Instant booking "highly rated" feature blocks my listing

[Monika64]

So I just spend an entire day talking to various host and Airbnb experts to figure out that the "highly rated by other hosts" requirement blocks potential guests from seeing my listing (as it doesn't even show up at all) if they are not logged into their Airbnb accts.

So basically I should NOT use that opting for my instant booking (clearly that is what Airbnb wants). However, lately I have the craziest request and I'm kinda scared just letting anyone book instantly. My condo host max 4 people, I had people asking me back to back if they could bring 6 and 10 (yes, ten) people into a 30 sqm condo with 2 beds. So obviously these people didn't read my listing (not to mention my house rules).

I'd love to have more views because I know it'll help my listing show up on top of the search results but if I don't have the "highly rated" option turned on what other ways do I have to even screen potential guests?

[Tim-and-Holly0]

I understand your hesitancy in using Instant Book, however, you can still decline bookings without penalty if a guest does not fit your profile, house rules or if in conversing with them you feel uncomfortable. You can also set additional requirments like recommendations from other hosts that the guest have to meet before they can Instant Book..

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/990/i-m-a-host--what-penalties-apply-if-i-need-to-cancel-a-reser...

"If you are use Instant Book for your listing, you can cancel penalty-free if you’re uncomfortable with a reservation or if a guest breaks one of your House Rules."

Hopefully that helps with your dilemma.

[Monika64]

Thanks for the info!

However, my dillema is that if I keep the "thumbs up" requirement in my IB that will prevent my listing to be seen by a lot of people: potential guests who are not signed into their account.

Anyone who isn't logged in cannot see my listing because the system won't offer it to them until it knows they are highly rated.

Less interest means going lower and lower down in search results.

My area is increadibly competitive (300+ similar condo listings within a mile radius), few people would look at the 168th listing 🙂

[Tim-and-Holly0]

Oh, I see. Guess my reply was not very helpful. Sorry.

[Monika64]

It was actually very helpful in clearing up that there are no penalties after canceling IB (within reason of course). 

So thank you for that!

I actually wrote to feedback that IB should show IB on our listings and sould fall within the filter,regardless of specific IB settings. 

Hopefully they'll fix this. 

[Ange2]

@Monika64   I tried Instant Book as an experiment and stopped. It has not made a difference to my bookings - yet.   For me IB took more work than answering inquiries, especially when people with pets and children, more people than I can host booked etc.  not to forget the looming penalties  and warnings for these cancellations as they add up.

[Andrea9]

@Monika64

Your market is probably different from @Ange2's or mine, but like Ange I gave it a very brief try in the fall, but stopped.

It doesn\t seem to have made a difference on my views which were comparable to the year before.

The first and only person to book my room hadn't read any of my House Rules, so I had it cancelled.

Now here is where it gets dicey. You need to cancel by involving Airbnb to make sure that the system gets it right and you don't get the 'cancelled' comment in your reviews AND that it doesn't impact your commitment rate.

(Although that may now have all been improved since my experience with it half a year ago)

[Monika64]

Thanks for your opinion! I've only been hosting for 2 months so I wouldn't know the difference. I think I'm more concerned about the loss of viewing traffic 😞 But I don't wanna deal with cancelation (even without penalty) and I'm worried about screening the guests. There is absolutly no other way for me to screen them without the tumbs up from other hosts or without them asking the usual weird questions and having even weirder requests (when at that point I'm able to decline booking inquires).

[Andrea9]

And Monika, just for the record - I've gathered from other host posts on the forum that if you still want to retain some modicum of control re. guests and IB by only accepting guests with good reviews, your listing still won't be (much) better off than without IB. 

I think the only thing that gets you the 'view push' is when you allow any and everybody to book. And if Airbnb ever gets all to comply with that, it won't be a guarantee anymore that all 1001 booking appear on the first 2 pages anyway... 😕

[Monika64]

You are right. I actually have heard rumors that Airbnb will push for everyone to accept IB without any option. Lots of people say they'll stop hosting if that ever happens as these are their homes, they don't want anyone just walk in.

Airbnb advertises that reviews are the best way to evaluate people, however if they take away your right to say no to anyone with bad reviews or brand new Airbnb guests it'll be a very bad situation for hosts.