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Airbnb is in midlife crisis mode

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Re: Airbnb is in midlife crisis mode

#61

Post by s1artibartfast »

JohnMakin wrote: post #43

I am not a chronic traveler but never understood the appeal of airbnb. Most low-mid to midrange chain hotels offer reasonably clean rooms for equivalent (or sometimes cheaper) price than airbnb after fees and I don’t need to play housekeeper either, or worry about weird owners, which seems to me like the whole nice thing about renting a short term place to sleep.

I love ABNB, but I dont see it anywhere near the same market as a hotel. I wouldnt use it on a work trip, but travel with my wife and friends.

Perks of ABNB- Private jacuzzi, functional kitchen for large group meals. Stay with friends and their kids under the same roof.

I can't gut a fish or leave gear on the porch at a hotel.

Beyond that, I value beauty and character, and find hotels devoid of both.

Re: Airbnb is in midlife crisis mode

#62

Post by darkwizard42 »

bsimpson wrote: post #42

With lodging, they have the risk of people finding a listing off-platform and paying cash, but because lodging is such a key aspect of a trip, people are often willing to pay the premium to have everything vetted/supported by Airbnb. With personal services, they're risking having that problem at a lot bigger scale: are you willing to pay your barber or masseuse 18% extra to cover Airbnb's commission? I suspect a lot…

People said the same thing about Wag. Ultimately if the platform acts as good lead gen and offers other protections and benefits it will work out!

Re: Airbnb is in midlife crisis mode

#63

Post by mr3martinis »

subpixel wrote: post #26
popularonion wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

TLDR > It is also revitalizing an unsuccessful experiment the company began in 2016: offering bespoke local activities, or what it calls “experiences.” The next stage, launch date unspecified, involves making your profile on Airbnb so robust that it’s “almost like a passport,” as Chesky puts it > After that comes a deep immersion into AI: Inspired by his relationship with Altman, Chesky hopes to build the ultimate ag…

“ Airbnb must have learned to deal with trust/safety/reputation issues better than basically any other consumer app based company” Not at all. Basically all reviews on Airbnb are positive bc of the threat of retaliation. Your reviews are like your social credit score, not worth threatening to post a negative but honest review.

How? The reviews aren’t visible until after the window of time to review is closed or the review has already been submitted. AFAIK there’s no way to retaliate.

Re: Airbnb is in midlife crisis mode

#64

Post by darkwizard42 »

zouhair wrote: post #40
pyaamb wrote: post #35

As bad as they are I'd still want to have them around to keep hotel prices in check

No, I don't care about hotels or hotel prices. People need places to live. You can deal with Hotel prices a bit high. There are millions of people in rich countries right now having hard time paying rent or finding any.

This is wholesale resolved by building more housing (which Airbnbs or short term rentals do not make a meaningful dent in anyway).

Re: Airbnb is in midlife crisis mode

#65

Post by musicale »

elteto wrote: post #4
spicyusername wrote: post #3

reinvention of Airbnb I cannot for the life of me figure out why these companies don't just stick to their core. AirBnB provides an amazing service, the ability to painlessly book hotels that feel like houses. I guarantee you they are not going to be the next Apple or Microsoft, they're instead just going to dilute the value of their core business chasing things that aren't going to work, instead of focusing on their…

Because the writing is sort of on the wall for airbnb's current business model. Local regulations are finally catching up to them, limiting new listings or applying the same taxes and fees applied to regular hotels. And airbnb's are not cheaper anymore, and many times not any more convenient than a hotel, due crappy hosts and their excessive fees and regulations. Airbnb is still a great option if the location is unde…

> Local regulations are finally catching up to them

Dodging regulation and taxes was Airbnb's biggest competitive advantage.

Regulatory entrepreneurship only works long-term if you can continue to dodge, or change, the law (either statutes or case law.)

We will see what happens with all of the AI companies who claim fair use.

Re: Airbnb is in midlife crisis mode

#66

Post by satvikpendem »

zouhair wrote: post #40
pyaamb wrote: post #35

As bad as they are I'd still want to have them around to keep hotel prices in check

No, I don't care about hotels or hotel prices. People need places to live. You can deal with Hotel prices a bit high. There are millions of people in rich countries right now having hard time paying rent or finding any.

Zoning laws are a way bigger restriction on housing than anything else, Airbnb is a symptom and arguably a scapegoat compared to the dampening of the demand of building new housing supply.

Re: Airbnb is in midlife crisis mode

#67

Post by satvikpendem »

JohnMakin wrote: post #43

I am not a chronic traveler but never understood the appeal of airbnb. Most low-mid to midrange chain hotels offer reasonably clean rooms for equivalent (or sometimes cheaper) price than airbnb after fees and I don’t need to play housekeeper either, or worry about weird owners, which seems to me like the whole nice thing about renting a short term place to sleep.

It has a kitchen, which comes in very handy when you want to save money and cook.

Re: Airbnb is in midlife crisis mode

#68

Post by alasano »

JohnMakin wrote: post #43

I am not a chronic traveler but never understood the appeal of airbnb. Most low-mid to midrange chain hotels offer reasonably clean rooms for equivalent (or sometimes cheaper) price than airbnb after fees and I don’t need to play housekeeper either, or worry about weird owners, which seems to me like the whole nice thing about renting a short term place to sleep.

I like hotels but I love renting someplace unique and pretending that I live in that city or place for a week or two.

I understand your point if all you're looking for is somewhere to sleep that's clean and comfy.

Re: Airbnb is in midlife crisis mode

#69

Post by betaby »

zouhair wrote: post #40
pyaamb wrote: post #35

As bad as they are I'd still want to have them around to keep hotel prices in check

No, I don't care about hotels or hotel prices. People need places to live. You can deal with Hotel prices a bit high. There are millions of people in rich countries right now having hard time paying rent or finding any.

Even in very popular cities AirBnBs are less than 0.1% of the residential dwellings. AirBnBs have negligible effect on a rent.

Re: Airbnb is in midlife crisis mode

#70

Post by satvikpendem »

donnachangstein wrote: post #49
jazzyjackson wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Funny but couches can be pretty comfortable, and in the days of Airbnb being a monetized couchsurf, you'd at least wake up to fresh coffee Safe place to stash your luggage is another matter, there's a dozen apps that cater to this need now too so if you are sleeping in the bus station at least you can put your baggage behind a locked door

> there's a dozen apps that cater to this need now Before someone declared a need for buggy and unreliable locker apps, for decades prior you could deposit something called a "coin" into a slot which would allow you remove an equally archaic object called a "key" from the lock, which you would deposit in your pocket and be on your merry way.

And have someone take your luggage wholesale and later clip the locks? What a steal!
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