EP144: This Week in the World of Airbnb - a podcast by Jasper Ribbers

Airbnb was in the headlines for the wrong reasons this week, as an Asian-American guest was stranded by a vicious host who offered race as the reason for the last-minute cancellation. Despite Airbnb’s best efforts to combat discrimination via changes to the platform, the issue continues to plague the company.

Today Jasper chats with Nicole Prentice Williams, VP of Strategic Partnerships at Hostfully, about the adjustments Airbnb has made to create an unbiased environment and whether those changes go far enough. They also cover the governor’s race in California, and the big donations Airbnb employees are making to a certain candidate.

Listen and learn about the currency conversion fee Airbnb guests are facing as well as the gear you need to outfit your vacation rental. Want that coveted five-star review? Provide your Airbnb guests with these amenities!

Topics Covered

Article #1: ‘One Word Says It All – Asian’: Airbnb Host Reportedly Leaves Guest Stranded Because of Her Race
•Guest booked property near Big Bear, California, for ski trip
•Reservation canceled upon arrival
•Host texted outrageous, racist comments as explanation
•Emotional guest interviewed by local news crew
•Host banned from the platform
•Timing of video release (six weeks later) seems odd

Article #2: How Airbnb’s Redesign Aims to Combat Discrimination on the Service
•Instant Book feature
•Removal of host pics in search results
•Profile photos of guests and hosts minimized
•Critics suggest suppression of photos until booking is complete
•Airbnb counters that photos are important for security, culture
•Hosts rely on photos to help make informed decisions

Article #3: The Best Gear to Outfit a Vacation Rental or Airbnb
•Offers 24-item checklist
•Provide better experience for guests (comparable to hotel)
•Includes mattress and pillow protectors for the bedroom
•Recommends quality towels, hair dryer and clean shower liner for bath
•Suggests Wi-Fi extender
•Little things like a bottle opener and better toilet paper make a big difference

Article #4: Newsom Raises Most for Governor’s Race, With Boost from Airbnb
•Progressive former mayor of San Francisco
•Airbnb employees have donated more than $200,000 to his campaign
•Other candidates report largest single-source contributions under $100,000

Article #5: People are Really Annoyed About Airbnb’s ‘Hidden’ 3% Conversion Fee
•Guests who book in a country with a different currency must pay 3% fee
•Credit card company typically charges this conversion fee
•Airbnb likely saw an opportunity to make money by doing conversion themselves

Resources Mentioned
Article #1: washingtonpost.com/news/business/wp/2017/04/07/one-word-says-it-all-asian-airbnb-host-reportedly-leaves-guest-stranded-because-of-her-race
Article #2: cnbc.com/2017/04/07/airbnb-experimenting-with-site-design-to-fight-discrimination
Airbnb Open Doors Policy
Article #3: thesweethome.com/reviews/best-gear-to-outfit-a-vacation-rental-or-airbnb
Airbnb News Facebook Group
GPFYP Email Newsletter
Article #4: sfchronicle.com/politics/article/Newsom-raises-most-for-governor-s-race-with-11060806.php
Article #5: businessinsider.com/airbnb-charges-a-sneaky-3-per-cent-conversion-fee-on-bookings-2017-4
Airbnb’s Currency Conversion Fee

Connect with Jasper
Email: jasper@getpaidforyourpad.com
Twitter: @GetPaidForUrPad
Instagram: @GetPaidForYourPad
Facebook: www.facebook.com/getpaidforyourpad

This episode is sponsored by Aviva IQ. Aviva IQ automates messages to your Airbnb guests. It's also free!

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