Sharing settings?

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Ann72
Level 10
New York, NY

Sharing settings?

Under "Pricing" , I scrolled down and saw something I've never noticed before:  "Sharing settings."

 

When you click "edit," you'll see this message:  "Find out more about the listings your potential guests are checking out. If you share some details about your listing and bookings with other hosts, you can see the listings that guests end up booking after checking out your place."

 

Then you can either choose "Listing and Booking Details," "Booking Details," or "None."

 

Is this new?  And what is the advantage?  

Screenshot 2019-04-11 09.57.09.png

1 Best Answer
Robin4
Level 10
Mount Barker, Australia

@Ann72  @Olivia659  @Ada2463 @Brian2036 

 

@Ann72 , I did notice this when it was introduced back in late 2018 but I did put it to good use. Trying to work with others in my area I contacted some of those local hosts who were offering 'better deals than me,' half a dozen of us got together for a cup of coffee and we agreed to help each other out if the need ever arose!

 

I had the situation in early 2019 where I ended up with 2 entirely separate confirmed Airbnb reservations on my property for the same night!

How on earth could this happen you may say! Long story but a current guest wanted to extend his stay and while he was in the process of extending his booking with Airbnb support,  another guest jumped in via IB and grabbed the next night. It wasn't just as simple as that but like a I said, a long story short. Here I was with two confirmed Airbnb reservations on my property for the same night. I rang support and they were completely useless, could offer me no alternative but find a corner in my property where I could overnight house one of the confirmed bookings.

 

Just the sort of support you need when you need support hey!!!!!

 

Remembering my local contacts via that coffee meeting I did a phone around and managed to have another local host put up one of my confirmed bookings for the night. We never bothered to contact or amend any booking details with Airbnb because we all thought it would go into the 'too hard basket' so, when the reservation payment for the second guest arrived in my account I just handed it over to the other host and, all in Gods world was tranquil again! I have since been able to return the favour so it has worked out well!

 

To be in this business you have to be adaptable and I am quite thankful that Airbnb gave me the tools to have a relationship with other hosts in my area. That wasn't their intention, their idea was to have me lower my prices to remain competitive.....always the mercenary, but, we have all come out as winners!

 

Cheers........Rob

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56 Replies 56
Emilia42
Level 10
Orono, ME

@Ann72, that looks new. I don't have that option yet. Are you going to click it?

I don't really know how useful this information would be. But I would be curious. Will it tell you that a guest booked a listing that was actually more expensive then yours and that maybe you should consider raising your price? Will it encompasses the entire reservations total or just the nightly rate? Guests could book a room that is $25 less per night then your space but the cleaning fee would make the reservation more expensive. So many questions.

Ann72
Level 10
New York, NY

@Emilia42 Those are the questions!  If it's a neutral algo, it should tell you if someone booked at a higher rate.  If it's an algo designed to push us to lower our rates, then that's what we'll see.

 

I clicked through but haven't changed anything from the default yet.  Here's what you see:

Screenshot 2019-04-11 11.05.55.png

Suzanne302
Level 10
Wilmington, NC

@Ann72 @Emilia42 

 

I don't have that option either but it certainly is interesting...

Leslie7
Level 10
Port Angeles, WA

I don’t have that option either.

Larry116
Level 2
California, United States

I saw this option too. Any of you figure out how to view the purported information?

Mike1045
Level 2
Palm Coast, FL

I also have this option.. I've been itching my head on figuring out how it works. Just came on here to the community page to post a screenshot and ask about it also. What it seems to be offering would be very useful information to know.


So no one's figured it out yet?

Branka-and-Silvia0
Level 10
Zagreb, Croatia

When I started hosting I've done massive research on the competition in my area. First I went to see their calendar, is it empty or full and then I went to their description to find out why.  After a while, I've seen a pattern and found out all I need to know.

 

From time to time I get emails from Airbnb, something like: "guests who looked your listings end up booking 6€ cheaper listings..." and then there are a few listings to click on. I clicked once and found out they were all further away from the center, or smaller, or without parking... so now I just ignore those emails, same as those suggesting "guests in your area are booking shorter trips, consider 1-nights stays..."  No, tnx.

 

I suppose this new feature is the same useless thing.

@Branka-and-Silvia0 Lol.

 

Thanks for sharing!


@Branka-and-Silvia0 wrote:

so now I just ignore those emails, same as those suggesting "guests in your area are booking shorter trips, consider 1-nights stays..." 


Strangely, for the same nights on Airbnb I get suggested "Reduce your price by 20%" and on VRBO I get "Guests in your area are booking at rates of +25% higher".

 

I think you do right in ignoring those emails.

 

(sorry about not @Branks&Silvia you. This system doesn't work.)

Leanne99
Level 10
Adelaide, Australia

I also just discovered this new feature after receiving this email this morning (screen shot below). I investigated but haven't actually been able to see any information.  I am a bit uncertain of how to asccess the information - clicking on the listing in the email takes me to a 'start sharing' button page - but I already have the default selected under pricing.  Has anyone else done this? I'm not sure if its a good thing to do...

AirBnB email.jpeg

Ben551
Level 10
Wellington, New Zealand

I have this new feature too. I was checking it out today. It shows me in my calendar exactly who guests booked instead of booking my place, when I view the calendar Nommy nom nom data... 😄

Hi Ben, 

How exactly does it show up? Whe I look at my calendar, I can't see anything different despite receiving the email above which tells me two guests booked other properties in June.

I'm looking on a desktop. The 'get started' button just takes me to my listing and I've already changed the settings off the default to share more info - the first option - 'Share listing and booking details'.

Cheers,

Leanne

Ben551
Level 10
Wellington, New Zealand

@Leanne99 so this is weird... I was looking at it last night on the iPad. When I saw your question just now I thought right, I’ll go back to my calendar and take a picture of the info. Now when I click on the days with info, none of them show listing specific info. I’ve gone through them one by one and it’s not there... either I need to stay off the mushrooms or it’s been changed.

Hi Ben,

Thanks for your reply.

I phoned support tonight for another thing and asked them at the end about this.  The person really didn't know about it and tried to explain the feature but as I explained to him, I understand the feature and it seems vaguely useful or at least interesting but that I just couldn't figure out how to see the info.  He couldnt either and was lodging a feedback report about it for me.

Cheers,

Leanne

BTW - your place looks gorgeous!! On my list if I'm ever in Wellington.