The Conversation: Alexander Davidson on disparities in Airbnb earnings between men, women
Alexander Davidson, assistant professor of marketing at Wayne State University, wrote an article for The Conversation about disparities in Airbnb earnings between male and female hosts. He highlights recent research that found female Airbnb hosts in the United States earn on average about 25% less per year than their male counterparts for their rentals, and that, in general, women offer lower rental prices than men on the site. “It’s not yet clear whether or why male and female hosts take different approaches to setting Airbnb rates – although other research suggests some clues,” he writes. “A 2007 study found that compared to women, men negotiate for higher payments in bargaining situations. And a 2009 study of gender differences in setting professional fees found that women typically charge less than men for the same services because they tend to be more relationship-oriented toward their clients, which can lead them to charge lower prices.”