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I am not a fan of BDC, I’ll just throw that out there before I start.
So I have three properties, one is more recent (4 months old) and the more recent one was setup on BDC and I got a few bookings (5 total) and after the second booking stayed I noticed I still haven’t been paid for the first booking, yet they are asking for a commission from me. I call support and the guy says “you should dispute the commission fee and in the comments say you never got paid” so I’m like ok, seems odd but I’ll do what you say because you are the expert.
They waive the commission but never address me never getting paid for the booking. I move on, a couple more stays later and still no pay. I call again and get stuck in endless transfers till I give up.
Now I’m 5 stays in, no payments and I’m short $1700 in payments from them. I call support again and get through to someone that tells me “this property does not accept payment through BDC”, I’m like “what does that even mean”…mind you I have two other properties on BDC that accept payment with no issue.
She begins to explain that “the algorithm” has determined this listing to be risky and will not accept payments. “How do I fix this problem” I ask “you can’t, the algorithm decides”
So here I am, I have two properties that book and pay through BDC and a third where apparently I’m supposed to take a credit card when the guest arrives.
Super frustrating and now I need to figure out how to retroactively collect $1700 from past guests.
How can a property not accept payments? So they took bookings for the property and either kept the guests’ money or expected you to list on BDC but charge the guests yourself? Without ever telling you that? None of it makes any sense at all.
A friend tried out BDC- got the worst quality of guests and never got paid for the bookings. They sound like thieves.
I can vouch for everything you said, their booking guest quality is terrible. So many cancellations with no rhyme or reason. Terrible quality guests.
Apparently they just take the booking but never take a payment in this case (where apparently the algorithm has decided) and leave me to collect but also charge me a commission.
Just to give an idea how terrible quality their bookings are, here is a snapshot of my new properties bookings from October/November. All of these are guest cancelled, I didn’t cancel any of them.
@Justarock My friend also said she had a lot of no-shows that didn’t even cancel. They just never showed up. I have to ask why you are even bothering to list on BDC.
Oh wow, I’m so sorry you are going through this! I’m not on BDC, thank goodness, but “the algorithm decides” has to be one of the most frustrating comments ever!! It hit home with me because I got the same response when talking with Airbnb about my listing and the category icon for search. I know it’s true on the initial level, but there are ALWAYS people who can fix issues, just have to keep squeaking until you find the one who will take it on.
Just throwing this out there since I just went through this.
When you first join BDC you are put through an “address verification process” to make sure you are who you say you are and actually are the rightful owner or manager of the property you are attempting to list. This involves sending a code through snail mail to the address of the property, which you then have to enter online. Another method can be used if you are an established host on another platform - apparently that will speed up the process.
At any rate, until you are verified, you can’t use Payments by Booking.com. In other words, they will not collect and remit payments through their platform. You have to collect payment from the guest yourself, upon guest arrival, until you are through with the “address verification process”.
Another BDC CS person told me that I will be verified at their discretion, “after a few more guests have stayed successfully and left reviews”. I never know what to believe, though. Sometimes I think these CS people just make sh*t up.
Anyway, I guess my advice is to attempt to collect payment from your guest in whatever way possible, and don’t let anyone else stay via BDC until your “address verification process” has been sorted out.
My husband and I call BDC “Cancel dot com” - because very few make it to fruition.
They book, and then they cancel with no reason given. Better deal? Probably. Our reservations page looks very similar to yours.
However, all our future reservations we have right now are BDC…Airbnb has screwed up their algorithm so much (or should I say they screwed up my algorithm ) and we’re only getting BDC bookings now…until yesterday, FINALLY, an Airbnb booking! Woo Hoo!
We’ve got 8 future bookings for one listing and 10 on the other from BDC…let’s hope they go the distance…
Luckily my experience with BDC is quite different. Ever since the pandemic for some reason my AirBnB bookings dropped off dramatically. But my BDC ones stayed the same and have now increased to the point they constitute the bulk of my bookings. I do get cancellations of course but normally at least a month before arrival which is when the cancellation is free.
My payments are via BDC so I don’t have payment issues. But what does annoy me (and this could just a country thing) I don’t get paid for bookings until the following month, not right after the booking has commenced like AirBnB. And I don’t like the high commission I have to pay BDC. But without their bookings, my place would be running well into the red.
And so far (and lots of knock on wood), I have never had a bad guest. The worst I had was a guest who spilt red wine on a newly laid carpet But luckily they didn’t try to remove the stain themselves and a professional removed it completely. And the guest reimbursed me.
It could because my apartment is in the central city, well located to all facilities and suits business travellers.
) and we’re only getting BDC bookings now…until yesterday, FINALLY, an Airbnb booking! Woo Hoo!
But luckily they didn’t try to remove the stain themselves and a professional removed it completely. And the guest reimbursed me.