Airbnb changes price display on app after customer complaints

BENGALURU — Airbnb's chief executive officer (CEO) tweeted on Monday (Nov 7) that the vacation rental company would make changes in the way it displays prices on its platform after it faced customer complaints.

"I've heard you loud and clear — you feel like prices aren't transparent and checkout tasks are a pain," CEO Brian Chesky tweeted.

Mr Chesky said Airbnb would make four changes starting next month, where guests would be able to see the total price they are required to pay up front.

Customers would now be able to view full price breakdown with Airbnb's service fee, discounts, and taxes, according to Mr Chesky's tweet.

The San Francisco-based company will prioritise the total price instead of a nightly fare in its search ranking algorithm, Mr Chesky said.

Mr Chesky also said the company would launch new pricing and discount tools to enable hosts to set more competitive prices.

Addressing customer complaints about guests having to complete checkout tasks, Mr Chesky said guests should not have to do "unreasonable checkout tasks such as stripping the beds, doing the laundry, or vacuuming".

Airbnb, which has lost about 37 per cent of its share value so far this year, has benefited from strong travel demand but now faces risk from a surge in inflation and a strong dollar. REUTERS