Airbnb’s platform is a complicated set of systems, each one responsible for a different part of the processes. They communicate but are essentially independent, so that when one of the components goes down, the rest of the system can function with no problems. This is a blessing and a curse.
For example, there is one bug that has caused many headaches and loss of profit for hosts: you go to update the price of your listing, but it doesn’t reflect. This can be either in your calendar or in the listing itself. It seems that, inexplicably, Airbnb cannot change the price of the listing.
So, you go to change the price on the listing again, and check everywhere. Still no changes. It seems like it’s magically locked and you cannot change the price on the Airbnb listing!
Then you try it again and again and again. You log out, clear your browser cache, restart you computer, pinch yourself and try it all over again. Nope! (Here you may already be contacting Airbnb support: “How come I cannot change the price of my Airbnb listing?”)
What’s up with that? Why doesn’t the listing price update?
Very simple: the platform component that updates the price is broken. It’s not your fault, and you cannot fix it.
However! When everything starts working properly again, all of the price changes that you had put in will go through the system almost instantaneously! This is where it can all go terribly wrong. The last price that you had submitted in all of your attempts will be the price set for the listing. If you had put in some number just to see it update (like $5), then given up and gone to take a nap to soothe your nerves, then you will have to deal with everything that entails with having a mispriced listing. This can be an issue if you had enabled instant booking and someone booked your $300/night pad for $20. (Remember? Cancellations are a big no-no)
So. The next time you cannot change the price of your Airbnb listing, just relax, put in the price that you want, and come back in an hour or so if you want to see it updated. You can also disable Insant Booking to completely avoid any problems.