I have multiple units booked at about 64%. I have several monthly returning guests. My life is easier, and their booking is easier, if it is all through AirBnB. When asked for a direct booking, I tell them I honor my agreement with AirBnB and will continue to give them the service they expect. No discount. I have never had a guest that has a problem with that. The whole reason for using AirBnB is the convenience factor to me.
The exception will be a guest that books through AirBnB for a couple of weeks and then find out they have to work in the area for 6 months or so, they fall under a long term lease with me for the additional period.
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Curious if you will continue to do the same if/when ABB moves to charging commission to owners. Many claim they will just raise their rates. That commission is coming out of their pocket. They can call it anything they want. Will you be fine with that or change direction?
Have never taken a deposit in 34 years. Had a handful of no shows, sometimes you are better off without them,! No credit card payments either, cash, cheque or bank transfer have been my main payment method. Mary
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I don’t spend time thinking about future decisions that I will make about things that may/may not happen. If it happens, I will weigh the pros/cons and make a decision then.
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That’s what all the sites expect most owners to do too. They wait like sitting ducks and are reactive rather than proactive. 
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We have been hosting for approx 3 years and had 10-20% returning guests. 75% come direct. As we say our farewells and if they mention they’d like to come back, we mention the option of dealing direct.
We don’t take a deposit. Our cancellation policy is moderate, so even if they were on the platform they’d be able to get their money back if they cancel a week or more before. Also we have hosted them, so would only accept a return booking from those guests we are happy to host (that said we’ve never said no! Maybe because we don’t have direct booking and qualify any enquiry to weed out any potential undesirables).
Our ethos has been and still is “trust until proven otherwise”. We don’t ask for the money and wait until it is offered. We do cash and bank transfer. To date we’ve never had a single problem with returning guests.
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An update: Another Direct-Book Fail for me 
This makes it 2 of 3 times that it was refused.
You know, you guys make it sound so easy, so normal, so obvious but once again the guest did not want to direct-book with me. It’s starting to remind me of when I tried to get detention in highschool (and got thrown-out after sneaking in) or when I tried to have a one-night-stand in my 30s (and ended up marrying him!). It’s just another weird fail in a long line of weird fails.
The guest that is still currently here ,) never responded to my suggestion of texting me to book direct. She didn’t reach out at all for 2 days after I suggested it, which was odd because she had been especially friendly before and also especially eager to book a couple of weeks in the Spring. I thought I had lost her for sure but was definitely confused.
She finally reached out yesterday asking to meet up today, which was a relief. It was all super-friendly, she gave me some gifts, we had a snack and everything and then she mentioned booking the weeks in the Spring but also pointedly but casually said, “I’m just going to do it online”. I said, “of course, no problem”. And that was that. We didn’t discuss it any further. I know she must have her reasons but I think it made her uncomfortable. I really hate that it made her uncomfortable even though all seems well otherwise now. It didn’t do anything to help me at all. I only offered it to her because she’s such a great guest and it would’ve saved her about $700 but it seems to have only made her uncomfortable. Geez.
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JJD- The guest bought you gifts, you had a snack together, so all seems pretty casual and friendly. When she said “I’m just going to do it online”, after saying , “of course, no problem”, I would have just asked her- “I’m just curious as to why you prefer that, if you don’t mind telling me, just so I have an idea why guests might be wary to direct book. I’d think guests would want to save the service fees, but there must be some factors I haven’t considered.”
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That’s because you weren’t there to hear and see the “woman who’s made up her mind and don’t challenge it” tone 
Seriously, it was said in such a manner that it was completely clear that she did not want to discuss it and so I respected her wishes. I would love to have asked her the questions you pose as I would also like to have her answers but it’s not her job to fulfill my requests, it’s quite the opposite, so I let it go.
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JJD- Okay, I get it. That wasn’t clear, that she made it obvious she didn’t want to discuss it. In that case, I certainly wouldn’t have pushed it, either.
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I am new here, great thread!
- If it was a trusted guest I always encourage them to book directly through my website next time.
- they usually contact me through my website or text message (from the number they got on Airbnb)
- If they are locals I handle payment with a bank transfer 100% upfront, if they are from abroad I ask for a non-refundable paypal deposit
- usually charge my normal nightly rate (I do not add the guest fee).
I think overall the best is to have a custom website to lower the Airbnb dependency and to have a point of contact with returning guests 
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It’s very common for guests/customers to trust these payment processors like paypal or OTA like bnb. For e.g. in my other businesses when I suggest them direct bank transfers they always prefer paypal.
OR
maybe she has free coupons (for referring hosts etc to bnb)
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Does anyone
- collect email addresses
- send them automated emails in sequence (1.Thank you email > 2. Here is a discount for direct booking etc)?
She doesn’t have an employer or a business and isn’t part of an organization. Besides, why would that matter? I provide a receipt to the one monthly direct-book guest I do have because she can claim the cost and does.
I don’t know I was just trying to help by making suggestions @JJD …no need to jump down my throat 
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It’s okay, I prefer Paypal too. It wasn’t that. We didn’t even get that far.
I really don’t think so but I guess it’s a possibility. Even so, the bill would be well over $2000 and the savings for booking direct would have been around $700 so it seems the savings would still be better to book-direct. This is one scenario I hadn’t considered, so thank you, I imagine it is possible, though I think she would have just said that if it was the case. Her reaction was truly one of being uncomfortable with the idea. I think perhaps she believed it to be dishonest or illegal or unsafe in same way. She definitely did not want to discuss it though.
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Well, I’m going to try again today! It’s these guests 3rd stay on the platform and they’re expected to return monthly. If it’s some kind of weird curse, I just want to know…
Perhaps next time although you don’t press it with the question(s) you would like to ask a simple, “OK. I am just surprised that you prefer to pay an extra $700 each time. I won’t bring it up again.” Or “OK. It is certainly your prerogative to pay an extra $700 each time. I won’t bring it up again but am happy to discuss it in the future if you ever change your mind.” They no th sound a little harsher in text than they could be selivrted
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Since she wanted to book online, is there anything stopping you from having her book you online through Houfy? No… I am not trying to push Houfy down your throat. My point is it’s so easy to say she has the choice of saving $700 and booking your property on Houfy, or booking you on ABB again.
Houfy is a legitimate site like all the others. Only difference is that it’s free for both sides and no middleman.
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