Value metric needs to go

[Andrew3407]

We’ve been host for many years, we have over 500 reviews on our properties. The “value” metric in the review system is the most ridiculous thing and it’s driving us crazy. All of our properties are high end, high dollar properties. They consistently make great money and I’m sure are top performers in our local Airbnb market. Some of our properties book for $3,500 a night peak season. We consistently get 5 stars across the board, everywhere but “value.” Airbnb (I’m assuming) wants to make money….what do they want us to do? Reduce our prices? We make less, Airbnb makes less, just to get a better value ranking. Generally people using Airbnb want a good deal, if they stay at these expensive properties, they will also it always feel that it was expensive. And we will get a 4 star rating on “value”. It seems so backward to me after all of these years of hosting. It encourages us to spend less money and time making our property’s top notch, lower our prices just to get marks in the value category. We make less money, Airbnb makes less money, it’s pretty frustrating. 

Airbnb can keep the value ranking but it should matter far less on the review point scale than it does. Or just remove it entirely. 

[Andrew3407]

One more comment on this. The rest of the ranking metrics are all measurureable, and mostly controllable by the host. We know we need to clean well, we know we need to communicate well, we know the space needs to be organized and look nice, and everything needs to function as it should.

Value, however, is so arbitrary from guest to guest. People find value in different things, some people it’s all about cost, some people it’s all about Location, we cannot control the way that people perceive things because everyone sees things differently. How am I as a host supposed to be able to control or alter someone’s perception of value. 

[Virginia851]

This comment makes total sense to me.  A seminar I took clarified that monetizing based on what others are doing was a mistake as most hosts do not do an exceptional job at pricing.  (Tips in that seminar were great on this.). So as this member stated, everyone's perception of value is very different and if a host can maximize price based on actual perceived value of their target guest then seems wrong they should be penalized by a value rating that may not accurately account for true value to such a wide variety of guests.  I vote to remove or discount its importance in ratings

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Andrew3407 Some hosts don't like the Value measure, others the location measure. What would you replace them with?

[Andrew3407]

Location is fine in my opinion. It’s a little more measurable, and generally people will agree if a property has a good location or not. Value should be eliminated….you will generally know what you are booking just from reviewing pictures, the listing, and reading reviews, I don’t feel that it really adds anything to a potential renters understanding of a property. It’s so subjective that it’s almost misleading. 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Andrew3407 But surely guests know the location before they book just as they know the price. As such value and location are both equally measurable (or immeasurable). 

[Elaine701]

@Mike-And-Jane0 

Oooh... we've had a few that were displeased to discover that we're a country villa, not a townhouse in the center of a beach resort, surrounded by bars and restaurants and shops within walking distance. And a few others that aren't displeased at all, but had no clue where they were staying and that the need a car  - they ended up taking taxis, which is pretty expensive, especially if you want to get around to the sights and attractions - despite that being quite clear in our description.

Yes, they're rare, but it's not as cut-and-dried as you might guess. Lots of guests don't read the description or location at all. We try to make sure they understand where they'll be staying, and what will best suit them... before they book it. 

I think location should be more about whether the location is consistent with what was described, rather than how they feel about the location. 

Value... well, that's entirely subjective. But in our case, we seem to get the best "value" ratings from the guests who pay the highest season rates. So, I'm not convinced that "value" is about price or even what they received for the money. It seems to be more of an overall satisfaction rating which can be affected by weather and other external experiences.

[Kia272]

@Andrew3407 I agree with everything you say. It's really an empty metric if you think about it. How can AirBnB come to you and say, 'hey- you're getting low value ratings- something needs to change.' 

They can't. 

The most important thing about the value rating is that a host deliver the property as promised. If they do so, then the premise is that the guest agreed to the price when they booked, and therefore agreed to the value. 

The only "if" in this equation, is if the host doesn't deliver as promised, i.e. an amenity wasn't available or working. If that's the case, then the guest has grounds for downrating the value, as in, 'I booked and paid based on being able to do or use a certain thing, and that thing was not available. Therefore, I perceive a lesser value to this reservation.'

Even then, value isn't a good measure of that situation, because they will generally lower their overall rating if that happens. 

I'm with you on this, although reality with AirBnB is that they spend a lot of time "updating" things that don't necessarily need to be updated, while not affecting any real change inspired by users. 

[John2301]

That’s the only metric I’m a little lower in too, but if thats because we test the high end of our rate scale - I’m ok with it.