Incorrect party size numbers all of a sudden

[Evan36]

Hey fellow hosts — after years of using Airbnb with wonderful results, I'm all of a sudden seeing a weird issue. I've never in the past had a problem with the "party size" being incorrect. It's always been 8, 12, 11, generally accurate to the guests' party size numbers.

However, in the last month or so, I'm getting the MAJORITY of bookings with a party of 1. And that's on a 5-bd vacation rental. Seems like something has changed in the booking flow that is causing people to end up with a party size of 1. It's a huge pain for me, as I then need to ask their party size, and then often adjust the price of the booking (as I charge more for large parties), which is annoying for the guest. I've asked a couple guests about it, and they said they don't recall even being asked for their party size.

Anyone else experiencing this? 

[Ann72]

@Evan36 , that sounds stressful!  The number of guests is right under the dates in the box on the listing when you go to book.  You really can't miss it!

Maybe turn off Instant Book for a week and when people request to book, just ask them to enter their dates and the number of people in their party and they'll be good to go?  Saves having to go back over it.  But either way, it's annoying.

[Evan36]

Hey Ann, it seems like something's changed. Perhaps the iPhone app booking experience is different? People used to get it right pretty much 100% of the time, and now it's like 30% of bookings have the correct number, and 70% just have "1". 

I don't want to turn off Instant Book for fear of missing bookings 😞

[Ann72]

@Evan36 Of course not!  And you're right - I just made a test booking of one of my places on my iPhone, and you can't change the number of guests until you get to the price breakdown screen.  There you'll see that the check-in and checkout dates and the number of guests are clickable, but only because they're in a different color.  There's nothing to tell the prospective guest:  How many people are actually coming, now that you've found the place you want?  Because when they begin the search, they don't always enter the number of people - they probably start with place and dates.

Maybe you could change your greeting message to ask them to put in the number of guests?  Will they see that before they book?  If they don't see it until they book, you could have it say that you'll just need to confirm the exact number of guests before the booking is final, then do your thing.  They'll never know that the booking is actually final lol.

[Evan36]

Arg, this is still happening. Another 2 bookings, and both of them were for a party of 1.

[Robin4]

@Evan36 

Evan, I have also noticed an upswing in the number of single guest bookings but at least mine have turned out to be just that....1 guest!

The guest I have arriving today has booked as one guest and she is here for 5 nights. The next guest has also booked as a single guest and is here for 3 nights so, I will get to see if this turns out to be the case.

Evan, I have just looked at your listings, and it is obviously your 14 guest Lake Tahoe listing that is creating the problem.

I did notice in your pricing, you list the same amount for up to 8 guests. It is only when I put in 9 guests that the nightly listing amount changes!

I think this might be responsible for some of your issues. The guest sees that the amount doesn't alter so they thing it doesn't matter....they are booking so, what's the problem whether they turn up with one or eight, the price is the same!!

Just a thought mate!

Cheers.....Rob

[Evan36]

Hey Robin,

In my case, these reservations with 1 guest are all incorrect. 100% of them. No one books my home for just themselves — that just wouldn't make sense. 

I do utilize Airbnb's pricing feature to charge more for each guest beyond 8. I've done that since 2014, when I bought this home, and until 2018, I'd never had a single guest book for 1 person. In the last 6 months though, I've had more than 10 trips booked for a party of one. Something has definitely changed, and it's resulting in the majority of trips being booked for the incorrect party size. So, something else is afoot 🙂 

- Evan

[Robin4]

@Evan36 

I charge an additional amount of $15 per guest after two.

There are the deliberate issues where the guest is well aware that a third guest is going to cost extra and figures they will book for two and work out some advantageous solution for the third  (and possible fourth) down the track. You no doubt get those as well Evan!

But when it comes to my base pricing amount, guests don't think it matters whether they book for one or two. Airbnb prompts them at the time of booking to declare the numbers and names of guests who are coming but, the guest doesn't realise that all guests need to be registered in case of any issue.....and Airbnb don't spell this out to the guest forcefully enough. I know because I have just been through the booking procedure, and as a host I take particular note of what the guest goes through! I am just prompted to put in the numbers and names of accommpanying guests who will be travelling in my party! But it's not an obligatory part of the booking process!

Guests are finding the Airbnb site is becoming more difficult in all aspects from  searching to the review process, so if they think something is not actually attached to the booking process and will not affect the price, they just ignore it!

A year ago we didn't have the complications on the platform that we have now.....we can't even see a reference calendar in our guest message stream any more.

I still feel your issue is related to your pricing.....however I could be wrong Evan....have been many times before!

Cheers......Rob

[Evan36]

Hey Rob, appreciate the reply! It's definitely not related to my pricing, as the pricing hasn't changed since I started using Airbnb, and this trend of people all of a sudden booking for 1 person only developed in the last few months. I'm in touch with Airbnb about it, and the support agent is trying to raise it, but I was curious if others are seeing the same issue. 

If it were pricing-related, I'd like see a lot of bookings for 8 people (as there's no cost difference between 8 and 1). But nearly all my bookings are either 12-14 or 1. So seems people either put in the right number, or no number at all (as 1 is the default).