IS AIRBNB BECOMING JUST A 'RENTAL TRIP ADVISOR'?

Since I don't list on those other vacation rental sites, I am not able to compare like you are. It does sound like the other companies could have a competetive advantage if they don't require the entire payment up front. I would expect that in the future we will see greater competition still.

I also think there are too many hosts in most places, and this is a problem for all hosts. Airbnb talks about how in the future there will be an AIrbnb on every block in every city. THere already is, and it's a problem. Guests have many choices about where to stay -- hosts are seeing their business dwindling as one neighbor after another sets up another Airbnb listing. People are becoming Airbnb hosts who don't have the skills to do so -- I have heard cases of hosts who are incompetent,and/or whose communication skills are exceptionally poor, and who start off with bad reviews. Some then have their listing temporarily deactivated by Airbnb. IT doesn't make Airbnb look good when people start out being hosts who have no skills to do so.