Airbnb Plans to Verify Every Listing • Hacker News Board

Re: Airbnb Plans to Verify Every Listing

#51

Post by malkuth23 » Wed, Nov 06, 2019, 10:52 PM UTC

zik wrote: post #17

ogre_codes wrote: post #12

From the comment in the article it sounds like they are trying to offload the cost/ effort of verifying listings to their customers as well: " But he said the process would involve asking users whether the information in certain listings turned out to be accurate " So when he says AirBNB is going to verify every listing, he doesn't actually mean they are paying people to do it...

It also doesn't mean you're safe to use airbnb. If you're the first person to try a given scam listing you'll get scammed. And then airbnb will de-list it, after the fact. And then the scammer will create a new listing presumably to scam the next person.

The first two weeks of people renting my Airbnb got an incredible deal. Airbnb encouraged me to discount what I found later to be way too low prices. I was also very careful to make sure everything was perfect for them since their reviews were so important. Yes there are risks with renting a new place, but there are also huge benefits.

As a side note, when I travel and I actually want to interact with my host, I will rent a room in an occupied house and I always pick a newly listed space. since the host is not sick of hosting yet, they are much more friendly. If you go to a place that has been operating for years, they will not want to show you around or hang out. New hosts are much more likely to be social.

Re: Airbnb Plans to Verify Every Listing

#52

Post by ogre_codes » Wed, Nov 06, 2019, 10:53 PM UTC

YokoZar wrote: post #47

ogre_codes wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If they detached this or made it separate from reviews it would perhaps reduce the fear of retributive reviews from bad hosts. The big problem here is the vast difference between "We are going to verify..." and what they are actually planning. It's just dishonest.

AirBNB reviews are unpublished until both sides either finish their review or time out. It is simply not possible to read a bad review and then write a bad review in retaliation.

It's been a while since I used AirBNB so I'll take your word for it. The recent article in Vice suggested that the fear of retributive reviews was something a lot of people were concerned about, so I'm not sure where the disconnect is here.

From https://www.vice.com/en_ca/article/43k7z3/nationwide-fake-ho...:

"After all, Airbnb uses a rating system in which both the host and tenant can publicly provide feedback to one another, which both parties then use to prove their credibility in the future.

Because of that, there is a built-in incentive to avoid confrontation, which helps explain why Airbnb hosts consistently receive higher ratings than hotels reviewed on TripAdvisor, according to research out of Boston University and the University of Southern California. If a customer has a negative experience on Airbnb, they might be better off just moving on instead of leaving a negative review."

Perhaps it's not retributive reviews so much as complaining during the stay. shrug

Re: Airbnb Plans to Verify Every Listing

#53

Post by grawprog » Wed, Nov 06, 2019, 10:54 PM UTC

YokoZar wrote: post #49

noodle wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Particularly since Airbnb is a two way system. I once stayed in a place where I was basically being told to give them 5 stars or else they'd give me 1 star for being a difficult guest.

How were they planning on doing this? They don't get to see the rating you gave until after their review of you is finalized, and vice-versa.

I'm curious how they enforce this. I've never used airbnb but what's to stop a host from reading the reviews from a guest account instead of their host one? I'm assuming they're still published publicly but maybe I'm wrong?

Re: Airbnb Plans to Verify Every Listing

#54

Post by malkuth23 » Wed, Nov 06, 2019, 10:58 PM UTC

smt88 wrote: post #29

No amount of "verification" can get me to stay in an Airbnb. There's no way for them to prevent homeowners from installing (legal) hidden cameras, and when cameras are discovered, they defer responsibility (to preserve their brand image). A hotel, by contrast, can't legally have hidden cameras and takes the full brunt of the bad PR if one is discovered.

It is definitely not legal to setup hidden cameras anywhere that would be private inside your Airbnb.

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/108/s1301/text

Also, Airbnb asks you if there are any cameras in any place on your property and it is a violation to have cameras even on your front porch without acknowledging them.

I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but it is definitely not legal. It also happens in hotels on occasion and not always with the managements knowledge.

