airbnb allowing other platforms to book my listing

Moontide0
Level 2
British Columbia, Canada

airbnb allowing other platforms to book my listing

I am using airbnb only, not other platform, to list my bnb, not even my own website. Then I discover that Homestogo is using my listing photos that I snoozed with airbnb to lure people and actually I was able to book my daughter's airbnb listing through homestogo. Airbnb has not owned up to this yet, except the airbnb help that was on the line with me encouraging me to try booking through homestogo, airbnb has dropped the whole issue for 8 months now.

11 Replies 11
Mike-And-Jane0
Level 10
England, United Kingdom

@Moontide0 I have searched for properties near us on Hometogo and while some that are on Airbnb come up ours does not. I wonder how it works.

Lisa723
Level 10
Quilcene, WA

@Moontide0 what is your objection to Airbnb allowing third-party advertising? Presumably any resulting bookings are still coming in via Airbnb, correct?

Moontide0
Level 2
British Columbia, Canada

@Lisa723 not interested in other platforms using my snoozed details when i  am loyal only to airbnb...

@Moontide0 it's not another platform if the booking comes to you through Airbnb. It's just an advertising site. When you sign up for Airbnb you give them 100% of rights to market your listing however they choose.

Ann72
Level 10
New York, NY

@Moontide0  Hometogo is just a vacation rental search engine.  You put in a place and date and it searches Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com, and many more.  When you choose a place, it sends you to one of those sites.  If your snoozed listing shows up on Hometogo, did you click through to see where it took you to make a booking?  Is  your daughter's listing active?

Moontide0
Level 2
British Columbia, Canada

@Ann72 thing is it booked me for a week on my daughter's listing without needing any introduction to the host, boom- my visa was charged. It wasn't the normal airbnb site that asks for communication.

Moontide0
Level 2
British Columbia, Canada

@Ann a local discussion group (who hates airbnb) posted a photo of my snoozed listing, I wondered who had the right to use my snoozed photo?

@Moontide0 I hate to break it to you, but when you publish on Airbnb your listing is... public. Anyone can see it, anyone can link to it, anyone can save its photos, etc., etc.. And once it's out there, snoozing it doesn't erase anything that anyone has already copied. That doesn't mean someone can book outside of Airbnb, or book a snoozed listing. It also doesn't mean someone can book without sending a booking request unless the listing has instant booking enabled.

Moontide0
Level 2
British Columbia, Canada

@Lisa723 that's what bothered me, the booking was made as if my daughter had instant booking and she doesn't, there was no request option. Anyway, fine, I wanted exclusivity and airbnb doesn't offer it, I thought they did, my error. So your last sentence is what i am addressing. The booking went through without her accepting it.  I've dropped from 5 listings and 950 reviews down to 1 listing, and am considering wiping it from this platform too as things have gone downhill in so many ways over the years. I'm not as money hungry and like to keep ethics foremost.

@Moontide0 you are saying that your daughter does not have instant booking enabled, yet somehow your confirmed booking appeared on her calendar, without her approval? That is extremely surprising, and yes, that would upset me too. Then what happened? Did one of you cancel the booking? Did Airbnb refund your service fee?

Lisa-and-Ben0
Level 3
Sint Maarten

I am having this issue with a snoozed listing as well! what to do??

A lady tried booking through booking.com today and her payment was denied so emailed the email directly to my surprise I got an email saying she tried to book on booking.com where  I have NEVER listed the property! what sort of a scam is being run here??