There seems to be a disconnect here between what different pockets of society can afford and are willing to pay. Additionally, lots of people who host dont want to pay for the privilege of hosting, so now youre asking users to pay when a lot of the superhosts (who are the most pivotal part of the community) will be unavailable as well. They even created spirit to travel to specific city just because of the vibe of those groups and locals. Perhaps a free trial period for new users? Without considering it, the opinion of the people, to make a change. This can make it difficult to meet people and as a result Ive come to rely heavily on couchsurfing, the events and particularly the apps hangout feature. I am still hoping you come up with some way that people can make other contributions than those required. Already, the number of people who use CS like a hostel is soo huge. Learn more here. If the email address that you used to create your Couchsurfing profile has been hacked, you should also change the email that is associated with your account. If youre hosting or surfing with a family, remember a few things: Please note, only adults can use your Couchsurfing account. Couchsurfing is and has been a company. But the CS team refused to investigate these blocks and just suspended my account with no details. What if a little site you love doesnt have a business model? Multiple versions of these were tested with minimal success. What made Couchsurfing the best project ever wich was destroyed after 2011: 1. Negative experiences are rare, but theyre upsetting and stressful. Longtime member here (10 years). See what you learn. The team was (and still is) working long days and through weekends just to get done what we can. email address to contact couchsurfing? : r/couchsurfing - Reddit Exactly! We make eduacted guesses on the direct pages on their website to visit to get help with issues/problems like using their site/app, billings, pricing, usage, integrations and other issues. One can show anger and frustration on the people whom you really care about. Especially as you are charging a really reasonable amount. We all pay basic membership but if you host someone you will not pay for verification for 3 months every time you host. Cant we build an alternative for $25k? We will not tell a member that you reported them, but if we need to take action based on your report, the member may make the logical assumption that you have been in contact with us. It is a double-edged sword in that as we gain the amazing people that make up our community, it costs more to keep the systems in place to facilitate the connections that make Couchsurfing a place where we can easily share our lives and make a world enriched by travel. In our current world, corporations are the non-governmental organizations that can have the largest impact. If we start receiving contributions that are above our cost base we will start prioritizing new product development that will make Couchsurfing an even more meaningful and engaging community. Download Couchsurfing for Android or iPhone, Couchsurfing has a dedicated Trust and Safety team. For example, breastfeeding is treated differently from country to country and that may affect your experience. To address the situation, we recommend these steps: I heard of someone charging for their couch. So in summary, heres what you could do to actually show the users that you care about the community as well: Allow hosts to receive and respond to couch requests, even if theyre not paying. Since then most of the business logic that was implemented was based on atomizing members and scaling down group dynamics. I totally agree, except the part saying the explanations are helping theyre not; they actually made it worse. On top on the damaged trust and lack of transparency, we are being asked to fund a company with expensive operating costs for a service that is, at the moment and for the next year or so, antithetical to public health. I also understand that CS is not a typical silicon valley startup and that it will never be a billion-dollar company. No worry about the Then there is a risk Members how were not active for while, will delete their profiles. I dont even use the app, I just had to write something for a friend. Travelers benefit from experiencing rural areas and new ways of life that are often overlooked. If your free website takes off, you lose resources. Then maybe that is also an opportunity that people who are not here for the right reason can simply redirect, find something that feels better. After having spent years from my life to do all I can to improve Couchsurfing, it was a big shame when I did find out that I can send 10 messages for free in a period when our place was under a construction and hosting was not possible. Most major cities have recurring events, which usually take place in a bar or cafe. Your real card info stays hidden. I would absolutely hate for the events or hangouts features to go, for couchsurfing to go for that matter. 