Price now automatically includes all fees, anyway to avoid this?

[Greystone0]

Hi Hosts,

I am now seeing my listing pricing showing "Price includes all fees". This used to be an option to choose as a host for each listing, but now it is automatic, or so it appears to me. Anyone else seeing this in their market or listing? I cannot find a way to remove nor can I conduct a general search without the fees being included.

In our case the AIRBNB fees are quite high per reservation and so having it separate added a layer of transparency and honesty to the pricing system. I realize that AIRBNB has been suggesting and pushing hosts to include the fees in an 'all in one' but the result is that it hides the AIRBNB fee.

Curious what you are experiencing? ANd if there is a way to remove this?

Thanks for any insight.

[Joelle43]

Hello @Joan2709 

This is awful!!  There's something that I can't get my head around though - if I'm on Airbnb.fr and I look for places to stay in New York let's say,  I see a price per night and total price of course on each listing, one click on a listing and I see the breakdown with the cleaning charges, taxes and Airbnb commission just like in Europe.

  But if I've understood correctly, a US guest has to make a second click on Price breakdown to see what makes up the total price?  And the host cleaning fees are automatically incorporated into the hosts nightly fee?  No idea if they charge 50$ or 250$?  Someone has clearly lost the plot!

[Joan2709]

@Joelle43 

Yes…that is correct. 

[Frances3408]

@Greystone0. Wow. thats one way for Airbnb to have their cake and eat it too. 🤣 

It hasnt happened here in OZ- we got the total pricing view a while ago but you can still get the cost breakdown when you search and before you click reserve. Really helps to understand how other hosts are positioning themselves.

[Greystone0]

Hi @Frances3408 ,

Hi @Helen3 ,

Thanks for weighing in! 

I have no issues with the total price being displayed. This is essential information and as Helen noted, it was not always obvious what the total was. 

The issue that I have is that the AIRBNB fee is now wrapped into the nightly rate when displayed. For our rental, the AIRBNB fee is always more than $400 and upwards of $1000 for our high season. It's a steep fee.  Guests get the same AIRBNB service for a  $1200 AIRBNB fee as someone who pays $26.96.  For the case above, the $26.96 is probably a really good value for using the service, but how is that same guest getting a $1200 value. The platform isn't different, or special, or more efficient. 

For a long time AIRBNB was asking hosts to absorb the AIRBNB fee into one total. Now it is automatic.  For listings in like our case, the transparency of having the AIRBNB fee separate made the process more transparent and understandable. Combined, it makes the host look like they are offering a crazy price. Granted, I need to get used to it and ultimately once that happens and all the guests slowly realize that the fee is tucked away in there things will normalize. But for now it doesn't feel more transparent, it feels less.

I also think that guests searching and  reviewing our listing and listings in our category will not get a second look because the perceived value is off kilter. This will impact our sales thru AIRBNB in the short term and medium term, in my opinion.

[Joan2709]

@Greystone0 

All good points...

You might have to concentrate your efforts on other platforms and a Direct Booking Site, as I doubt Airbnb will change this. 

I also think this is possibly a way for Airbnb to "push" hosts to use Simplified Pricing instead of the Split Fee to lower the price shown.

[Greystone0]

Hi Hosts,

Thanks for weighing in. Much appreciated. 

I dislike this a little more each day, as I look at it closer. The advice to focus elsewhere is spot on.  As noted, you can't even tell if the cleaning fee is included in this structure. And the AIRBNB fee is well hidden,  making the individual host look bad. 

And to top it all of, this thread was marked as answered by AIRBNB with an answer that only is relevant outside of the US and one that gives this a very positive spin.  No digs against the answer though, it just didn't address the issue we are facing and was immediately marked as answered as if to stop further conversation. 

If you haven't already, you should consider logging a complaint via support.