Unfair Overall Rating Calculations

Unfair Overall Rating Calculations

Mean rating status calculations are exactly as the name implies, mean to hosts! One bad review can easily destroy a host's efforts to get or maintain star status and there is nothing we can do about it.

 

If a host gets several 5-star reviews and only one 1-star review, their ratings status calculated currently by mean (average) is pulled right down. A median rating is  more reflective of the most common guest experience and would remain 5 or nearer to it...

 

For an understanding of the difference or to see what it would mean for you, check out: https://www.calculators.org/math/mean-median-mode.php

 

I believe Airbnb should show more fairness to hosts and change to median calculations of overall ratings of both guests and hosts. If we are going to be ruled by algorithms and metrics, we should at least have fair ones... After all, it is we the little hosts that bring profits to the platform and it's billionaire owner.

46 Replies 46

You're not wrong @Pat271 ... but I am seriously thinking of switching to VRBO. Now they're run by Expedia, their reach is pretty much as broad. Not that I'm trying to plug another platform as any better for host or guest expereince. They may or may act like another monopoly, but they do offer a flat rate annual that makes sense if you do this full-time and I'm sure they're looking to pull away some biz from Airbnb. I'd also love to be in on the ground of a coop platform & take the tech co.-(in)efficient out of the equation.... (excuse the bad attempt at a pun). I'm slowly beginning to feel there are options and I expect zand hope those will grow.

Is it true that VRBO is doing away with the subscription model (annual flat rate) for new hosts? I keep reading about that on various discussion groups.

@Pat271They are offering both... $499 or %. Not sure if that's per rental or per host.

The bottom line is that because they have a virtual monopoly on the business, we hosts have to "suck it up buttercup."

Anthony393
Level 4
Norwich, United Kingdom

the rating system is flawed. I have had for the past 20 reviews - 18 x 5 stars with comments that support our excellent places and efforts.  We then get 2x 3 stars from revenge unfair guests - We then get the patronising email AB email stating we need to pull up our socks and do BETTER. It is clear these guests have left a low review because we asked for damage to be paid for or asked them not to leave 2 hours late and so much my housekeeper was kept waiting outside until they went. Airbnb could see the message thread but still the guests were allowed to smash us with a clear REVENGE REVIEW. this is not fair and should be challenged by AB - but it is clear that AB put more onus on their unwieldy and unfair rating system than the hard working hosts out there.

I believe the answer is to band together and petition Airbnb to change their settings to provide a MEDIAN average instead of a MEAN one as per my original post.

 

For an understanding of the difference or to see what it would mean for you, check out: https://www.calculators.org/math/mean-median-mode.php

 

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Patricia1556  "Airbnb should be helping hosts to expend their energies improving their hosting skills, rather than encouraging them to be preoccupied with and to stress out over fractional ratings."

 

Airbnb has no interest in helping hosts improve their hosting skills. Their only real interest is in generating bookings so they can collect their service fees. To that end, it doesn't matter if an individual host gets poor ratings, because guests will simply pass on that listing and book another- it  doesn't affect Airbnb's bottom line. And if they can keep hosts stressed out about their ratings, hosts become loathe to hold a guest responsible for their bad behavior, in terror of a bad review.

 

If guests are allowed to be disrespectful with no consequences,  that leads to more Airbnb bookings, as those bad guests carry on to book other places and if a host does hold them responsible, or refuse to refund, or whatever might get the guest's knickers in a knot, the guest will be posting on social media about how they'll never book with Airbnb again, how Airbnb always sides with hosts, etc, etc.

Sadly true, hence my dream of a coop run platform instead of a corporate one.

Linda1161
Level 3
Toronto, Canada

@Patricia1556 Absolutely agreed, the Guests are empowered to do whatever they want.  I had a situation where the Guest showed up with 2 other people, a car and motorcycle yet he booked for 1 Guest and no vehicles.   My unit is always meticulously clean but since I didn't allow both to stay, the Guest went to town on a bad review.  I have had this problem a few times so my ratings dropped like a stone and I was suspended for 5 days.  How is that fair? If Hosts don't use the system, it doesn't matter how many Guests there are, there will be no inventory.  I was 5 Star for 2 plus years and got a string of bad Guests who rely on posting bad reviews to take down prices. 

Linda PInizzotto

I have posted below about this. Us hosts need to keep telling Airbnb about this and DEMAND they change and protect us.

Agree, question is how to "band together"? Start an FB group maybe to connect outside this platform? ... There seem to be a few possibles but noe that lobby the platform

That is shocking! To be taken off a site where we make the company their profits!  As I said in the original post, it's just plain MEAN!!! But should be MEDIAN.

🙂 Is there a way for hosts to band together and petition for changes?

Nazan0
Level 2
Birmingham, United Kingdom

Hi, this happened to me on a few occasions. While hundreds of guests are very happy with their stay here some people have been unkind and left bad reviews unfairly. That's effected the overall rating and demoralised me as a hard working good host. I explained to the Airbnb team about the issue but the response was very ineffective. 

So... I've heard that in some markets, restaurants banded to fight back against delivery apps by creating their own coop-owned and run delivery app. Owners benefit, delivery people benefit from hourly pay, clients benefit from lower fees... and the middle-man app is eventually no longer required. Food for thought...

@Patricia1556  There are quite a number of direct booking sites for STRs that provide exactly this.  The problem is gaining enough exposure and traffic through the sites to sustain hosts. I hope that changes over time - competition is always good vs. the monopolies we have now.