100% Contact Match Developer: CouchSurfing Inc. E-Mail: suppo Click to view Website: Visit Couchsurfing Travel App Website Reported Issues: 5 Comments 4.6 out of 5 By Tobias Brennvik 7 months ago which countries are considered free countries??? When checking your account from public computers, be sure to sign out before closing the page. Due to our small engineering team, it consumed 99% of their time. I think youve misunderstood something. I solo travel, I like my own space, I rarely stay at hostels and never request to be hosted. The beautiful (and expensive) Couchsurfing office which you can see pictures and videos of online was shuttered at the end of 2018 (it took us over 4 years to get out of the lease). Everyone provides the community value, everyone receives value from the community. In my opinion, there's no better way to get closer to a new culture than to share the life of its habitants, you get to see what it feels like to live in the place, not what is shown in the media, but the true colors of the place! Use this comments board to leave complaints and reviews about Couchsurfing International. I had no issue paying, but Im so happy there was an outrage and which this triggered an explanation. Get started today. Ive been hosting and surfing a lot. This looks like a hasty decision someone financially in charge pushed through and the rest of the crew probably was not happy with it, so they just let this trainwreck happen. To use the site, there was no required exchange of funds. Also, please leave a reference for the other member so that the community is immediately aware of what occurred. Everyone whether you are hosting, surfing, organizing an event, or attending a hangout receives value and needs to contribute to the Couchsurfing community. If something comes up last minute or your hosts plans change, be ready to find a hostel. Could you simply deactivate tools like requesting and hosting, but leave access to the community? So stop getting caught off guard when your favorite project sells out! Bring groceries or enough cash to eat out. If there are some things that cant be offered unless the Couchsurfers agree to share the cost, this should be discussed between the host and surfer (and should never be a requirement for hosting). Account "temporarily suspended" - no reason given : r/couchsurfing - Reddit Also in lockdown times, when does activity in CS start again? I never authorized this transaction, and emailed support asking for a refund and to remove me from any kind of automatic payment system I may unknowingly be on. Honestly, I understand why you need to be charging a small amount. Like maybe your request wouldnt go into the public forum until you had written a certain number of requests to individuals. More about Safety. Its common for people to abuse the block function. In some ways I like the idea of a paid model to get rid of those that freeload people making new accounts just to find a place to sleep and add nothing to the community. Does your host need to do any childproofing? To be a good guest, treat your host and their home with kindness and respect. I wont be paying a fee to have people staying with me for free. Good decision, I support it. Have fun by making a binder with old city maps, transportation cards, or a lost and found of items previous Couchsurfers left behind. 15) Will you be publishing a list of these countries? We will not discuss your specific issue with anyone outside of the Trust and Safety Team unless we need to work with law enforcement or obtain legal advice. C/S has changed my life for the better and Im willing to pay the cost of a meal for a year in order to continue benefiting from this platform. We are humbled by the outpouring of voices. When you make a contribution to Couchsurfing, you are helping to create a space where you and others may safely experience the joy of travel and Couchsurfing's unique, global . In light of this pandemic this is one membership I truly feel is a genuine platform that is for us and about us. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window). Rather spend any resources you have in making the garden more beautiful than chasing the community growth. If you are serious about keeping the company focused on the community, then why not offer the CS community the option to buy shares in the company, not with the intent to make money but protect the well being of the CS community as a whole? This is a revenue option on another sharing platform I am a member of. We are asking for contributions from all members. They are never heard from again. Many people did contribute to CS developing website. Keep in mind they have no obligation to give it to you in an orderly format. What are references? I still hope that there will be a way back to similarly cost-free structure in the future, but if that is not an option then I will still stand behind Couchsurfing. But honestly, I think you raise a lot of valid points there. In order to provide much of the Couchsurfing functionality, some of which you see but most of which is behind the scenes, we have to integrate with and pay for third party technology. They ambiguously worded the entire donation protocol and never explicitly state that the donation will be a recurring fee. If youre not traveling or dont have the space to host, that doesnt mean you cant be involved in the Couchsurfing community! These people started to join the CS-events all over the world, ruining the CS-spirit