Air BnB pricing. What's going on?

[Hobosapien]

Isn't this just the way these wannabe monopolies work?

Squeeze out the competition by way of massive up front investment so they can operate at a loss (the Amazon way, but also see most business models in Silicon Valley), then once the competition dwindles they can bang up the fees and care less about the customer (messing them about with shoddy pricing algorithms) as they are then in the mindset of 'like it or go elsewhere' knowing most people won't.

i.e. they've made your bed now lie in it.

[Lockhouse]

Probably due to the state some people will leave properties in. I refuse to use air BnB. Don't agree with the concept.

Not the cleaning fee which is extra. I was referring to the Air B&B service fee.

[KinooOrKinog]

The service fees seem much more expensive than they used to be. I just paid £68 service fee on a £400 booking.

Probably due to the state some people will leave properties in. I refuse to use air BnB. Don't agree with the concept.

[Lockhouse]

The service fees seem much more expensive than they used to be. I just paid £68 service fee on a £400 booking.

[northernladuk]

You're going permie so why do you care?

Who is?

[genius]

You're going permie so why do you care?

[rogerfederer]

Try it also with incognito mode to see if it does the same. Their pricing model probably sees you have deep pockets.
Also if it is a long stay always ask the host for an offer to meet your "budget". If it's a month I'd look to start with 10-15% above rental value for that area.

It'll take more than just 'incognito mode'. If you're using your broadband at home then DNS entry is often specific to your customer ID at the exchange; this is how your location is targeted via your DNS entry.

AirBnB does show weird pricing. The map-view shows a particular rate per night. This seems to exclude any cleaning fee, if someone has enabled this cost add-on. I've noticed in the past that the final price is often above. £54.49 translates to £54 on the map and summary view rather than £55. Given the service fee and any other cleaning/associated fee the price is always higher than expected when booking.

Try the website rather than the phone app.

[northernladyuk]

Anyone used Air BnB recently and if so have you had any weirdness around the pricing?

I'm looking at some digs which say they are 55 quid. Pick the odd day here and there and it stays 55. We'll ish, the price sometimes seems to vary by a quid or so but that's a side question.

But when is pick a week the price has gone up 10%. They have a 10% discount for a week and in the cost breakdown it shows the 10% discount but this only brings the price back to the original. It looks like it inflates the price by 10% and then takes it off.

Any ideas what is going on here?

Any witty, rude or unhelpful comments and I'm telling on you. Consider yourself telled.

They have a new algorithm which trawls your previous reviews by hosts and applies a sex worker cleaning surcharge.

[GigiBronz]

Try it also with incognito mode to see if it does the same. Their pricing model probably sees you have deep pockets.
Also if it is a long stay always ask the host for an offer to meet your "budget". If it's a month I'd look to start with 10-15% above rental value for that area.

[BR14]

IMMHO air BnB is krap.
i certainly wouldn't consider it for a business trip.

[northernladuk]

Anyone used Air BnB recently and if so have you had any weirdness around the pricing?

I'm looking at some digs which say they are 55 quid. Pick the odd day here and there and it stays 55. We'll ish, the price sometimes seems to vary by a quid or so but that's a side question.

But when is pick a week the price has gone up 10%. They have a 10% discount for a week and in the cost breakdown it shows the 10% discount but this only brings the price back to the original. It looks like it inflates the price by 10% and then takes it off.

Any ideas what is going on here?

Any witty, rude or unhelpful comments and I'm telling on you. Consider yourself telled.