Why Airbnb is dead to me • Hacker News Board

Re: Why Airbnb is dead to me

#41

Post by aianus » Mon, Sep 28, 2015, 5:10 PM UTC

bachmeier wrote: post #37

protomyth wrote: post #5

This is why hotel regulations popped up in the first place. If you don't want the government to crack down, you really need to protect your customers. If this happened to the son or daughter of a US Senator (I know it happened in Spain, but kids do take trips) then I would expect a whole world of problems.

Welcome to the lemons problem. Information problems are very real in the hotel industry. Most of the customers have limited information. Akerlof (husband of Fed chair Janet Yellen) got the Nobel Prize for starting the literature. No, I do not have plans to use Airbnb. It sounded like a really bad idea from the start.

You're well-compensated for the risk you take on Airbnb, it's not like it costs the same as the Four Seasons.

Re: Why Airbnb is dead to me

#42

Post by xmlblog » Mon, Sep 28, 2015, 5:11 PM UTC

I will never use Airbnb again, either. Booked a flat in London that looked clean in the pictures, but was disgusting when we got there. Also wound up paying walk-in rates at a Holiday Inn (which were astronomical, but at least the room was immaculate and modern). Fortunately, I always book travel with my American Express card—and they sure know how to handle disputed charges.

Re: Why Airbnb is dead to me

#43

Post by davidhariri » Mon, Sep 28, 2015, 5:12 PM UTC

I had a nightmare experience on vacation in Mexico that was word for word the same response from Airbnb. Because I took my wife and I out of the potentially dangerous rental, without first contacting Airbnb, they couldn't refund us anything. I followed up with evidence that the rental was unfit and unsafe with pictures, but nothing came of it. Needless to say, I'm never using Airbnb again. Worst customer experience I've ever had. Airbnb is essentially enabling any joe idiot to run a shit hotel anywhere in the world with zero accountability. Oh also, over the time you email their customer experience reps, they assign you a NEW customer rep each time so you have no relationship with whoever you talk to next during a conversation. Some people are understanding, others are aholes. Such a terrible experience, overall. It's a wonder they're as big as they are.

Re: Why Airbnb is dead to me

#44

Post by nikanj » Mon, Sep 28, 2015, 5:12 PM UTC

jasonlotito wrote: post #29

deveac wrote: post #13

>Airbnb do not care about guests and their safety at all. I don't know. It seems like it would be a nightmare to sort through a he-said she-said after the fact when the offended party didn't even book a stay (instead the room was booked by some other person that is insisting "no, it's cool, I know them"), and furthermore didn't even report the apartment not being available when the issue occurred. It's nice that they…

> Customer contacts AirBnB According to the article this didn't work. They had to resort to Twitter. Frankly, if their resolution center doesn't provide a phone number that can be used 24/7, than any demand to contact AirBnB with issues is bullshit. I had similar issues with Uber and their inadequate customer service. If I can't reach someone directly for services like this, they clearly have issues with pleasing the…

It does, I spent almost three hours listening to their waiting tunes this summer. Average time in line was about an hour, and if they ask you to call back, you need to wait in queue again.

Re: Why Airbnb is dead to me

#45

Post by aianus » Mon, Sep 28, 2015, 5:13 PM UTC

jasonlotito wrote: post #29

deveac wrote: post #13

>Airbnb do not care about guests and their safety at all. I don't know. It seems like it would be a nightmare to sort through a he-said she-said after the fact when the offended party didn't even book a stay (instead the room was booked by some other person that is insisting "no, it's cool, I know them"), and furthermore didn't even report the apartment not being available when the issue occurred. It's nice that they…

> Customer contacts AirBnB According to the article this didn't work. They had to resort to Twitter. Frankly, if their resolution center doesn't provide a phone number that can be used 24/7, than any demand to contact AirBnB with issues is bullshit. I had similar issues with Uber and their inadequate customer service. If I can't reach someone directly for services like this, they clearly have issues with pleasing the…

They already had their money back. At this point, give a bad review and move on with your life. If this is standard operating procedure for this host, he won't last on Airbnb.

Re: Why Airbnb is dead to me

#46

Post by deveac » Mon, Sep 28, 2015, 5:15 PM UTC

jasonlotito wrote: post #29

deveac wrote: post #13

>Airbnb do not care about guests and their safety at all. I don't know. It seems like it would be a nightmare to sort through a he-said she-said after the fact when the offended party didn't even book a stay (instead the room was booked by some other person that is insisting "no, it's cool, I know them"), and furthermore didn't even report the apartment not being available when the issue occurred. It's nice that they…

> Customer contacts AirBnB According to the article this didn't work. They had to resort to Twitter. Frankly, if their resolution center doesn't provide a phone number that can be used 24/7, than any demand to contact AirBnB with issues is bullshit. I had similar issues with Uber and their inadequate customer service. If I can't reach someone directly for services like this, they clearly have issues with pleasing the…

> Frankly, if their resolution center doesn't provide a phone number that can be used 24/7, than any demand to contact AirBnB with issues is bullshit.

They're available by phone 24/7, and they provide a local contact number for you in your reservation confirmation email.

Re: Why Airbnb is dead to me

#47

Post by nikanj » Mon, Sep 28, 2015, 5:17 PM UTC

icebraining wrote: post #19

autobahn wrote: post #15

Seems like a common theme in "sharing economy" companies - start off with a great concept and great execution, but once they become popular, some part of them just falls apart. For uber, it's the way they treat their drivers. The churn is incredible. But as long as they continue to offer cheap rides and can lure new drivers in with empty promises, they'll continue to exist.

What does Uber promise to drivers?

Taxi-level income without medallion costs (renting / buying)

Re: Why Airbnb is dead to me

#48

Post by icebraining » Mon, Sep 28, 2015, 5:18 PM UTC

aianus wrote: post #41

bachmeier wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Welcome to the lemons problem. Information problems are very real in the hotel industry. Most of the customers have limited information. Akerlof (husband of Fed chair Janet Yellen) got the Nobel Prize for starting the literature. No, I do not have plans to use Airbnb. It sounded like a really bad idea from the start.

You're well-compensated for the risk you take on Airbnb, it's not like it costs the same as the Four Seasons.

And the risk is overrated - if the host seems dishonest or the place isn't as described/shown, you can still check-in to an hotel.

I find it depressing how this will probably go away, and people like me who can't afford to pay for a stay at an hotel will just lose the option of taking the risk. Hurray for the infantilization of society! /s

Re: Why Airbnb is dead to me

#49

Post by bachmeier » Mon, Sep 28, 2015, 5:18 PM UTC

notlisted wrote: post #20

Hmmm. I won't repeat my qualms with AirBnB. I'm afraid that this comment will get downvoted/banned in a bit, and like any negative post/discussion about AirBnB, the discussion will mysteriously disappear from the front page…

I wondered why the story was dropping so fast.

Currently, the story above it has 57 points, 1 comment, and was posted 4 hours ago. This one has 125 points, 45 comments, and was posted 1 hour ago.

Re: Why Airbnb is dead to me

#50

Post by s73v3r » Mon, Sep 28, 2015, 5:18 PM UTC

MaxScheiber wrote: post #6

First, sorry to hear about your experience. I wonder if you would have any luck escalating this to Chesky, Gebbia, et al. The Airbnb founding team really seems to take pg's advice on start-ups seriously. I'm sure that they're huge proponents of delighting their users, which your experience obviously isn't an example of.

Doesn't sound like it, otherwise they'd prioritize customer service, and we wouldn't be heading as many of these stories.