with questions like: Are you crazy to get at home a stranger? and Do you really stay with someone you dont know, this is so crazy and dangerous?. That could help make up for the countries without a fee. These things need funds to run. Exactly.. Taking responsibility for your personal safety when traveling is important. You mentioned this as a huge expense. Count me in to help anyway I can. Happy to pay a norminal cost like this if I do travel she writes. I genuinely like this platform and all the opportunities to meet people. Frequently Asked Questions | Couchsurfing Im very glad about this choice. Couchsurfing Travel App on the App Store im not saying i ever asked for money instead but to keep you going and make members contribute you can let host charge guests for a amount (only once or per night depends on your decision but a small amount like 5 or 10$ and you get 20% of it or any other percent) this encourage hosts to be active more and you can give host the option to weather do hosting this way or not but if not the guest must pay). Never have I felt like the service was imposing on my privacy, bombarding me with directive ads and/or exploiting my keystrokes to determine whats on my mind. theinfamousj 4 yr. ago Did you Please contact [email address] for assistance" ? Arm, Ive been a member since 2006 and I agree completely. If youre the only person in your town with a few words of Mandarin, you could be a great resource and the perfect choice for a Mandarin-speaking Couchsurfer traveling through your area. If CS would have communicated the financial trouble they are facing in advance and asked for voluntary donations, that could have saved the day. Empty profiles, a lack of photos and references usually implies a lack of interest in the community. Contact us with a link to their profile. Because they obviously don't use 3-D secure payment system in order to make their scam legal which of course is not stated anywhere on the site. There are many members who only host and almost never surf. 5) What will you do with the profits you make from the new member contribution? On very rare occasions we may check messages upon request, if we believe that doing so can prevent a crime or otherwise protect the safety of the community. You have friends around the world, you just havent met them yet. Will you remove the profile? Paying for it will significate that the service will continue, will be better and better, but the most beautiful people will leave. I think 50-100 is more accurate. Leave your guest a reference and describe your experience with them truthfully! 1) Choose a better cloud service provider who can host our servers at cheaper rates or select the best possible combinations to effectively handle peak-time traffic. Some families may prefer not to receive gifts and others might disagree with certain types of toys or candy. Those funds were used to improve, scrap, and replace technology that was outdated and expensive to maintain. Keep your things in order and always clean up after yourself. References help other members make informed decisions. If more than one host accepts, send notes to the others to let them know so they dont end up waiting. (This lump sum would help alleviate your immediate financial issues, and give people with more disposable income to pay for a site they love ) How can I de block him ? CS encourages them by saying their Profile is 85% complete with almost nothing in it. Why can someone leave me a reference without having met me? I dont mind participating as a verified member, and I would be happy to donate more than thatbut theres no option for me. Having said that, I think its good that they communicate SOMETHING to the community How can I update my email address and email settings? - Couchsurfing FAQs We will never do this. We now know our community is engaged and passionate, and that the CS team cares about what the community thinks. Thank you for this explanation, and hopefully there will be more to follow. Like many other long-time CS Community Members I was shocked to receive a notification indicating without warning or the CS Communitys consultation/input that CS HQ had unilaterally (in contradiction to previous commitments made to the CS Community) decided the CS website/app would become a payment subscription service and, furthermore, they had already locked all non-verified CS users accounts behind a paywall without prior discussion, notice, or the CS Communitys input and consent. 22) CAN I SEE YEARLY FINANCIAL REPORTS BEFORE I CONTRIBUTE? This does not pay the rent dude. If you purchased Verification we are not asking you to contribute for one full year from now. The map-search was removed too and this was very useful for planning trips based on CS. During your first experience Couchsurfing, youll discover an entirely new way of engaging with the world. Send thoughtful, personalized messages that use your potential hosts name and make it clear youve read their profile. And even if you had a good reason as to why this had to happen so suddenly, was it really necessary to lock everyone out of their accounts? No trolls, bullying etc. These included asking for donations, permitting members to charge for hosting, asking surfers to pay a nominal fee when confirming a stay, negotiated advertising and sponsorships, affiliate partnerships (Couchsurfing getting paid when members purchased something we promoted), selling merchandise, a Couchsurfing cryptocurrency/blockchain, and more. I am on CS since 2006. Finding a place to stay is just part of the Couchsurfing experience. Couchsurfing Review Couchsurfing is a great app for those looking to travel and save money on accommodation. We need full transparency. 