“Modified Strict” Beta

Pat271
Level 10
Greenville, SC

“Modified Strict” Beta

 

I am participating in the Modified Strict cancellation policy beta.  “Modified Strict” is a proposed cancellation policy similar to Strict, except the 50% refund window is much shorter - guests have up to 1 month before check-in to cancel with a full refund.  After that it is a 50% refund up until 7 days before.

 

Airbnb has indicated that as a participant in this beta, half of my potential guests will be offered Modified Strict, and the other half will be offered Strict.

 

Since signing up, I have had 5 bookings, and they *all* have the Modified Strict policy set.  Makes me wonder if it’s really half-and-half, or alternatively, if I would have gotten any bookings at all lately without that policy.

 

Anyone else participating in this beta? Please share your thoughts and experiences.

8 Replies 8
Vedran6
Level 2
Zagreb, Croatia

Standard strict (unfortunately) still happens. Yesterday lost a two week reservation because potential guests didn't like the idea of possible cancellation just in first 48h. I was wondering why they see that as modified strict was turned on. Turned out only random 50% will see it. Later that day received two successful bookings - both have modified strict.

 

I don't know why the gap between strict and moderate has to be so big. Either 48h from booking or 7 days before check-in for free cancellation. It's really unreasonable for both sides as it always favors one side. Now finally find modified strict to be some middle ground. Shame it's available to only half of potential guest 😞

@Vedran6  Yes, since I wrote this, I got 3 more bookings, and 2 of them were Strict.

 

Soon, hopefully, they will give everyone the choice of setting Modified Strict as a regular policy.

Pat271
Level 10
Greenville, SC

@Vedran6 I’m pretty sure that if introducing this new policy in the beta has resulted in more bookings for Airbnb, they will ultimately make it a permanent choice for hosts to set like the other policies.

 

I do like the new policy, although I wish there were also a 2-month policy, as one of my properties is usually booked at least 2 months in advance, and is a little harder to rebook with only a 1-month lead time. Having the ability for hosts to set the free refund cutoff to “n” months before check-in would be even better.

Judy52
Level 2
Allonnes, France

Yes, it is the same for me.

Giles11
Level 2
London, United Kingdom

This is not how you do A/B testing.  Explaining to clients 'oh, I don't know the policy, its kind of random!  Kooky, but that's airbnb for you!'  does not go down well.  It goes down very badly.  Very badly indeed.  In fact, it's amazing that Airbnb can so utterly have misunderstood how you do A/B testing.  They should go back to UX 101.  

 

OK, so I have opted for 'modified strict'.  Here's my question:

 

Now how do I find out if I am in the 'A' or 'B' stream?

 

Justin34
Level 2
London, United Kingdom

I have just had a guest cancel a long standing reservation with a full refund just over a month prior to check-in while we run a Strict cancellation policy! Airbnb are saying a Modified Strict policy has been applied despite the fact we have never been informed and definitely not "opted-in" to this "experiment"!  We have been offered $200 compensation and they will not guarantee that this policy will not be applied again despite us continuing with our Strict policy.  How can Airbnb arbitrarily adjust our terms to allow cancellations when we, like many hosts, rely on certainty of bookings and revenue?  We are out off pocket at a difficult time.  Beware!

Hey Justin 

I have same issue. How did you get them to admit they did it without your permission. 
Mita so infuriating the resolutions people  are scripted and total lack of understanding. 

Katherine797
Level 2
New York, NY

I’m a better client of Airbnb and have been for seven years and for seven years I have begged to be removed from this program. Imagine every time they run a new program the effects are all my descriptions etc. and my cancellation policies all revert to 7 years ago

I don’t get notice that they’re changing anything and running a new program to our accounts. The first I ever know of it is when someone decides that my $20 breakfast is free because the description is seven years old when it was free. Alternatively it’s when my strict cancellation policy suddenly is flexible and it gets canceled on the day of arrival and gets a full refund. This can go for months and means that months worth of guests have booked with incorrect information and I have no full back except to lose money and lose bookings and therefore money with no Airbnb support because the customer service has no idea that there is a better program in existence. Basically I feel your pain