Yet Another Change to your Listing View

[Suzanne302]

Don't know if this is a test or not or applicable to all listings, but ABB has changed the way your listing is viewed. All that stuff you write about in "about this space"? They've all but hidden it on the desktop and in the app.

For the desktop version you have to click on "About this Space" for it to show anything. There's no "preview" anymore. The button to click is located just below the "highlights" ABB decides to post.

On the app, it's even harder to find. They have buried it below your reviews!

Not a huge deal, but I depend on that space as a nice preview and it also points out my pet fee in bold. Now, a guest will have to search for the info. Sometimes that spot is ALL the guest will read so this is a bit troubling and will make my job harder. *sigh*

[Sarah977]

@Suzanne302  OMG!  Every change just gets more and more outrageous and more and more detrimental to hosts. Meantime Lizzie and Laura travel the world listening to hosts' concerns. What a cruel joke this has all become.

[Susan151]

@Suzanne302 

QUOTE: Not a huge deal, but I depend on that space as a nice preview and it also points out my pet fee in bold. Now, a guest will have to search for the info. Sometimes that spot is ALL the guest will read so this is a bit troubling and will make my job harder. *sigh*

Oh yes. This is a huge deal. So, our meagre listings are being "Plus-ized." Description isn't important at all. Photos are everything, and that isn't what tells my story. Thank you for the heads' up. I might tweak my saved messages to ensure that the things I think are important are reinforced.

[Susan151]

Ugh. All the paragraph returns have been stripped as well. They did this once before.... and I had to reformat everything. And then they changed it back which meant more reformatting.

I will remain hopeful that this will be rolled back since it is so stupid.

[Kath9]

@Suzanne302, @Sarah977 , @Susan151, actually, this is my pet hate! The lack of paragraph returns! Everything is just one long paragraph with no break between different topics. I agree with @Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 that no one reads the listings anyway. Maybe we need to start writing some house details under the photos...

[Kath9]

Although, weirdly, the paragraph returns are still on the app (just not the desktop). I just checked out my listing using my app - I can't believe the description now is right down the bottom - how to make sure that even more guests book without a clue of what they're booking! It's even more imperative for us to make sure guests have read the listing before we accept bookings. This is what might finally get me to turn instant book off...

[Suzanne302]

@Susan151 

Yes, I guess you're right that it is a big deal! Just like you, it means I will now have to make sure I reiterate everything in my opening message. I know most people skim the listing anyway, but taking away that preview really hurts because that was our only chance to catch their attention and highlight anything important!

@Kath9 

The no paragraph return thing bugs me too! It's weird that the app maintains it, but the desktop version doesn't. You'd think it would be the other way around.

[Susan151]

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@Kath9 wrote:

@Suzanne302, @Sarah977 , @Susan151, actually, this is my pet hate! The lack of paragraph returns! Everything is just one long paragraph with no break between different topics. I agree with @Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 that no one reads the listings anyway. Maybe we need to start writing some house details under the photos...

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Strangely, my guests have always read the listing. This change ensures that they won't. ARGH.

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

This is becoming 'just like the old days' in marketing. Nobody is attracted by the words, they see the pictures first become enticed then read the words if they have an interest.

Mostly, nobody reads the listings anyway, but the preview @Suzanne302 mentions will be a sad loss. 

3-5 seconds to grab attention, after that, they're gone.

[Emilia42]

This new format hasn't made it my way yet ... not looking forward to it.

[Robin4]

@Emilia42  @Suzanne302  @Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 

No, hasn't made to my corner of the world either Emilia. My page is still displaying just as it always has.....to me!

Just a pity that to guests it probably shows entirely differently!!!

I have always had an overview in which I had to bit a brief description of less than 250 characters and I would then go on to a detailed description. 

I have always had to click on 'About this space' to see all the ad nauseam that I may have included!

Emilia, I can see a pattern here, day by day a hosts tools are being taken away! I am having guests contact me and say...."We have a booking with you arriving tommorow evening but have not received any details! What is your address, is there a keybox or will you be there, is there WiFi and how do I access it.

I have clearly stated these details and have instructed Airbnb to give any guest who has a confirmed reservation this information....why is this not happening????? 

As Airbnb hosts, I don't actually know where we go from here.....

First of all random blocked dates suddenly became available for booking!

Next, guests verification requirements were watered down....email address was no longer required for verification to book a listing.

Then guest profile photos were removed from reservation requests!

Then 'Guest Resources' information was removed from the reservation notification.

Then the calendar was removed from the message stream that allowed hosts to reference their bookings!

We, as hosts,  are being put in a straight-jacket! We are being excluded from all the information we require in order to actually do our job. 

Why are Airbnb doing this to us? I am a Superhost who represents Airbnb to the best of my ability 130 times a year, providing Airbnb with the coin that has got them where they are.....why are they blindfolding you and me???

Time really has come for some answers here!

Cheers.....Rob

[Susan151]

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@Robin4 wrote:

@Emilia42  @Suzanne302  @Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 

No, hasn't made to my corner of the world either Emilia. My page is still displaying just as it always has.....to me!

Just a pity that to guests it probably shows entirely differently!!!

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Check using another browser as I did. Sometimes you can see the updates in a non-cached version more quickly.

[Robin4]

@Susan151 

Thanks Susan......on the ball, as always!

Cheers.....Rob

[Beth80]

I've been thinking about adding some pictures of texts/information. Since so many  people seem to only look at the pictures. I've seen a few listing that have their pictures set up this way. I must say it caught my eye.  

I really wonder if Airbnb is deliberately trying to force out small hosts? The list that Rob posted shows how more and more they are shooting us in the foot. Reading posts here makes me wonder what or even If they are truly thinking about us as hosts.

I would really appreciate it if one of the administrators would respond to some of these posts!!!

[Susan151]

@Suzanne302 @Robin4 @Beth80 @Emilia42 @Kath9 

No amount of reformatting makes my listing description legible. I am not happy about this particular change at all, but their football, their rules. So I have, reluctantly, added a new house rule since they are illegible. I will no doubt tweak the verbage, but this is version 1:

AirBNB has recently changed how you see the Listing Details. I expect that you didn't read them since it is far too difficult. Immediately following an inquiry or booking, you will receive the Listing Description via the AirBNB message system. Please take a moment to read them. If the Windmill House is not the right place for you, you have up to 48 hours to cancel your booking.