Airbnb reviews feedback system, new logo
Airbnb has revamped its review system to promote more and more honest feedback.
Given that the accommodation service is completely built on trust, this feature is arguably the most important to ensuring its continued use: both hosts and guests can make informed decisions before and during the stay.
The first change is that reviews will now be revealed to hosts and guests simultaneously: they will only be shown after both participants have completed their assessment of the experience. This is in response to both hosts and guests worrying that if they leave an honest review, they might receive an unfairly critical review in response.
Next, the review period is being shortened from 30 days to 14 days. Airbnb says 90 per cent of hosts and guests who leave a review, do so within two weeks.
The change is thus being made so that the feedback people provide is based on a more recent impression. If after the 14-day review period only the host or the guest has left a review from a completed trip, Airbnb will make that review public to both the recipient and the community.
In addition, Airbnb will launch a brand redesign this week. Airbnb last week quietly announced a live-streamed event, which is Wednesday [23 July], to “show you where we’re heading next.” At least a portion of the announcement is for Airbnb’s new identity, which the company describes as being a “multi-state moving identity,” a “3D modular symbol” and “adaptive to environments.”
