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Instant Book Glitch FYI

#1

You may want to check your instant book settings. There is some kind of bug/glitch/update. I just got an IB and when I clicked on her Reviews/Star Ratings there were no star ratings but instead a note: “Learn How to See a Guest’s Star Ratings”. So I clicked on that and it prompted me to turn on Instant Book (which I obviously already had turned on since she just IB’ed). So I clicked on that, assuming some new set-up. Then I went and checked my IB settings. All of the settings had been removed/changed. So, if you are someone that requires previous good reviews or govt ID or anything at all, they could be unchecked. I only require ID but it was unchecked. Not a huge deal but may be for some. And I don’t like my settings changing on their own without my input.

Nonetheless I can no longer see any of the star ratings for any guests at all and clicking on their ratings cues me to turn on IB.

I called CS and they are investigating.

This was definitely not here last night, it is new this morning. If you experience the same and could call it in it would help (CS suggested it would help if other reports came in).

I’ll update if I get any other info.

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Booked with no ID
#2

I found the same thing this morning…I snapped some screen shots too but got distracted before posting…glad I didn’t bother. I had a small inkling that maybe i had not updated them after taking off the IB during the guest sheriff debacle but was pretty sure I had. Now I am feeling better that my memory hadn’t actually slipped on that.

Oh, and in order to see the stars I seem to have better luck on the app recently.

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#3

Yikes! Thanks for telling us about this.

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#4

Thanks, I just checked and my low standards, pulse and credit card are unchanged.

RR

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#5

You may have missed the bigger issue is that it is turning the IB itself off, sporadically which could, if you have the bug, lessen the number of heads in beds :wink:

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#6

No, I checked and IB is still on.

Thx

RR

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#7

The update I’ve received from support is that this is now a “known issue” and that they are “working to resolve it as quickly as possible”. Which is exactly what we all assumed they’d probably say. Since I first reported this yesterday, I have found my IB settings to have changed 4 times. I feel like I’m babysitting :woman_facepalming:

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#8

Luckily mine are staying fixed back on IB. This message prompted me to check again.

#9

Thanks @JJD - I just turned on IB the other day, giving it a try for the first time. My settings have changed since that day. I changed them back, so thank you for the heads up!

On the positive side, I got two bookings almost immediately when I turned it on, so that is good :+1:

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#10

Uh-oh. Another one bites the dust. I think everyone should use IB but I’m thankful for those hosts who still refuse. :wink:

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#11

I thought, if I was going to advise about it I should at least try it but I can’t say I like it. It is weird getting a “so-and-so booked” message instead of “so-and-so wants to book”. The first time it happened I was thinking “Wait? They did what?!?!”

#12

And as @KKC has mentioned several times, it’s likely that Airbnb will move more and more towards a hotel model and do away with this whole malarkey of hosts approving guests.

It certainly does seem like a weird way of working when you think about it. No online profile can accurately tell you what sort of guest a person is going to be and for those of us who host separate spaces, it becomes more and more irrelevant.

I know plenty of people (@KKC and I included) who actively look for IB hosts because it’s simpler, quicker and (just my opinion) I don’t want to be scrutinised by a host to see if I’m deemed suitable.

Of course, if Airbnb does do away with the approval process it might keep it for hosts who rent out a room in their home with shared facilities - that might be necessary as so many hosts would probably simply not keep hosting without that illusion of control.

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#13

That is it right there, illusion of control. Hosting has been good for me, I quickly learned to let go of my need to control things because I really cannot control anything but How I react to stuff. I have a good friend who owns a hotel up here and has managed big hotels in the past. He told me he used to get upset about things, HOW COULD THEY, WHAT WERE THEY THINKING! and now he just shrugs his shoulders and cleans up the mess. Heads in beds.

RR

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#14

Yes, I had the same thing happen to me! I couldn’t comprehend why I my bookings had dropped of so significantly. Then I saw the same message about Star Ratings and was shocked to discover Instant Book had been turned off! P***d off! LOL

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#15

When I try to see the star ratings I get that message about turning it on but my instant book is on. When I check “booking settings” it’s on and I’m getting people actually instant booking. But when I click on “learn how to access star ratings” it tells me I need to turn on instant book. For me the glitch isn’t instant book, it’s star ratings.

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#16

@KKC You just described my glitch perfectly, better than I could. However, in addition to all of that, my IB settings are changing randomly, including whether it’s on or off. Though I am also continuing to receive instant bookings, so, I don’t know what it all means :woman_shrugging:

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#17

An update: the glitch seems to have subsided for me as of today. The settings aren’t changing and I am seeing guest star ratings for clean/rules/communication again, which I am very glad to have. Since I don’t use cameras or anything, I like to get a clearer picture of the guests beforehand if possible. During the 2 weeks that I didn’t have them, I “discouraged” 2 different guests and they withdrew. Now that I see their ratings, both had very low stars (1-3) in cleanliness and house rules - but only vague reviews (“thanks for your stay”). Both showed me that they were going to be issues during the conversations I started with them but it was a whole lot more work.

On another note, I noticed in my review of the settings that they have added some amenities to the list. It may be worthwhile to check and see if any apply to you. We had the “shower gel”, “trash can”, “barbecue tools” and “baking pans” but not the “bread maker”.

I’m dying to know, does anyone provide a bread maker?? @georgiahost maybe?

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#18

No, but I have one I could take over there! :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

Last I checked I had 41 amenities. I’ll have to see if I have any of the new ones.

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#19

Is it hard to clean or easy to break?

#20

I honestly don’t remember, it’s been so long since I used it. It’s actually in a box of stuff I was going to take to Goodwill! Thinking about it, it is probably not a good fit for the listing, too involved a process.

If any forum member would like it, PM me and you can have it for the cost of shipping! No guarantees it will work though.

It’s a West Bend Just for Dinner, makes half size loaves.

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