Reviews play a pivotal role in fostering trust on Airbnb. They provide a platform for both Hosts and guests to share feedback, enabling our community to make well-informed choices and set clear expectations for their experiences. Our commitment is to a just review system that upholds and safeguards authentic feedback from our community. To reinforce trust in our review process, we’ve implemented several protective measures.
Who Can Leave a Review
On platforms similar to Airbnb, only Hosts and guests who have successfully completed a booking and transaction can post reviews.
Review Submission and Publication Timeline
After the end of a stay, both Hosts and guests are given a 14-day window to share their feedback. Additionally, reviews can be left for specific reservations that get canceled on or after the intended check-in date (from 12:00 AM according to the listing’s local timezone).
Reviews become visible:
- Once both involved parties have provided their feedback, or;
- At the end of the 14-day window, depending on which occurs first;
- In situations where a Host cancels a booking before the check-in date, neither party will have the opportunity to review that particular reservation.
Guidelines for Submitting Feedback on Platforms Like Airbnb
Submitting a Review:
After your stay on platforms similar to Airbnb, you’ll typically receive a prompt via email to share your experiences about your recent Host or guest. The email will usually contain a direct link to the Feedback section, allowing you to relay your experiences to the wider community.
If, for some reason, you misplace the direct link from your email, there are other ways to submit feedback. Guests can head over to their Past Bookings or Travel History, while Hosts can navigate to the Recent Bookings or Reservations area of their main dashboard. Moreover, an option to provide feedback can often be accessed directly from your messaging or communication center.
Locating Your Feedback History:
Upon logging into your account on platforms like Airbnb, you can view feedback you’ve received and the ones you’ve given on your public profile.
- For guests, another method to access this information is by navigating: Profile > Account Settings > View Profile;
- For Hosts, the route could be: Dashboard > Feedback Analysis or Insights > User Feedback.
Is Feedback Supervised?
While platforms like Airbnb typically do not pre-screen reviews before posting them, they often encourage transparency in feedback.
However, it’s essential that feedback remains truthful and corresponds to an actual booking experience. Reviews might be flagged or removed if they breach the platform’s Review Guidelines. To summarize, a feedback could be taken down if:
- It infringes upon the platform’s Content Standards, like disclosing private details, including discriminatory or harmful content;
- It displays bias, for instance, if a guest receives incentives for a positive review or there are hints that the booking was solely for boosting a user’s reputation;
- It isn’t pertinent to the user’s actual experience on the platform, such as feedback that doesn’t provide genuine, firsthand insights about the Host, guest, or stay that aids others in their booking choices.
Additionally, many platforms have systems in place to proactively scan for reviews that may not represent authentic experiences. Should the system suspect a review to be inauthentic, perhaps because it doesn’t correspond to a real stay or appears to artificially boost ratings, it could be flagged or removed.
Modifying Feedback
To ensure feedback remains genuine and unbiased, platforms akin to Airbnb typically restrict the extent to which Hosts and guests can alter their comments post-submission.
- Should you be the first to submit feedback, you can make changes within the designated 14-day feedback window, but only until the other party submits their response;
- Once both parties have shared their feedback or the 14-day window closes (whichever occurs first), the comments are locked in and published without the possibility of further edits;
- Both Host and guest feedback gets displayed simultaneously, ensuring one cannot alter their feedback after reading the other’s.
While you cannot modify feedback someone else has written about you, some platforms may allow you to reach out regarding specific edits, like requesting an alteration to the gender pronoun used in describing you.
Addressing Feedback Received
Users have the option to publicly reply to feedback they’ve received, typically within a month from its publication date. This allows you to offer additional context or share your side of the story, provided it adheres to the platform’s Review Guidelines.
Dealing with Undesired Reviews
While you can’t simply delete a review about you based on disagreement, you can flag it if you believe it breaches the platform’s Review Guidelines. Reviews found to be in violation are likely to be taken down, with both parties being informed about the action.
If you’ve posted a review and feel it no longer accurately represents your experience, you have the option to seek its removal. This usually involves contacting the platform’s customer service or support team with your removal request.
Feedback for Group Bookings
For reservations involving multiple participants, the feedback provided by the Host typically addresses the primary individual who made the booking. However, this feedback is often displayed on the profiles of all confirmed participants, ensuring transparency for future interactions.
Ordering of Feedback on Booking Platforms
Feedback is primarily organized based on the time of submission and its pertinence. Relevance might account for aspects like the user’s preferred language and their specific search parameters. For instance, if a user is exploring options for extended stays, feedback from those who lodged for 28 days or longer is likely to appear at the forefront.
Conclusion
Airbnb reviews are essential pillars of trust within the platform, allowing both hosts and guests to share authentic experiences. These reviews not only guide informed decisions but also set clear expectations for all users. With measures in place to ensure the integrity of feedback, Airbnb emphasizes the value of genuine interactions and a transparent community. Knowing how this system operates is crucial for all, ensuring enriched experiences and genuine connections on the platform.
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