05/11/2023 Complaint Type: Problems with Product/Service Status: Answered on 11th April 2023 , I did a verification on couchsurfing , but there was no mentioned of money anywhere . I can see what this worldwide COVID-19 mess is doing to people and companies. Happy to support Couchsurfing if you work on these features. I mean one can understand being linked with Facebook and other social media platforms might aid with supporting the corporations financial support but not without diminishing its authenticity and creating an opening for users with shady motives other than what CS was initially founded upon. This is a win for members that choose to contribute. Thats insane. declared over? They put up a half-assed Profile, missing lots of information. Did you like Dodgeball? 3. I have the opportunity to travel but if I choose not to, I am still a Couchsurfer and within the Community. With a fee-based system, can this come back? Kick in 100, 200 for a co-op share? 2. In your reference for that person, clearly and calmly explain your side of the story. *UPDATE* - stop responding to reviews advising them to contact customer service when you know very well your customer service agents will refuse to help out especially regarding any sort of refund. At last, i am verified user, how can i contribute ( creditcard, paypall ). Messages Do I need to reply to every message? These are my immediate thoughts. Count on le to pay again! So, again, why did you choose to do it this way? First of all, it is necessary to recognize that the people I met and the experiences that I was able to live thanks to this platform changed my life. About | Couchsurfing competition taking advantage of CS hibernation: nobody would be I think with this pay structure you will more than cover for the financial situation. A of US Mar 22, 2022 11:00 pm EDT Couchsurfing scammed me Couchsurfing scammed me through verification. Its integrity to not share data is no small task as it really limits their profitability from investors as well as advertisers. Resource Center | Couchsurfing As with any change, some people will have an emotional reaction to implementing contributions. To be a great guest, read these tips. The key to our community is trust and transparency. yeh.. cant believe from one day to another i just couldnt log in anymore. Can you remove a reference from my profile? Considering what you say / will do is not aligned to community values, in certain ways. Those explanations are helping a bit but I am still lacking a lot of solid numbers and financial reports. People living hundreds of kilometers appear in a place search. From Thai Food Thursdays to Monthly Salsa Dancing, events can be whatever you want them to be. it will reduce the amount of people who will use this platform, so the couchsurfing world will become smaller Report Abuse should only be used to report abuse of the website or content-related abuse issues (such as profiles you believe to be fake, profiles sending dating spam, etc.). In a scenario where Couchsurfing was a non-profit and had achieved the same level of success, we would be in the same situation. If I write to Couchsurfing about a problem with another member, will my report be confidential? And never come back. I was forced to pay $3 every month to be able to use the application but thats not the main problem. If your host lends you something, treat it well. 9) Wait. I am hosting and almost never surfing, why should I pay? CouchSurfing saved! I have invested in my account and built up over the years, and its sad to see how one can get victimized like that. The genuine hosts such as myself never get any decent requests as a result. The parent company of Couchsurfing International is Couchsurfing International, Inc.. Couchsurfing International is related to the, Alternatives to Couchsurfing International. If the map feature was so expensive before, it could have been cut out altogether. In short, we had no other option than to turn to you, the community, for your support. We did not sell your data. People are just used to the free stuff and yet whine they do not get the best service. We may choose to share anonymous information from a member report if it can help a group of members protect themselves from a specific risk. A flagged reference is hidden from view and will not be visible again until the member who left it has edited it to meet the guidelines. Its up to you! Couchsurfing isnt just for hosts in Paris or Tokyo. For that, we apologize. Confirm meeting details the previous day. I am not interested in hosting anyone who cannot afford to let go of a small amount to use a platform that offers several benefits. Give them something specific to do on arrival like presenting your host with a drawing, gift, or introducing themselves