The dreaded Lower Your Price message

Linda-And-Richard0
Level 10
San Antonio, TX

The dreaded Lower Your Price message

I recently received another of those Airbnb message we have all come to hate.  As always, it is suggesting I lower my price to get more bookings.  It shows three listings in my area for comparison.   I look up the first property shown as comprable to my listing and it is indeed less expensive on a per night basis.  That listing sleeps 5 while my listing sleeps 6.  Then I see that the cleaning fee is $70 more than my cleaning fee.  Then I look at the second listing referenced.  This one sleeps 7 and is $64 more per night and the cleaning fee is $75 more than mine.  Finally I check the third property listed.  It sleeps the same number of people as my listing but is nearly double the per night price of my listing.  Again, the cleaning fee is more than double my cleaning fee.

 

This makes me wonder how about the working of the Airbnb company brain.  Why reference properties more expensive than my listing when you are telling me to lower my price.   I know the value of my property and the quality of guests my property will attract.  Thanks but no thanks to your suggestion to slash prices to get more bookings.

4 Replies 4
Emiel1
Level 10
Leeuwarden, The Netherlands

@Linda-And-Richard0,

Better to ignore those messages. Sometimes i receive comparisons with "other" listings I  actually own also, managed in the same account :>) Or messages stating "people booked other room xxx cheaper..". Yes, they did, they booked one of my other rooms !

Kelly144
Level 4
Hobart, Australia

Just turn off those notices. You can do it in your profile. I never get those, but I still get the important ones, like if I get a booking. 

Like so many algorithms, lower common denominator across the board generalizations are all they are good for.  Way too much information is ignored for them to make serious suggestions. I ignore them. You know what your listing is worth, and if you can bake in discounts to your cost of doing business for low season, far better than any algorithm.

Rebecca160
Level 10
Albuquerque, NM

@Linda-And-Richard0 Maybe Airbnb meant to say that your listing is too low in price and you need to raise it to be comprable to others?  Ha ha. We wish. I would seriously consider upping your price or cleaning fee, if other similar properties are getting higher rates.