Lay My Hat

Looking for advice. I'm going to resurrect my OD listing as a pay as you go one as i only have 4 wks left to sell.
Can I ask for clarification please on a couple of areas?

1. How much do I have to increase my rental prices to absorb the charges made to owners?
I think it's 3% for the cash handling but not sure if there's more.

2. Is there still a choice not to have instant booking?

3. Is it better to go commission via OD or HA? Or does it not matter as the processes and charges are identical?

4. Any tips for avoiding pitfalls?!

Thank you
Mousie
x

Mouse, my mates on od and just negotiated a deal where the client pays the fee c 8% i assume, but the owner can deal direct re payments and deposit deductions.

She liaised direct with od, just let it lapse and wait for them to get in touch.

Mouse, today we have changed our OD listing from subscription to commission. We had to wait until our subscription ran out - yesterday. Today OD emailed to ask whether we wanted to relist. We just followed their instructions - very easy. Couple of things to note

. We had to have online bookings

. Commission against the owner is 8%. !!!!! ( am I wrong here?)

. You don't have to have instant bookings

Hope this helps. Giraffe x

PS. We have soared up the listings. Today I am number 1 in our village. Last week I wasn't even in the top 400, and there are less than 50 houses in the village, with only 3 holiday lets.

Thanks Giraffe that is useful.

Re the 8%....is that what owners pay or guests? As owners I think we have to pay for them handling the payments but I can't see what that cost is. I want to increase my prices to absorb some of it.

Thanks
Mousie
x

Giraffe wrote:PS. We have soared up the listings. Today I am number 1 in our village. Last week I wasn't even in the top 400, and there are less than 50 houses in the village, with only 3 holiday lets.

That looks like confirmation that HA would much prefer to have owners on commission rather than subscription listings.

AndrewH wrote:

Giraffe wrote:PS. We have soared up the listings. Today I am number 1 in our village. Last week I wasn't even in the top 400, and there are less than 50 houses in the village, with only 3 holiday lets.

That looks like confirmation that HA would much prefer to have owners on commission rather than subscription listings.

Absolutely. But if they’re all commision listings they can’t all be at the top all of the time. So what next?
Tiered commissions - the more you pay, the higher you stay?
Acceptance rates & cancellation terms - take any booking, any time with zero cancellation fee?
I’ve no evidence of this but on past form it is the next logical step - charging for sort order preference for commission listings. I can’t see them settling for 8% once they have you by the balls & there are only so many price increases that holidaymakers will be naive enough to absorb if you plan on adding it into your pricing.

I'm sure you are right COYS. Once everyone is on online booking there will be a new pecking order.

I've transferred to commission as I was getting NO bookings on subscription. So OD will not make any money from me unless that get me some bookings. I'm treating them just as one of the various tools in my marketing toolbox. As time goes on I'm sure they will become less and less significant.

Giraffe wrote:I'm sure you are right COYS. Once everyone is on online booking there will be a new pecking order.

+1 COYS & Giraffe

Mousie, we can't now find our commission rate. It might be the 8% as we have gone for the NO REFUND on any cancellation. But we will only know if we actually get a booking through OD. I'll let you know if that ever happens! Giraffe x

We are charged 8% on no refund

Thanks apexblue.