Repercussions from fluctuating pricing

[Leenie0]

Dear hosting community 🙂

So I listed my place a couple of months ago and it's been very successful. I listed it for a high base price at first, realised we needed to fill it up and get more reviews, so have lowered it since then. In that initial window it was booked by people a month out for a friday and saturday. They just contacted me saying they searched my next available friday and saturday and it's $60 cheaper than they booked it for. What does one do in this situation? And if smart book is on (for example) the prices fluctuate every day!!!! Anyway, I have reimbursed her the $60 becuase I'm a nice person but now I'm having second thoughts about this. 

Hosts? What do you think?

Thanks for your feedback in advance!

[Aogán0]

I have smart pricing set up too (with a minimum set by myself), and if a guest books at a certain price level, then prices drop, I don't think I would offer a refund - in the same way as if I book a hotel, then they have a special offer on, I don't get my money back. Obviously I was happy to pay the price as advertised, when I booked. I can see why you did it, but I wouldn't do it in future, but simply explain that Airbnb varies prices (or you do, to match demand) and people pay what they're happy with at the time of booking.

[Leenie0]

Gotcha. Appreciate the 2 cents 🙂

[Monika64]

@Leenie0 You can be nice and discuss this with the guests but prices vary in hotels as well and you can never ask for money back just because the following week some rooms would be priced lower, right? 

I'm not sure if you can do this for more than one guest, you'd loose a lot of money. 

[Leenie0]

Thanks Monika, I agree. I feel silly for giving up the money so fast and not thinking it through. Oh well, next time I know what to do!

[Robin4]

@Leenie0

Hi Leenie, this post of yours disappoints me a bit! I say that because guests already get a remarkable deal with Airbnb. They can change their minds at the drop of a hat and get all their money back! Hotels do not offer deals like that, and now you are virtually extending that scenario by saying...."Well I know it was cheaper 3 weeks ago (or three weeks down the track) so I will match that"!!

Each time someone does something like this it erodes our ground a little bit further!

Leenie, I host to a standard, not to a price and I hate all this bullsh*t going on around me which in essense infers that I am screwing guests by not doing the same!

Please Leenie set your listing fee and keep to it....all you are doing by 'dropping your pants' is putting pressure on the rest of us to do the same thing!!

Cheers......Rob