Via email from the tech news source The Information:
“Airbnb plans to halt all marketing, pause most hiring, and likely withhold employee bonuses as it tries to conserve cash amid a slide in bookings, CEO Brian Chesky told employees in a video conference call Thursday, a person familiar with the matter said”
“When asked about layoffs, Chesky told employees that nothing is off the table.”
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Maybe Airbnb employees will be joining disgruntled hosts with their pitchforks and torches at the barricades outside Chesky’s mansion?
On a serious note, will we be happier when our platform is run by Amazon or another company?
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At least there customer service is decent! Who knows how this will shake out
I have no experience with Amazon’s customer service. But I do know a number of friends (authors and small biz owners) who have sold—or tried to sell—products on Amazon. Amazon has been brutal to them, making it almost impossible for them earn a profit. I don’t remember their details, but I know it’s been a hostile environment for them.
Not so sure I’d look forward to being a host (vendor) on Amazon. Nor do I want Amazon to be the only “store” that survives this pandemic.
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‘well would ya just look at those idiots at Amazon, what the hell do they think they’re doing trying to compete with Barnes and Noble? dumbasses.’
–The Tech Industry, c. 1994
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The “independent contractor” drivers get screwed too, just enough to keep them going. I would not want to be a vendor with them either.
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I’d rather give up a bonus than a job.
All hosts are hurting from the cancellations. My moderate cancellation policy allowed my guests to get a full refund excluding Airbnb fees for the April bookings anyway.
Airbnb refunded the booking fees too. Airbnb took a huge financial hit. It will affect their ability to make a public stock offering.
Chesney / Airbnb’s decision to allow cancellations with full refunds hit Chesney’s wallet too.
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Unlike many of the hosts who post here apart from a couple of month period where my listing disappeared from view on Airbnb and I had to make multiple calls to them to get the issue resolved by their tech people, I have had really positive experiences with their customer services.
I have always got hold of them easily. They have helped with issues such as when Airbnb allowed bookings on dates I had blocked out and a couple where I have had to ask them to cancel the booking when people IBd who didn’t meet my criteria.
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I second that; My only complaint has been support for AirBNB Plus where there is still a major disconnect.
With that said, maybe it will get resolved should it ever be rebranded ‘AmazonBNB Prime’
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I personally have had ok experiences with Airs CS, but being an avid reader here I see countless examples of hosts being dropped from the platform then ghosted with no recourse. I imagine that if a guest were to allege discrimination or harassment or a non existent gun I would suffer the same fate.
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Just echoing the above, no major complaints with CS staff. That said, I find BDC far more professional and prepared to do something right away, as opposed to “passing it to XYZ team”.
JF
Does anyone else worry that they may stop paying out hosts? I’m sure this sounds silly and I hadn’t even entertained the idea until just a bit ago. I have 2 payouts from guests who checked in on the 17th and on the 20th respectively that are still in “upcoming payouts”. Both guests completed their stays and checked out days ago now, both stays without any issues. I’ve had so much other stuff to deal with, I hadn’t been keeping up. Anyone else notice anything?
They wouldn’t purposely do that as people absolutely will stop using the platform. I got my payout for the stay that ended the 18th and the one from the 24th. Double check your bank and make sure it’s not there?
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Nope, it’s not there. That’s the first thing I did.
And it’s a 
y time to have to call in 
I will update if I find out anything or if it gets paid out eventually (or not). Just another drop in the 'ol stress-bucket.
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I emailed and got a reply within a hour 1.5 weeks ago. I don’t know that I had a CSR at a level that could really help push a payment but maybe you could get some reassurance or clarification.
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I don’t think that’s silly at all @JJD whether they can survive this is questionable.
However as we should get paid within a day or so of a guest staying the most we will lose out on as hosts is a couple of days accommodation if they go bust.
i would worry more as a guest where Airbnb has hundreds or thousands of pounds of my money.
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There isn’t a business in the world that isn’t rethinking - painfully - every dimension of its business. AirBnB is a huge employer, which loses its revenue stream, while costs continue unabated. Let’s get real. They’re doing what every business needs to do to survive.
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That is a very valid worry.
Some very large travelcompanies stopped paying hosts. I know some large hotels in the area that are waiting for 6 figure bills to be paid.
AirBNB lives on the advance payments from guest. Now their pool of money is drying up fast, and they will be having serious cash flow problems.
It would not surprise me if they go bankrupt and both guest and host lose their money.
Some of my guest book 12 months in advance.
If I would be one of them, I would cancel and get my money back and wait until it’s all over.
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