IS AIRBNB BECOMING JUST A 'RENTAL TRIP ADVISOR'?

[Anonymous]

I already mention it in Global Hosting Forum  but I seek your opinion.

I notice since 3 month a rise in airbnb listing views, an inquiries fall and at the same time a huge rise on another sites (VRBO, Flikley) bookings. In fact for 2016 I get yet more than 1 month yet booked and just 8 days with airbnb. During my exchanges with traveler many tells me they use Airbnb just to have a look on reviews and choose a listing, and after they search if the same listing is available on other site. The main reason they actuate like this is that on Airbnb they have to pay the entire amount on booking, even if it's in 6 month while on other sites they have a partial payment now and the balance 1 week before their arrival.

It would be great having the same process with airbnb because I definitely prefer having Airbnb guests, with verified ID and from many countries.   

[Joyce0]

Interesting perspective, Olivier. I am only listed on Airbnb for now, but I can see how that might create an issue.

I just looked into VRBO last night for my winter listing (which is available as a whole house rental, vs. me being on site in the summers), but was taken aback by the 10% fees, vs. Airbnb's 3%. If I were to list on VRBO, I would increase the cost to compensate for the difference (and in the end, the guest would pay the same since Airbnb charges both guest and host fees upon booking). But to guests, it may look like more cost to rent through Airbnb, so it will be interesting, if I do this, to see how that plays out. 

[Anonymous]

Joyce, I increase my price to face higher fees and guests don't care even when they saw it's cheaper on Airbnb because they don't have to pay the total amount.

[Helga0]

That feature was a problem renting to French tourists in the beginning, as it was never possible to ask for 100 % prepayment and 50 % cancellation fee - we asked for 30 % arhes with the booking (to be kept in case of cancellation) and the rest 1 month before arrival. 

Maybe you face the problem now again as there is a new vague of people joining, the elder and the No-Tech people who resign themselves to use a website because there are no more newspaper ads. 

I remember that this was discussed once in a meet-up in the Paris office and there was a vague promise that the 100 % prepayment would change. Must be more then a year ago and was never done. 

[Serafina0]

There are a number of guests who do a Google image search to find a property that is listed in various places and then book at the terms that are most amenable to them. I'm guessing that's one other benefit for the company to providing Airbnb-verified photographs that can't be used elsewhere.

As a guest, I don't mind paying up front for the rental, but I do find the Airbnb fees to be very high, which often makes a property cost-prohibitive, even when they take a smaller percentage for longer terms.

[Anonymous]

Helga, strangely it's not only with french people but yes just european. And 2 of them were using airbnb since long time and said me they want to book their first choice now for summer time but don't want to pay right now more than 1/3 price. It's not a problem for me, but I have to admit I did it too. As many little hôtel have listing on airbnb it's quite easy to make your opinion about and go to booking where you automatically have a confirmed booking without having to pay anything before arrival and with lower prices than with airbnb.

[Maria-Lurdes0]

I list on VRBO as well as a number of other sites (Wimdu, Flipkey, GayBookings, Housetrip) and I've noticed this as well.    I will get the exact same inquiry from a guest on airbnb, and then 20 minutes later on VRBO (for example) and the booking gets finalized on VRBO because of the payment terms as Olivier noted.

I pay for the listing on VRBO so I can do whatever I want with it, and I don't pay the 10% (but I paid $400 for the year).  I can link to my own site, I can take payment directly, I can use VRBO's payment system, I can send links, etc. etc.   So for me it's totally worth the $400 per year per listing, especially because I wait until Black Friday when they offer the subscription at 40% off (usually).

I am getting 0 inquiries from Wimdu lately, and I used to get half of my bookings from Wimdu.   Now I get 50% from VRBO, 30% airbnb and 20% from the other sites.  It's a pain in the neck to be managing all of these platforms, I wish I would get 100% of my bookings from Airbnb, but it's not happening.

[Helga0]

I prefered the former French terms because they seemed fairer. People didn't have to pre-finance as much and keeping 30 % in case of cancellation from the day of the booking to a month before arrival and then 100 % seemed fairer to the client than the strict cancellation policy (we refunded when rerented) but the moderate or worse flexible policy are very unfair to the host. 

Maria, I don't see your profile nor listing on the forum (maybe a bug for the Mac version) -  do you rent short term? To coordinate several ways of prospection would be a nightmare if you take one nigthers or arrival the same day.

[Maria-Lurdes0]

hi @Helga0  here is my profile:  https://www.airbnb.com/users/show/211215

I rent minimum three nights mostly, but will take even one night stays when times are tough.

[Helga0]

Thank you Maria! I'll have another look tomorrow (dropping down tired) but I love your decorations. Especially the Control Your Eyesight picture over the bed (I'd use it for that) and the Pacman. 😉

As for hostings, I discovered that I like the one nighters too, some change in the house 😉

[Michelle1851]

It’s interesting that this is posted again, I hate to admit it, but the last few places I have rented, I have found on Airbnb and vrbo but chose to rent directly from the agency because it’s several hundred dollars different.  This may just be a Colorado thing where property’s listed in small rural  towns are listed on several sites, including their own.