Instant Book - search filter set by default

[Hans0]

I have recently noticed a massive decline in views of my listings, booking requests and bookings have disappeard completely. We then did some research and real time testing and made the following discovery: Since a couple of weeks searches from guests only show listings that activated "Instant book". In order to see all listings, this filter has to be removed manually by a guest. By allowing Instant Book a listing becomes just like any other hotel or commercial holiday apartment, with no option to decide who you will host and when. For a host who uses airbnb as a flexible tool to rent out his home while away, or planning to go away when there is a booking, this new requirement is killing it. In addition, this dramatic change has not been communicated by airbnb. And in case of doubt, there is no way to get in touch with anyone at airbnb anymore. I understand that this is a direct consequence of focussing simply on maximising turn over and benefits, but killing the original idea.

[Charlotte60]

I came to the community centre to find an answer for the same problem I had, but I guess now I have found. This is really a bad thing, since I like to talk to my guests before accepting their reservation.

[Carole140]

Yes! I totally agree with you! I have a teeny treehouse and must do Request to book, because of the specific restrictions. My booking were wonderful  last year...thsi year is a different story! a lousy change for us.

[Melanie58]

I understand you are posting because you think that this is not a good idea, and because it is impacting your bottom line. However, if you want to bite the bullet and just deal with the problem of no bookings, I would recommend turning ON instant book, but using the most stringent requirements - instant book is only allowed when guests have previous reviews AND they submit a copy of their identification.  The group of people who meet these requirements is very small, so you would not expect a great increase in the number of people who can actually truly instant book (i.e. without your interaction with them.)

With the setting set this way the great majority of people would still need to interact with you as they do now - requesting the dates, then you pre-approve or decline.  

If by chance someone with awful reviews and verification were to book, you get three free passes a year to cancel when a reservation makes you uncomfortable.  You could basically just keep count of spending those, and turn off instant book if you run out of them too quickly.  

[Hans0]

thank you for your comments. What is annoying is the way this has been introduced - there has been no official notification that tells you that you are not visible anymore unless you agree to these new settings. Besides the fact that you are not able to choose who is coming, you are also not able to accept bookings that fit - just setting the calendar is not helping much either. While this works for a guesthouse, it does not work for a private home. 3 cancellations are nothing and you need to think twice before you use them....

[Éva-and-Dan0]

Instant book isn't for everyone, and this really amounts to blackmail on the part of AirBnB. I don't rent as a primary source of income, but just rent out a part of my own home on an occasional basis, mainly during the summer holidays when I'm out of town. I don't want to inflict undesirable guests on my neighbours, so I'm careful about checking prospective bookings. I don't mind people rejecting me because they want instant book - it certainly didn't both any of my guests last year, and I always respond to booking requests within half an hour or sooner - but the way it's set as a default (and VERY difficult to notice unless you're specifically looking for it) means they don't necessarily get the chance to make that choice, as I'm now excluded from most people's searches. This time last year I had an almost full calendar, this year I've got two bookings in total so far. A very nasty policy from a pretty unscrupulous company.

[Kate-And-Reid0]

Agreed. This is nasty! I missed any communication on how drastically hosts would be impacted. Our bookings are down also.

Airbnb prides itself on being different than a hotel room experience yet this instant book aligns with booking a hotel. Quicker booking must be more money on their books.

[Kat27]

I just discovered this myself when I did a attempted a real-time search for my listing under travel. Scrolled and scrolled looking for my listing then noticed “Instabook” filter was automatically turned on at the top. No guests new to Air will even know to turn this feature off. No wonder my calendar has been so quiet. This all comes on the heels of watching the video regarding Air’s Global conference with owner and founder of Air. His main theme was “we are all about the hosts”. I guess not!  They are really pushing those of us who don’t use Instabook out of the market. Sad. 

[Sandra126]

This must be a trial, has not happened to my searches. Just did one (Australia). This is bad news indeed for those who do not want it.

@Melanie58, I know you are a fan of IB, I can't see a way around it for me. Here is my really common scenario, see if you can solve it:

I have a two night minimum on weekends. We are in a wedding area, so if I allowed single weekend nights I would be booked a single Sat every weekend of the year. Despite me saying TWO nights only guests send requests all the time, which I have to decline. BUT: If I make my calendar so you can only ask for two nights, then what happens to all the stray weekend nights which crop up through the year? Example: Guest A books Thu-Fri, checks out Sat. This leaves Sat free as a one nighter, and I will book it as such. Another week there will be a check out Fri, next check in Sat. Leaves Fri free. If I have a two night official min, how will guests be able to book those?

Also, guests book inappropriate things like young children, booking for others, etc. They try quite regularly, but at the moment I have a chance to talk to them first and I hardly ever have to decline a booking, except for the Sats mainly! With IB I would have to cancel more than three grace bookings. I would probably have to cancel 52 per year. Solution?

[David631]

I am having the same problem.  I have asked several people with different accounts to test this scenario in Houston. It seems to be true, that if you don't have instant book listings, your listing will basically NOT show up in airbnb user searches unless they specifically know how to turn off the instant book filter.  Definitely people who have never used airbnb, will not know how to change the filter.  Thus airbnb is basically favoring hosts with instant booking, which I believe to be unfair and it really seems like a slap in the face for all other hosts who use this site.  Hosts that get to know their guests prior to their booking provide guests great customer service by finding out if they have any special accommodation needs.  Also, in terms of building trust in our communities and neighborhoods, I feel that the process of communicating prior to booking helps us vet for great guests, allows us to set the tone, allows us the opportunity to make sure new users saw our house rules prior to booking (because it is very difficult to see the house rules if you are booking via the phone app).   This has allowed me to provide both myself and our neighbors a sense of safety and security.

[Sandra126]

This is going to be the way from now on, I believe. A way to make us all choose IB on our own accord. One million listings on IB before the end of the year is the target. I am invisible also.

[Julie-and-Sean0]

Yes, we are experiencing this in Ottawa, Ontario too. 

The instant book search filter is there by default so my listing is invisible if they don't turn off the filter.

This has really hurt our hosting schedule, we have noticed a significant drop in bookings and enquiries. 

We are basically being financially bullied to choose instant book.

I really disagree with this new default printer.

How can we let our voices be heard so Airbnb listens to remove this filter.

It seems unnecessary to favor one over the other.

Thoughts??

[Christa-And-Zach0]

Our voices have not been heard. This is still the terrible policy for private homedwellers. And just now, when I turned IB off for fear of booking when out of the home on vacation, I see they removed my ability to require a government ID of guests. The removed my ability to be more secure in my home, all because I don't want to have Instant Book on right now. Apparently our security is the blackmail they have on us. This is beyond.

[Jiw0]

You can vote for changing this here: https://community.airbnb.com/t5/Host-Voice/Please-make-the-pop-up-message-on-InstantBook-more-truthf...  

As an aside, turning on isntant book only for guests with past stays with good reviews just doesn't work, they get hidden just the same, no matter how highly your listing is ranked, superhost, status, etc.   You end up snuffed.

[Cristiane35]

We are facing the same problem, our aprtment do not show anymore and visits and booking declined.

I am ok with instant booking, but will once accept certain periods where I could force a full week, or not accept instant book. Our place in Rio, Brazil is very seasonal, and I simple cannot accept instant book for Carnaval, New years eve, a weekend with a major show, smart users wait until the day it shows and pick 2 nights on the middle.

Airbnb is also forcing automatic pricing, again a good idea turning to capitalism and massive profit interest.

Lookimg for alternatives, recommendations or solutions.

Cristiane