Airbnb on Monday announced some changes that are coming to their services, including updates to their pricing strategies and the guest checkout experience.
According to a news release from Airbnb, they have announced four new changes that will go into effect over the next few months. The changes include pricing tools for hosts, improvements to guest checkout, total price display and search ranking prioritizing the total price.
According to the Washington Post, Airbnb will start in December by offering users the choice to see the total price display of a listing up front, which would include cleaning fees and service fees but not taxes. It will also be available to be shown on the map, in the filters and on the listing page.
According to The New York Times, Airbnb will be prioritizing the total price of a stay rather than the nightly price in their search algorithm.
“This means that for similar listings in the same area, those with the highest quality and best total prices will rank higher in search results,” Airbnb said in the news release.
Airbnb will also be telling hosts that any requests they have for visitors checking out to be clear and reasonable before they book to stay there, according to the Washington Post.
“Guests should not have to do unreasonable checkout tasks such as stripping the beds, doing the laundry, or vacuuming when leaving their Airbnb. But we think it’s reasonable to ask guests to turn off the lights, throw food in the trash, and lock the doors — just like they would when leaving their own home,” said Airbnb in the news release.
Lastly, Airbnb said in the news release that they will be providing hosts with new pricing and discounting tools starting in early 2023. Airbnb’s Chief Executive Brian Chesky said on Twitter that Airbnb started off as an affordable alternative to hotels, so they want make properties more affordable for guests.
“During this difficult economic time, we need to help our Hosts provide great value to you,” said Chesky on Twitter.
“We will provide Hosts with new pricing and discounting tools to help them understand the final price guests pay and how to set competitive prices. We expect these changes will help Hosts be more successful and provide even greater value to guests,” said Airbnb in the news release.