Future reservation with low nightly rate

[Len5]

 I am using dynamic pricing. I have a rental for next summer which is my best season but the rate is very low compared to what I was getting this year. I am concerned about rejecting the reservation and impacting my status. I am also concerned that dynamic pricing is it working past a certain time friend. Any help would be appreciated. 

[Andrew90]

I would not use smart pricing. If you do want to use I think you can enable it month by month from the calendar without turning it on. 

[Kate157]

I tried looking at the prices the "smart pricing" would charge for my place. I felt the rates were insanely low for many nights. You can set the minimum and maximum parameters for the smart pricing feature. You can limit it to a range that is slightly less than you normally charge and set the upper range to something reasonable. I would not use the smart pricing without also setting a reasonable price range.

[Milagros0]

I am going to contact Airbnb on this as well.  I think you can set a custom price for your busy months and the smart pricing cannot override it.   However I also feel smart pricing should only be used for your vacant days on a week to week basis but that is not how it is used.  So my point is I think if you do custom pricing for certain months that smart pricing cannot override that but to make sure you have to check with Airbnb.

[Len5]

Since I have a current pending reservation for the low price.   Am I penalized if I cancel?

[Stacey-And-James0]

Yes you would be penalized if you cancel. You can modify it and explain what happened. But they wouldn't have to accept the changed terms. At that point you can cancel and be penalized (including not listing those dates) or just take the financial loss and give someone a good deal. 😕

[Annette33]

@Len5, what exactly do you mean with "pending" reservation: have you accepted it and  Airbnb has confirmed, yes, then a cancellation on your part carries severe penalties, and they are much worse for 2017 then what is now in place, up to $500 actually, and your  place would remain blocked for those dates also. Don't cancel!

But if you are at the stage that the reservation is pending becuse you  have not accepted  it yet, you have the option to decline (that is not cancelling) - no harm done! then change your pricing and ask the guest to submit a new request if they still like to stay with you.

or you can simply use the "change reservation" option and figure out the new total  price, but you must include your cleaning fee in that subtotal. That is what I do when guests change their length of stay. simple and straight forward. In case yours is a confirmed reservation, you could try "change the reservation" also, but if guest doesn't agree to it, it reverts back to the original booking. depending on how much $$ is at stake, it might not be  worth it to make the guest feel uncomfortable about it....

[Len5]

HI.  It is pending so I have sent them a request to cancel on their side.  If it is pending and I cancel, does that hurt my ratings?  I hope they will just cancel on their side before the clock runs out.

I also noticed my calendar inst blocked off for 4th of July week which is part of the time they requested.   I have blocked it off now so no one else can change

I have also increased my minimum rate so it covers me after 4 months.   I think dynamic pricing is flawed if it doesn't work after 4 months BUT someone can book past 4 months.  My minimum now (within the next four months) is too high for the next two months.  The prices really change from summer to winter in South Lake Tahoe.

[Len5]

@Annette33   so a pending reservation will not hurt my status of 96%?  i have one reservation that I did cancel because I thought it was scam after I accepted it.  They gave me a mobile number from Cuba and wouldn't take a call...  but said they were from California.  I have a request to AirBnB to get it changed.  I

[Alice-and-Jeff0]

Smart pricing only works 4 months out from today.  Any low price you have for next summer is based on your own pricing structure, not something Airbnb is doing.  What price do you have the nights set at for your busy season?  You can adjust individual seasons, nights, and other time frames is available in the calendar settings.  

Also, you can refuse to take reservations so far in advance.  Change your booking settings.  

You should also look up the penalties for cancelling so you are aware that Airbnb will fine you AND block those dates.  

[Len5]

thanks.  I will review my settings.  I would have thought Dynamic pricing would have worked for past 4 months.   I have to look at things more closely

Appreciate everyone's help