AirbnB - not showing in search

[FelicityA]

I am kicking myself for not checking this on a regular basis but I have been puzzled by the extreme lack (i.e. zero) of enquiries through AirbnB. I had put it down to the fact that I have had no bookings and therefore no reviews = Catch 22.

But today I did a search incognito as a guest and I do not show up anywhere - not in a list. Not on the map. Although, of course, on preview, I am there for ME to see.

I have contacted AirbnB (what a minefield to find the button which leads to be able to contact a person - I had make up a dire reason to get to it) and they have passed it to their IT department.

This may be happening to others...

[Nigel Goodwin]

It happened to me a few weeks ago. Better check again.

[FelicityA]

I am finding that instant book is the default and is perhaps the reason I was not/am not showing. However, I have just tested as a guest and instant book is on as the default. When I click to turn it off, neither the cancel button nor the apply button makes the smallest difference. It stays stubbornly on. So it seems we are being pushed into instant book?

[oasiscouple]

I managed to disable instant bookings and am still receiving enquiries but have recently also gone with BC and enquiries are about 50/50 between ABB and BC

[FelicityA]

Sorry. I managed to repeat myself on this and therefore muddied the waters.

I have disabled instant book on my listing.

However, if I go in 'cold' as an incognito guest, AirbnB ONLY shows me instant book properties so my property doesn't show. When I try to turn off that filter, the button to cancel doesn't work. So therefore, any potential seeker of a property can only see the instant book properties...

The customer service person never came back to me, by the way and I had to fill in a review of her services although the issue was not resolved. She did not get a glowing review from me.

[e-richard]

... potential seeker of a property can only see the instant book properties......

It would not surprise me if HomeAway, Airbnb and TripAdvisor have had secret meetings to agree on some basic principles......

[Isy]

To contact them did you try tweeting them: https://twitter.com/airbnbhelp?lang=en

I did a bit of google for you and somebody was successful tweeting them. Here's what she said:

"I tweeted Airbnb help via direct message, and included my mobile number and listing number, and got a response back in 30 minutes saying a case manager would contact me. 15 minutes later my phone rang.)"

Hope it helps Felicity

[COYS]

... potential seeker of a property can only see the instant book properties......

It would not surprise me if HomeAway, Airbnb and TripAdvisor have had secret meetings to agree on some basic principles......

+1
All have the same goals so no reason why their 'methods' should differ.

[FelicityA]

Thanks, Isy. I am not on Twitter. My brain/everyday life can only take so much social media and Twitter is a bridge too far for me, although I can clearly see its use for this sort of thing as it is so 'out there' for everyone to see and shames companies into performing better.

[GRL]

I've gone on to ABB without logging in and for me the default setting is not to instant book so my gite does come up. I still get hardly anything from them though.