I thought that was true with flights, and then I did a google watch for a particular flight. I receive updates as the price changes. It varies day to day, but often goes down significantly from when I first did the search.
That is quite true. Flights do not necessarily go up just because you have searched them. Flight prices can go up or down depending on demand. Airlines have seat sales if they are trying to fill a plane, for instance. And I don’t know if other airlines operate like this, but on Westjet, who I mostly book with, I can reserve a seat, with the displayed price locked in, and have 24 hrs to pay.
All kinds of things “work” for many people who do questionably ethical things.
2 Likes
I didn’t say ‘necessarily.’
When I first read (long ago) of @house_plants ’ practice of increasing prices after an inquiry I, like you, at first thought it ‘questionably ethical’ but on reflection I don’t know what moral standard it violates. Now I think it aggressive or perhaps a ‘sharp practice,’ a practice I don’t feel is right for me but not unethical or questionably unethical.
1 Like
That part of my post was a response to Cozy2018’s directly above it.
It is penalizing guests for sending inquiries, when guests sending inquiries is a legitimate option for guests, simply because the host considers answering inquiries to be an unwanted part of her job as a host. That violates my moral standards and many other people’s. Most certainly it would for the vast majority of guests.
2 Likes
Well, adjusting prices is also a ‘legitimate option’ for Hosts.
Also, note what @house_plants said originally:
The inquiry is ‘the best data’ for this Host.
I do point out that this Host lures the prospective guest to make inquiries.
[OMG! ]
So this is an especially ‘sharp practice,’ again one I choose not to employ.
I don’t think it’s productive for you and I to continue to debate the ethics of this practice. Nor do I think it productive for any of us to make judgments about the practice other than to say we’re uncomfortable with it, that it is one we would not ourselves employ. I’m sure a poll would show overwhelmingly that Hosts here would not adopt the practice, but that doesn’t make the practice wrong or unethical.
I think it’s brave of @house_plants and generous to share this practice as this Host has done before, fully aware of the common views of it.
I actually am astounded that ‘it works,’ that the Host has not experienced blowback but regardless am uncomfortable with it for me.
1 Like
I wasn’t debating. Just stating my viewpoint.
1 Like
I understand.
Years ago I worked at a firm where, as was customary, the legal contract was negotiated after we had won the business in a ‘request for proposal’ competition that did not include all the contract terms.
I recall one meeting with the client to negotiate those legal terms and the people on our side doing the negotiating put forward a number of terms that had the effect of raising the prices but ostensibly were put forward for another reason. The client went along with all this believing our stated rationale and not understanding the true effect.
After the meeting our people said that they were ‘appalled’ at the performance of the client, that the client did not push back or realize the true import of the contract terms.
I responded that the client trusted us, trusted what we said our rationale was. They scoffed at that, saying that this is business, this is how business was done and seemed disappointed that the client fell so easily for what they said as if what they really wanted was a cat-and-mouse game with a worthy opponent.
I was appalled at our side and said so. They said I was just naive, that this is how business is done. At the time I felt it unethical because in my view during the course of the lengthy sales process we gave the impression, whether we said so or not, that the client could trust us, that we were on the client’s side, their ‘partner.’
Anyway, in retrospect I suppose I cannot objectively say that their conduct was unethical. But it was/is inconsistent with my personal code of conduct and it’s not how I would want to make money.
There are countless examples of business practices (I think of early practices of Microsoft (but there are many more to this day) that we at first personally might feel are wrong but in the end are widespread, the ‘norm,’ and those employing them would argue that not employing them would be unfair to the shareholders, that it would be unethical to impose your personal sense of ethics (your ‘virtue signaling’ behavior) rather than putting the shareholders first.
I understand that we likely don’t have other shareholders here but @house_plants likely has ‘stakeholders’ too and might feel its paramount duty is to them.
I’m getting far afield but I guess I’m saying that, regrettably, business is often done this way, that it’s a legal or illegal arena but not considered a moral one outside of its stated ethics policies.
1 Like
Thanks. I was just trying to give back to this community as I have learned a lot here.
2 Likes
My primary job as a host is to provide great hospitality to guests who are paying me. I prioritize that over answering time wasting inquiries. I have 300 five star reviews and have maintained SuperHost since I got it after my first quarter of hosting. I have turned the burden of inquiries into a profitable tool.
No. I want them to inquire, so I can raise rates 
I prefer guests who instant book. For my listing, they seem to be easier to host.
I have tried to use price labs and smart pricing. The data I get from inquiries is far superior.
The dynamic pricing tools use the same data (occupancy, searches, historical occupancy, events, etc.). But those aggregate metrics can be misleading. As a studio listing, high demand around family holidays does not translate to profitable bookings as my listing is not suitable for family gatherings. But I do quite well for New Year’s Eve or Valentine’s Day, times when couples want to travel one their own.
Those tools can only tell you historical occupancy and rates, but they cannot tell you what rate you can get. That can only be figured out with inquiries, and trial and error.
Also, these tools don’t work when you use rulesets that discount longer stays. I provide aggressive discounts for stays longer than 4 nights as it’s less work for me.
1 Like
House_Plants is an OG dynamic pricing baller!
Love it.
"Oh no… You didn’t dare just ask HP a question!!! BAM, +10%. Take that! Next time IB and don’t waste my f$%*(& time! Damn newbies! "
I just see all the guests doing double takes when the pricing changes… “WTH just happened!”
The next level would be to blame the price changes on airbnb dynamic pricing and commiserate with the guest. “My property owner uses airbnb suggested pricing and it changes all the time. Out of my hands!”
Then imply they can find you direct and not pay onerous Guest Booking Fees if they don’t like the price.
SMH LOL.
Thanks for sharing.
3 Likes
I’ll add that next time and share the reaction from the guest!
They cannot find me direct… in some ways, that’s the beauty of Airbnb. I have no website or brand, use a fake name and photo, and guests self-check-in. So I’m anonymous. I don’t have to worry about any reviews on TripAdvisor or TrustPilot. Someday I plan to have my website, then I’ll have to come up with a different strategy.
2 Likes
Wow, your “strategies” get more interesting all the time. Is it okay with you if guests provide a fake name and photo?
2 Likes
Yes.
I have no problems if guests use a fake name and photo… I am willing to take money from anyone. They just need to provide me with their photo ID name after booking and before check-in.
The security guard at the building verifies their photo ID. I think that has minimized the number of bad guests I get.
3 Likes
This is getting really weird. A ‘host’ who fakes their identity but of course would never let a guest remain fake, uses innocent questions from potential guests as an excuse to manipulate pricing, and calls these things ethical.
3 Likes
And do you then provide them with your real name and photo?
3 Likes
To be fair, I don’t think house_plants ever claimed their practices were ethical, they seem to be in the camp of “business has nothing to do with ethics”.
3 Likes
Somehow I don’t think that @house_plants is a Baby Boomer.
We Baby Boomers thought all would be well when we’d be in charge.
Now the next generation is waiting for us to die off.
And I think they’re right (me excepted course: I get it.LOL).
They don’t need to know my real name.
1 Like
Yet you need to know theirs? You should apply for a job as an Airbnb CS rep. They keep their real names a secret, too.
2 Likes
Yes, absolutely. I host people without reviews and even those with reviews are not to be trusted.
As per Airbnb terms of service, I think I can do it or at least nobody has objected yet. I specify up front that they will need to show their photo ID and if that doesn’t work for them they can cancel and book somewhere else. Weeds out some scammers.
Thanks for the career advice 
1 Like