Why do I suddenly have no bookings?

[Marie70]

Hi! 

When we first put up our listing on Airbnb, there were a number of enquiries coming in everyday. But since the last 3-4 days, there's a sudden halt in enquiries.

I wonder if anyone encountered the same issue recently? Is it something wrong with my listing? 

Some enlightenment from other Hosts/Airbnb would be of great help!

Thank you  😊 

[Michelle1314]

Thanks Romano for your advice ... much appreciated! Yes, I have been logging in every day, and Smart Pricing and Instant Booking is turned on. I believe my listing is one of the lowest priced in my area. I think you are probably right that December is a low season. 

Kind regards,

Michelle 

[Helen19]

HI Romano,

I've been a Super Host now for 3 years.  I, too, am concerned about the unusually low amount of inquiries I've been receiving.  Since December, I've only booked one guest for a week in March.  It's never been this slow in the 5 years I've been a host.

I'm intereted in your statement, " . . . over the summer most were coming from another platform."  Should I look for another company and list with them, as well,  like Bookings.com?  Does this generate more business?

Helen in Seattle

[Michelle1314]

Thanks Paul! It makes sense now that you have mentioned that December is a quiet time. I was starting to get worried as my initial newbie boost from Airbnb has finished I'm not getting any more bookings. 

Yes, most of my guests have been singles. But I've had two guys before, and a brother and sister are due to come end of December. I was just about to buy a double bed when the bookings stopped coming in, so I decided to wait a few weeks and see what happens! Another post on this thread recommends having two single beds and putting them together for couples, and apart for others ... I may do that! 

Also, I don't have a TV in the room and most other places in my area do. Do you think that is a major deterrent for guests? Most of my guests are travelling for work.

And yes, I have been logging-in and out of my acount everyday ... bocking days and unblocking, etc. 

By the way, your place looks amazing!

Kind regards,

Michelle

[Paul1255]

Hey @Michelle1314

Yes waiting would make sense, and 2 singles could work well and give you different options for guests instead of a full double.

I think the type of bed you have tends to attract a certain guest- if you have a double you'll get couples, a single just singles of course, or twin would work for 2 people travelling together who may not want to share a bed.

I don't think a TV is a deal-breaker to be honest, perhaps it's something you could add once you have a steady flow of guests- I thought about it for my room but then didn't get one because I worried it might generate too much noise etc.

If most of your guests are travelling for work they appreciate a well set-up working space with a comfortable chair and good wifi.

Guests change through the seasons- spring and summer I was all tourists, then autumn into winter I have mainly had business guests, Januaury looks to be mainly tourists so far!

And thanks for your kind words about my place 🙂

Paul

[Rachel843]

I suddenly have no bookings and no one from airbandb knows why, can someone look to see if I am showing up in search, my listing is in London, its called BRIGHT SINGLE ROOM/LONDON FIELDS . I am a superhost with 53 five star reviews and don´t charge much for London so I think something is wrong. Normally I leave the listing on just short times because the calender fills up very quick. I am just doing weekends the next few months but it worked fine like that for a while so I don´t think thats the propblem. Its just sudden and nothing from being super busy the whole time I had this listing ..for a few years. Thanks so much, Rachel

[Rubén16]

Hi everyone,

New hosts keep in mind that airbnb puts you at the top of the search ranking when you first start to host, after that initial push from airbnb it is up to you to maintain your listing at the top. That is why when you first started you received numerous inquiries and bookings after a while your listing started to drop in the search ranking.

From my experience this is what I did to bring up my listing on the serach ranking.

1) Price your listing to book even if it is below market rate.

2)fill in as many ammenities as you can

3) fill out your entire airbnb listing, do not leave any unanswered questions including profile

4) Clear sharp Photographs of your listing and nearby attractions

5)Change your listing title for the seasons or events

6) removing the cleaning fee increased my ranking try it in yours

7) from my experience the more fees I charged the lower my ranking went, so I deleted all my additional fees, cleaning, extra person......etc. my ranking went up quickly and so did my bookings

8)If possible greet guests and remind them about the airbnb review  and how important it is.

9) Reply quickly to inquiries within an hour.

10) cancelling a guest reservation will drop you very quickly in search ranking, if there is an emergency where you can not continue with the reservation contact airbnb and explain it to them, they might cancel for you without any penalties.

11) and much more, contact me if you need advise on your listing.

