Is the HomeAway / VRBO Service Fee Charged for MyVR Integrated Properties?
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Because we are members of the MyVR community, when a potential guests finds our listing on HomeAway/VRBO, AirBnB, etc. The Guests sees the fee that the listing company want to collect (in my case on HomeAway/VRBO = 5 1/2%) but if the Guest wants to book and we receive notice of “Reservation Request” and we accept that request, HomeAway/VRBO, AirBnb, etc does not get that “Service Fee”???
Is this correct, or am I missing something here? Recently I have had several Guests push through VRBO (in my circumstance) listing site portal. I am send a request for “Booking” that date and I am given the option to “Accept” or “Decline” that request.
If I accept the request and push through my merchant portal, there is NO line item for for listing sites fee for the booking. Does this mean that sites like HomeAway/VRBO, etc do not collect their “Service fee”???
Confused,
John Hughes
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@John-Hughes - unfortunately the guests are not so lucky.
VRBO/HomeAway collected the credit card info and they use it to charge the service fee to the guest before the reservation is sent to us. If we decline, then it’s refunded. But to the guest, it appears as a separate line item on their credit card.
This can create confusion for the guest, as you can imagine. I had to add documentation to all of my emails explaining that my charges were separate from VRBO and still I get phone calls.
I’ve always explained to them that if they add MY charges with the VRBO service fee, they will get the same total that they agreed to online. I haven’t had a dispute with that explanation yet, but I have had folks unhappy to learn later that they could have booked directly. I try to just explain that it’s the cost of finding me for the first time…but they won’t have to pay it going to forward if they return to me.
Hope that helps clarify.
- Jenny
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This is a great question and an even better answer! I’ve changed the title of this post to make it easier for others to find in the future.
