It can also be monitoring demand in the form of searches and bookings. Smart pricing raised my June 20-21 price to $59 a night. It got booked out 2 weeks ago by someone coming for “graduation from the Sgts Major Academy.” I didn’t know about that event and I can’t imagine where is would be listed as an event where I could find it. But for some strange reason Airbnb had raised my prices those nights. I rarely get bookings that far in advance which is something I like for my situation.
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A month ago my listing showed higher prices for reservations farther in advance. Maybe it’s cautionary or simply trying to take advantage of people that think they’ll get the best deal by booking early. In late March, it was showing $174/night for my listing during the month of June. I was thinking it had to be a mistake because that’s the slow season for the Phoenix area. Now it’s down to my $120 minimum.
I’m sure I’ll get a tip in 3 weeks that says if I pay my guests $50/night to stay at my listing in June, I’ll increase my bookings by 10%. 
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That may actually be cheaper than following Airs price tips.
RR
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Knowing where you live Annette, I can see how frustrating it is that the guest couldn’t find you. Did the guest say why they wouldn’t get an Uber, or use one of the taxi’s that stop outside the coach station?
@justMandi Annette said there were two people (not a woman on her own). The bus station is a bright, well lit building in the centre of the city. It has a taxi rank outside and a two minute walk away is a bus stop with about 6 buses that go to her area of town. It’s perfect safe for two people to get to Annette’s by public transport, taxi or even to walk (it’s a busy, popular area with lots of cafe’s and restaurants and therefore lots of people about) at that time of night. Everything is open.
@Jess1 are you saying the guests gave up trying to find you and went and found a hostel instead?
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Airbnb cancelled. 20
She was on her own but still perfectly safe for reasons of lighting, proximity and fantastic links. Anyway she could have chosen an earlier coach. The point is she didn’t even bother looking up the address of where she was going on the reservation. Then she didn’t follow my instructions, ask others for directions, use a map or her phone. With her levels of incompetence she should have shown some consideration and got a taxi. She obviously had the idea she would just rock up and give everyone else the responsibility of getting her there.
I asked her to cancel because she was still messing about half an hour after check in cut off, and was rude. (An hour and a quarter for a SIMPLE 2 mile trip!) If I’d let her stay she would probably have flooded the shower, left the gas on and left the front door unlocked as well. Stupid and rude does stupid and rude.
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Yes if I were her mother I would have been telling her to arrive earlier, in an orderly and organised fashion with manners intact. I am not her mother. As things stand her journey was very well lit and safe, and my area extremely low crime.
Why is her disorganisation my problem exactly? If her mother won’t teach her whose job is that? She’s unteachable and doesn’t listen anyway.
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Anyway my city ‘the mild, mild West’ is a lot safer than where she’s come from (London). Plus she’s a lot tougher than me - entitled attitude, manipulative, threatening reviews, screenshots etc. Just because she’s younger and making a trip that doesn’t make her more vulnerable than me.
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Ah I thought it was at least two people because you talked about your guest as they, their and them, rather than she, in your opening posts
I was just repeating Airbnb’s non binary pronouns lol. I guess Jane Austen did it: ‘Everyone has their level.’
Obviously I had a decidedly imperfect take on your experience, for which I apologize.
I learned my lesson on major international airport pick ups.
However I stand by what I say. I would pick them up.
I also like to test people. It’s a very old car in good shape. say something like sorry about the car, and listen carefully.
It’s a sample of what to expect.
I won’t be offering any free taxi services to Airbnb guests until they are paying enough to even begin to contribute to the costs of running a car.
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Well, it is kind of annoying to get emails and popups all the time about how you should lower your price.
I think people take it personally like Airbnb is telling them their place is worth less that what they are asking.
Which I guess it is, if it’s sitting empty!
Up to each person to decide if it’s a good idea to lower the price. I have noticed when I cave and accept price tips below my limit, yes I almost always get a booking but usually a problem booking. Like the person who paid so low per night that the cleaning fee was the same as 3 nights, so they complained about the cleaning fee being too high. So…
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By then they are in your car, on booking day! What if they don’t react in a nice way, what would/could you do?
Perhaps it depends on price per night as well? I mean if they are staying for 10 days and paying 300 a night of course you would go out of your way. But staying for 2 days and paying 50? I dunno…
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I don’t understand the part about her threatening with screenshots.
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Doxing culture is endemic in the upcoming generation. Things taken out of context. On the app I told her she should have looked up the address on the reservation confirmation and made a plan to use directions which she thought was rude.
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Of course I am stuck with them, one way or another the other. I kinda figured that one out. The point is to listen carefully to what they say, particularly when offered an over and above courtesy. Most are gracious but a few were expecting an Uber. That, and other open questions, are samples of their behaviour.
I really don’t mind offering help the odd time. Because quite frankly many have helped me the odd time. My story and I’m sticking to it.
Are we done now?
Transporting people who are business clients for any reason such as VR guests generally requires a commercial car insurance policy. Which is very expensive.
If an accident happens, is potential that your personal car policy would turn down your claim and you could be on the hook for quite a lot including your legal defense bills
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An excellent point. If anyone needed a nudge in the direction of avoiding pandering to entitled guests this would be a jolly good rationale.
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In this case though it is not a paid ride so the ride is not commercial. But I do agree with you.
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