It’s low season so I’ve priced below my usual and used the “tips”. But those people who got this bargain often seem to only give 4 stars for value. It feels that lower prices are more likely to get pinged. There must be a psychology to it. I’ve considered leaving the standard and then making a Special Offer when they inquire or IB. But (another Airbnb issue) I cannot work out how much to reduce the price by and have been caught out by getting deductions I wasn’t expecting.
What do you do?
There are quite a few topics here about the fact that most of us agree that lower prices generate cheapskate guests (to put it politely).
It sounds as though your pricing policy is a bit random. If you’ve done your sums (and accounted for absolutely everything) then you know how much you need to charge to make a decent profit. If you’re an inexperienced hosts with no occupancy history, you can probably make a reasonable guess at the number of nights per year you need to work towards.
Can you explain a bit more?
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I assume you have to put in the price you are expecting to get (the same one that comes up under the booking “Details”). I do that, adding my cleaning fee, but I get deductions from that amount. A few weeks ago the guest cancelled by mistake and couldn’t work out how to rebook so I sent the same price from her Details as a Special Offer and found I got deducted £10.
Another time lots more was deducted when I sent a SO as a percentage reduction.
It’s made me reluctant to do it.
A better solution will be to tell the guest to have Airbnb Help them. Additionally, you’re getting yourself open to scams when you refund money based on your calculations. Remember abb controls the money until you get paid.
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Yes. I tried using the tips and priced low like other local places and regretted it. I had guests who honestly didn’t value where they were staying. Stinking garbage, mediocre to no ratings, rotting food, it was the worse. A friend with a regular b and b suggested that I wasn’t attracting a more appreciative, higher quality client. I raised the rate and have had no problems since. Plus, is the few bucks you get worth the cost of laundry and other expenses? I don’t think so. Charge what it’s worth to you to do it.
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I have the same experience in London. My usual price for a luxury apartment in Central London that sleeps 4 is £250 a night, plus an £80 cleaning fee.
But when I have had the odd night unbooked, Airbnb Price Tips suggested reducing the price to £90 plus the cleaning fee, totalling £170 for 4 people. And yet, it is those guests who have paid so little that then go onto give the lowest ratings, including in particular on Value for Monday - it’s like they have no idea how much Central London property actually costs!!!
Like you say, these CheapSkates are not good guests. From now on, I am setting an absolute minimum price and I’d rather have the flat empty than have these CheapSkates.
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