Re: Airbnb Plans to Verify Every Listing

#55

Post by YokoZar » Wed, Nov 06, 2019, 10:58 PM UTC

grawprog wrote: post #53

YokoZar wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How were they planning on doing this? They don't get to see the rating you gave until after their review of you is finalized, and vice-versa.

I'm curious how they enforce this. I've never used airbnb but what's to stop a host from reading the reviews from a guest account instead of their host one? I'm assuming they're still published publicly but maybe I'm wrong?

The review isn't visible to anyone until the period expires. It's not just hidden from the specific host account.

Re: Airbnb Plans to Verify Every Listing

#56

Post by buboard » Wed, Nov 06, 2019, 10:59 PM UTC

ogre_codes wrote: post #12

From the comment in the article it sounds like they are trying to offload the cost/ effort of verifying listings to their customers as well: " But he said the process would involve asking users whether the information in certain listings turned out to be accurate " So when he says AirBNB is going to verify every listing, he doesn't actually mean they are paying people to do it...

That's practically asking for fraud.

There are 6M listings. How much would it cost them to do the right thing and have them even cursorily inspected? Inspectors would of course have to pose as customers. Damn these sharing startups are tight fisted

Re: Airbnb Plans to Verify Every Listing

#57

Post by malkuth23 » Wed, Nov 06, 2019, 11:00 PM UTC

noodle wrote: post #42

brnt wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Anything crowdsourced can and will be gamed. That is the essence of this type of problem.

Particularly since Airbnb is a two way system. I once stayed in a place where I was basically being told to give them 5 stars or else they'd give me 1 star for being a difficult guest.

That is not possible. They were lying to you. You can't see the other's review until you post your review or the review window expires. You can never change your review once posted (though you can comment on a review someone else left).

Re: Airbnb Plans to Verify Every Listing

#58

Post by user5994461 » Wed, Nov 06, 2019, 11:01 PM UTC

duskwuff wrote: post #16

ogre_codes wrote: post #12

From the comment in the article it sounds like they are trying to offload the cost/ effort of verifying listings to their customers as well: " But he said the process would involve asking users whether the information in certain listings turned out to be accurate " So when he says AirBNB is going to verify every listing, he doesn't actually mean they are paying people to do it...

Which is deeply disappointing, and makes me worried that fraudulent hosts will work around the issue by having a co-conspirator book their room to "verify" the listing.

And remember to make it a short stay because AirBnb is taking 25% commission on the booking. Friends reviews are costing an arm and a leg.

Re: Airbnb Plans to Verify Every Listing

#59

Post by user5994461 » Wed, Nov 06, 2019, 11:07 PM UTC

binarysolo wrote: post #10

This kinda makes sense - esp since housing inventory is a recurring revenue generator. That being said, I am curious how much of the inspection cost they'd pass on to the lister -- it seems like getting a guy out to check each listing is gonna be $25-$100 an inspection depending on how many places you can lump together, so someone's gotta pay the costs there. Maybe the end result will be an "AirBnB-verified" badge an…

AirBnb already offer to send a photographer for free to take pictures of your flat. Having a verification visit is similar service and can be provided for free too.

Practically speaking, they're taking around 25% commission on bookings. It's more than enough to cover inspections and pictures.

Re: Airbnb Plans to Verify Every Listing

#60

Post by noodle » Wed, Nov 06, 2019, 11:14 PM UTC

malkuth23 wrote: post #57

noodle wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Particularly since Airbnb is a two way system. I once stayed in a place where I was basically being told to give them 5 stars or else they'd give me 1 star for being a difficult guest.

That is not possible. They were lying to you. You can't see the other's review until you post your review or the review window expires. You can never change your review once posted (though you can comment on a review someone else left).

They were very pushy about asking "are you going to give me 5 stars?" before/during the stay, and saying things like "my business depends on 5 star ratings". Obviously there are lots of paths out of that situation that don't involve someone giving them 5 stars, but I'm sure it works on people.

Edit: it did not work on me