**** Do give a thumbs up (Like) if the information above was helpfull ****

[Rupesh-Suman-Pete0]

Airbnb is a stock and flow business. Listings are the stock.  Airbnb's immage is based on a having a very huge number of listings , but of course they do not have the flow of guests to fill those listings , they are over stocked,  so prices crash.  Basically, Airbnb want the listings, but dont care about filling them. After all , they could reduce their booking fees rather than increasing them. What they do care about is Headline numbers that will improve their stock float price.  I. E. 100 billion properties listed .   Or booking fee margins of 16%.  All looks good for investors  but lousy for customers. So the real problem is that Airbnb is in the business if serving themselves not their customers.    As such Airbnb is "over" the crest off the hill, and heading down.  My advise is migrate to Booking.com etc.  Find another channel and stop being expolited by a company that caught the profit bug real bad, and lost it's way.   This is tge era if sustainability, and the Airbnb is not. 

[Denise710]

Rupesh: You are right on target. I think the idea is to go back to "long term" stay. That's how I did it before airbnb. So as George said on Seinfeld..do the opposite. You helped me to clarify my thoughts and I appre  ciate it very much. Denise

[Amit73]

I am having same issue. When I first started last week, I had 5 messages who wanted to see more photos, but after adding 14 photos no messages, no bookings, can anyone figure out what’s wrong with my listing? 

[Helen19]

Hi Amit -

The Airbnb platform can be so fickle.  Example, yesterday I found an Airbnb in Nashville for a trip to meet with our daughter.  By the time I shared the link with her, got her"ok" for proximity,  I could not find it again (hr later) on the Nashville listings.  Regarding your situation, chances are the folks who requestd more photos simply moved on and found somethig else.

I suggest you listen to the Youtube disucssion by STRU Podcast.  It's really informative.  His recommendation regarding photos - not more than 10 photos and have them done professionally - clean, clear and intersting perspectives.  When I started about 5 years ago, Airbnb sent out a professional photographer at no extra charge.  Those were the good old days!

Helen Seattle, WA

[Helen19]

For Everyone -

I'm not getting any bookings from European nor Australian travelers the way I use to (by this time of year).  My theory - our political climate is so toxic and zenophobic, foreigners are staying away from traveling in the States.  

Am I wrong with this thinking?  Are you seeing a decline in bookings from Europe?

Helen - Seattle, WA

[Denise710]

Yes, Helen, I do believe you are wrong. I too have had my listings dry up suddenly. It is

something with airbnb, not any kind of political thing. I have been a superhost for some 

years and haven't even had any inquiries. I live in a great intown historic neighborhood and

have had no booking requests for four weeks. I have to rethink how I market the guesthouse. There are people I know who use booking.com who seem happy with them.

[Denise710]

I have had the same problem and am considering dropping off airbnb. I have been a super host for years, live in a great intown historic neighborhood in Atlanta. Not sure what could have happened.

[Helen427]

@Denise710 @Marie70 @Helen19 

@Denise710 , what internet platform do you use?

Do you use mobile or laptop?
I ask as there's been ongoing IT issues for many of us obtaining "access' to the basics & obviously if Hosts are having access issues to the website/ App so to will Guests, many of course who rely on booking with there Mobile devices.

Please use related keywords in Searchbox here in CC & my other posts re this concerning issue.

IT glitches, Log in, Google outages, 3rd party provider Data breaches.

Hang in there & use all the means available to let other ABB Corporate  know & ask them to provide us with a media release about it - that said if there's been an unlawful access to (3rd party providers) Data, that will involve a Police investigation so don't expect any answers there - accessing anothers computer system without authority is a serious criminal offence, using that info for other purposes like fraud etc is equally unlawful.

Meanwhile it's very frustrating for all

All the best

Central To All Home & Location, Auckland, New Zealand

[Denise710]

Thanks Helen. I don't use airbnb on my phone (old school) I guess. I called and the rep went over my lisitng, no problems there. I have had lots of frustrating with their website. Now i am experiencing the most destructive to my business with airbnb. 

I. E. A man who made a reservation with me, arrived while I was still getting messages from airbnb to answer his request to book. Unreal. He had tried and tried to no avail. Finally he just came on his trip for business and paid me in cash, because he couldn't get airbnb to accept his money. THEN airbnb punished me for not answering my email, and suspended me from their Super Host status for a while.

Another a woman who stays here with me for months in the winter. She even called airbnb desperatly trying to make it work. Finally she stopped by my house while visiting with her

daughter and I ended up booking her myself. Both of us tried EVERYTHING, phone calls to airbnb and it came down to either I got the booking myself or lost it because of airbnb.

Computer glitches..sure, but how to fix it. ???  Thanks to everyone, Maybe the solution is to drop off airbnb for a while and then go back in a week or so, therefore "resetting" the system.