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Airbnb Nightmare: No End In Sight

ejroundtheworld.blogspot.com

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Re: Airbnb Nightmare: No End In Sight

#31

Post by fletchowns »

He then addressed his concerns about my blog post, and the potentially negative impact it could have on his company’s growth and current round of funding. During this call and in messages thereafter, he requested that I shut down the blog altogether or limit its access, and a few weeks later, suggested that I update the blog with a “twist" of good news so as to “complete[s] the story”.

If this is true it is downright appalling. Does he really think this woman that just had her life turned upside down gives a shit about his next round of funding?

Re: Airbnb Nightmare: No End In Sight

#32

Post by alnayyir »

nkassis wrote: post #30
alnayyir wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't like to be vulgar, particularly on HN, but it really needs to be asked. Is anyone here really all that surprised Chesky is a douche?

Or it might just be that the guy is under a lot of stress and making bad decision. Watching your company potentially go up in flames with one incident is probably not an easy situation in which to make decisions. We don't know the whole story. I understand the host stance also, basically on both sides they see things they've invested a lot into (her personal life and belongings, the company) be destroyed. I'm not say…

In the private sector, excellence in the absence of pressure isn't worth any accolades.

Incidentally, the same is true of moral character.

Re: Airbnb Nightmare: No End In Sight

#33

Post by VladRussian »

chubot wrote: post #13
kooshball wrote: post #5

They must have totally messed this up for her to write a rebuttal post like that. This post absolutely torn apart all positive points from Chesky's response. I just still can't believe airbnb didnt see this coming, and stomp on the problem as hard as they can to get EJ on their side. If everything she said is true here, airbnb truly screwed up and deserve the negative PR coming their way. Isn't this why you give up e…

Yeah this seems like it would have been a really easy opportunity for them to get some positive PR? Why in god's name would they stop contacting her and then have a co-founder pressure her? It seems easy enough to offer $5k or $10k to restore the apartment at least. I mean the only thing would be that they might be concerned about setting a precedent. But honestly, the PR alone would have been worth $5k (or $100k) an…

>Yeah this seems like it would have been a really easy opportunity for them to get some positive PR?

or "Don't Let a Good Crisis Go to Waste" ((C) Rahm Emanuel ?) It is how one rides a crisis what separates winners from losers.

>And yeah, seeing the amount of screening done (zero, you just need Paypal or a fake credit card), it's really risky for hosts.

well, one can make a case of how it can be risky for guests - just for starters, how can you be sure that the "host" has any rights or any traceable connection at all to the place s/he rented to you

Re: Airbnb Nightmare: No End In Sight

#34

Post by newchimedes »

I think the most disturbing part is how they tried to get her to take her blog or limit access to her blog post. The reason? Because it would hurt their funding round. So instead of a $5 billion valuation they now get $4.5 billion.

Please. The fact is this incident happened on their watch. Trying to pretend they are the hero in this mess and spin it their way bothers me tremendously. I mean, she got robbed as a consequence of using their site. That stuff happens and honestly I don't think anyone really believes they can stop all bad things from happening. But this whole let's try to hide this under the rug deal makes them look 1000x worse I think than her getting robbed (which still sucks!)

Re: Airbnb Nightmare: No End In Sight

#35

Post by G5f3 »

Parallels with DropBox and their no password login disaster? Bad processes and a botched PR response.

Methinks these super-hot startups may be reaching critical mass before they develop business maturity.

Re: Airbnb Nightmare: No End In Sight

#36

Post by danilocampos »

fletchowns wrote: post #31

He then addressed his concerns about my blog post, and the potentially negative impact it could have on his company’s growth and current round of funding. During this call and in messages thereafter, he requested that I shut down the blog altogether or limit its access, and a few weeks later, suggested that I update the blog with a “twist" of good news so as to “complete[s] the story”. If this is true it is downright…

It gets worse.

"Note: a second co-founder did email me for the first time around 2am yesterday, suggesting we meet for coffee as he 'would enjoy meeting' me. He made no inquiry into my current emotional state, my safety or my well being."

Speechless. The lack of compassion for another human being here is staggering. Utterly oblivious — or indifferent. How does this happen to people?

Re: Airbnb Nightmare: No End In Sight

#37

Post by moonlighter »

VladRussian wrote: post #33
chubot wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah this seems like it would have been a really easy opportunity for them to get some positive PR? Why in god's name would they stop contacting her and then have a co-founder pressure her? It seems easy enough to offer $5k or $10k to restore the apartment at least. I mean the only thing would be that they might be concerned about setting a precedent. But honestly, the PR alone would have been worth $5k (or $100k) an…

>Yeah this seems like it would have been a really easy opportunity for them to get some positive PR? or "Don't Let a Good Crisis Go to Waste" ((C) Rahm Emanuel ?) It is how one rides a crisis what separates winners from losers. >And yeah, seeing the amount of screening done (zero, you just need Paypal or a fake credit card), it's really risky for hosts. well, one can make a case of how it can be risky for guests - ju…

Exactly that seems to have happened to "bignoggins" in Germany using AirBnB right now: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2820806

Re: Airbnb Nightmare: No End In Sight

#38

Post by moonlighter »

fletchowns wrote: post #31

He then addressed his concerns about my blog post, and the potentially negative impact it could have on his company’s growth and current round of funding. During this call and in messages thereafter, he requested that I shut down the blog altogether or limit its access, and a few weeks later, suggested that I update the blog with a “twist" of good news so as to “complete[s] the story”. If this is true it is downright…

Once the mainstream press is going to pick this up (probably a WHEN, not IF the way it's going), they might not have another round of funding to give a shit about in the first place.

Re: Airbnb Nightmare: No End In Sight

#39

Post by TeMPOraL »

Oh. My. God.

I really believed they're doing their best to help EJ. I trusted in that.

Yes, I liked AirBNB to the point of talking about it with friends and pretty much advertising it all around as a great idea and a great company - just because I liked them. They looked trustworthy and like a really nice company.

If what EJ wrote is accurate[1], then I find the way they handle this situation outraging. It hurts my feelings and right now completely destroyed my trust in AirBNB. If they won't fix it soon and start behaving like a real human beings, theny I'm no longer caring about them, and will advice my friends against them.

[1] - I try to not jump into conclusions too fast.

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