, it will show as red (red-orange). Try changing the pricing on your calendar and see what happens.

The areas on your calendar that are grey (not available for new reservations or green (shows the specific dates a particular guest is booked) are helpful for you so can see your reservations at a glance.

The Airbnb algorythyms don't take into account the particular aspects of your listing that make it unique. Airbnb also doesn't know the special events in your city that might attract guests. Airbnb uses supply and demand data based on general information for your type of listing in your area and your reservation history. You are responsible for your own pricing. Lowering a price doesn't always generate more traffic and raising a price doesn't always bring you a higher quality of guest. Find your own comfort spot.

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FYI... What happens to the calendar when you cancel or decline.... bookings and requests and inquiries...

If a guest had a confirmed reservation and then you cancel it, the dates will no longer be available on your calendar for other guests.

If a guest requested a reservation and you declined the request, the dates will still show.

If a guest sends an inquiry and you respond, you don't have to pre-approve or decline. After your conversation with a potential guest, if you don't have enough information to feel comfortable about pre-approving, you don't need to decline. Instead you can go to your dashboard and "dismiss" the conversation, then you won't be prompted again to pre-approve or decline.

Remember if you decline too many reservation requests and/or inquiries, it will work against you. Airbnb knows guests don't feel good when their requests and inquiries are declined. So, if you decline often, it will affect your listing placement. Airbnb might even contact you to remove a listing if you decline too many guests (requests or inquiries). If you cancel someone who has a confirmed reservation, it is really bad and you will be heavily penalized for that.

[Lilly25]

Yeah, a legend for these symbols would be really useful!

My calendar has a red dot in the lower right on some dates, a squiggly line on the bottom left of some dates, and nothing in the other dates (not a blue or green dot).