This happened to us 2x, where a guest thought they were giving us the highest rating, but due to imprecision on their laptops, ended up with 4* instead of 5. Airbnb CS said nothing to be done about the stars, once they’re in, they’re set in stone.
I’m pretty sure since we started in June we’ve had ONLY ONE GUEST WHO READ OUR LISTING at all! Most just admit it outright.
The only honorable thing to do is to leave the tent, walk out into the cold wilderness and tell everyone that you ‘may be gone for some time’.
Jokes aside, it’s completely understandable that new hosts undercut everyone else around until they get established. I did it myself. Many new hosts fall by the wayside for all kinds of reasons like they didn’t realise how much work it is, they didn’t realise how taxing it is to have strangers in your home, the money is not as great as they thought, they get a killer nasty review that destroys them (I hate when that happens, it’s horrible 
) etc etc.
The ones that have the staying power put up their prices and off we go again.
Shit, did I just explain capitalism by accident? 
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To THT
So I would say try to eliminate or suspend your belief systems regarding race, country origin, politics. That is conversation between you and maybe your family? But, if you let that creep in, it will affect you when you don’t know it is happening.
Sorry but you totally lost me at “at as a white North American.” On my neighborhood website you would be called a troll. Grow up.
Being experienced/established has a value, which (obviously) entrants lack. They have to make up for it by pricing lower than those who’ve gained reputation (evinced of course by way of the reviews accumulated.)
In other words, this is the ‘risk premium’ charged to them for this lacking. Even though ‘undercutting’ might sound like an unfair practice, or newbie hosts may despair at getting a lower income than what they see as the going rate, discounting this risk premium is a legitimate part of how the market (or capitalism) functions.
Um yeah, that was what I meant, only expressed differently. Experience = good reviews, basically, and lots of them. That’s why we all agonise over the damned things.
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I think you missed the joke which I made. Or didn’t notice the comment was to me and I’m the one who made the joke. Maybe you missed his or her own self-deprecating humor. Satire and sarcasm isn’t for everyone and is often misunderstood.
Meanwhile you have not so subtly and completely humorlessly insulted someone. Unless you are having a conversation with someone in your family…
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Did you see the posting that I was replying to, at all? I’m not sure what
you mean? I thought I was posting a reply to someone else’s thread, but
perhaps it didn’t post in the right place? Taken out of context, I can see
that one could possibly take it as inflammatory, & I am sorry if that is
the case.
But, if I’m speaking for myself, in relation to what I’ve experienced in my
life? I’ve lived all over, & by far, my experience has been that “dominant
culture” Americans are generally less mannerly than other nations, & given
that I am a member of the “dominant culture” in America, isn’t my opinion
of my experience something valid for me to speak? In the gross general in
regards to country of origin, if I am speaking about my own country? I
believe that gross generalizations are only generalizations, and can’t be
applied to specifics or individuals. Of course I know many well-mannered
Americans, but surely you are not positing that in general Americans are
the most mannerly? You cannot have heard a word Mr. Trump has uttered, if
so. In this world now, specifically in America, where I do live, the
results of people not investing thought & study into politics are clearly
evident; so, I’ll disagree that it is advisable to eliminate thinking
about/talking about politics in any way.
And, also, it is a commonly held belief in America that Canadians are more
well mannered, “nicer,” than we are. Google it, if you’d like.
Don’t you agree each nation, & groups within those nations, have some
relative cultural norms? Don’t the French like croissants, or brie? Now,
does every single French person like croissant? Aren’t Americans the
fattest people, with the fattiest foods, & don’t we in the USA generally
love those foods? They’re designed to be pretty darn tasty. No one could
know about each individual, but as for ideas about cultural norms like
tastes & attitudes?
These again are generalizations, but if my Finnish best friend wants to say
that in Finland if Finns want to stay warm, they’ll drink vodka like water,
I wouldn’t criticize her. I’d think most people would know that she was
making a blanket statement, but allow it, as she IS Finnish, it IS very
cold in Finland, and they do sell vodka there. I wouldn’t say that about
Finland, because I’m not Finnish, for example. But I am an American, and as
I said, IF you read the whole comment I wrote, I am working on manners.
What about you?
I do have some facts, not beliefs, regarding race - the human race; as in,
there is only the one race. Predominantly homosapien, most of us with some
neanderthal (about 2.5% in general), & now they’re finding a tiny bit of
some others, like the denisovan, etc.
But, your advice to not let antagonisms creep in, lest they affect me when
I don’t realize, is a sage point & I appreciate your trying to be helpful.
It gets a LOT less helpful after that, when you call me a troll and tell me
to grow up. And, I don’t think you really mean “sorry” when you said,
“sorry, you lost me at…” When people say that or things like it, “I don’t
mean to be rude, but…” I think it’s just their way to say, “I’m going to
pretend to show empathy by saying sorry first, I’m no hater, but oh snap
I hate you.”
Can we please block these trolls @moderators
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We can’t just block them, but they need to stop this. Enough, TNT. Please. Consider it an official warning.
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Please NO. You might not like what THT says, you might find it tiresome to actually read what s/he’s saying but it doesn’t deserve to be censored. Please, There’s enough of that crap going around (censorship) without adding to it.
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The Husband, about two months in to hosting, referred to this start-up period as “when we were whoring for reviews”…
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Sounds like it’s time for you to run a poll @GutHend on how we identify our houses for those unable or unwilling to follow directions, hosts with no house numbers or internet reception and guests unable to press a doorbell or even knock 
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Lol, yes, where is our super poll star??
I did not see who you were replying to. I read down a list of messages and saw your comment.
Oh, thanks for clarifying! I’m very sorry to learn that I must’ve put my
response to the intended posting in the wrong place. I hope that my
cheekiness in context is more understandable. It really wasn’t meant to
offend anyone! I’m going to read up on the FAQ/Guidelines, (another forum
member helpfully sent me the link), to make sure I understand how to be
part of a forum - I’m quite a bit of a technophobe! My blundering around
like this unintentionally causing a ruckus doesn’t help that :-0 so I’m
going to study up, make sure I understand the expectations and norms.
Meantime, I’ll just have to beg for patience! Apologies again, thanks!
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And I thought you were such a nice ‘girl’ @Joan but now it seems there’s another unexpected side to your income generation schemes 
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What’s that old adage? “Never judge a book by it’s cover”. I did a six month interim role for Worcestershire SS a few years ago. The Director, introducing me to various folk, mentioned I was a local girl, having gone to The Alice Ottley School. A voice piped up “they are known as the good time girls”. I responded that I was glad to hear that nothing had changed. She hadn’t twigged that I was her new manager but I thought it really funny, particularly her embarrassment.
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I had the same - apparently as a covent school girl - I was automatically up for anything - 
.Such a laughable family bit of history you’ve triggered. I went to a Convent of the Sacred Heart, I think for want of anywhere else to send me aged 5-10. I erupted from an Irish, allegedly Protestant, but distinctly atheist family; I mean, my dad’s best mate was a Jesuit! I don’t recall the origins of the tale, but Dad certainly did; on my first day at this school I was asked if I was a Catholic. Apparently I replied "yes, but not a Roman one…
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