in the hosts native language. Another way would have been to set up a patreon model and sponsorhip model plus advertising for relevant services couchsurfers use, like travel, social activities, travel insurance, etc. by imposing a fee there is a very real chance that this will change the nature of the community in unexpected and negative ways what are the processes for monitoring this, receiving feedback and altering course? Because you share your life with other humans completely freely. It would also give those who chose to leave the chance to exit gracefully, organize their relationships on the platform, inform their friends and old hosts and guests of the situation and leave forwarding information. Upon visiting the website I was asked to donate a certain amount of money to even be able to access the site. Sincerly Someone builds a cool, free product, it gets popular, and that popularity attracts a buyer. Terrible customer service! Will you delete someone when they receive a negative reference? But they get busy at school and forget it. Btw, point 12: But he is still hosting, organising events etc He also can not send more than 10 messages if not hosting for a while and having in mind his age, he definitely does not feel OK for hosting all the time as it was 5 years ago, when he was 77. Prioritizing the Couchsurfing community was the right thing to do for the community, but not the right thing to do for the business. How much does Couchsurfing cost? Actually, as I know thant you have to finance your work somehow, I am so much more comfortable paying a certain amount of money than paying you with something I have no control over or knowledge about (data, advertising,). In my opinion the most important points. The application allows anyone to block you for any reason and with no follow-up. There is a bunch of better ways to monetize the website without turning sporadic users off. Couchsurfers may use the website to look for roommates (what better way to find someone who wont mind that you host? 1999 - 2022 Couchsurfing International, Inc. Powered by Zendesk they deducted. Somehow thousands of dead profiles appeared in 2016. and today its 2$, next year it might be 10, who knows? We understand some of you feel we are keeping your profiles hostage or require that you pay a ransom, and apologize for this. Like!! Couchsurfiing previously used Google Maps to provide all location information. Scaling these applications to millions of members via web, mobile web, and iOS/Android mobile applications is expensive. There are mentions on various social media channels of Couchsurfing selling member data. PS: If possible remove the other social networking links like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter. Couchsurfing is dying, and sure others good things are dying. Youre disappointed that we did not communicate more about the financial state of the organization as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic earlier. It is important that everyone participates. Ive hosted so many people, from 1 day to 2 months! 4) Let us think about minimalistic living the way we budget our travels. Same I logged on to pay the fee, but because I purchased lifetime verification I dont seem to have the option. Even if youre busy, sending a quick message in response is a nice gesture. I entered my cc details thinking that it was just to verify that I am who I say I am regarding my name etc. Now that none of these approaches worked out in building a profitable busines, you come back and claim to listen, but you continue to blame others: the freeriders in the community for not making money. All paying people see a lot of active couchsurfer, until they find out they are all ghosts. Maybe members could sponsor another member? They are never going to host Spend time with your host or surfer. Lots of young people come here, learn about CS and sign up. Obligation to complete the profile before being able to do anything like send messages, requests, etc., and includes appearing in the search engine. Unfortunately I blocked one couchsurfing member by mistake. Emails found on 3rd party websites android@couchsurfing.com 98% social@couchsurfing.com 49% communication support@couchsurfing.com 97% support View more What are the social media accounts of Couchsurfing International? What then? Download Couchsurfing for Android or iPhone, Couchsurfing has a dedicated Trust and Safety team. To find an event near you, go to https://www.couchsurfing.com/events. 57 Basically, be a respectful guest. Couchsurfing International Phone, Email, Address, Customer Service And then that becomes the policy going forward. Isnt it worth one billion U.S. dollars? This is probably the single most hurtful aspect of this new move, and has caused anger among many who otherwise would have been willing to pay. Lets be yourself a Human. Some tip: I think you can save some money if you limit the number and size of photos members upload. 5) HTML! Upload photos that show off your hobbies or favorite memories and do try to choose wisely. Others get to know their host first, then pick something up they feel would suit them. Honestly, if you addressed the above concerns, I believe more people would be willing to pay to continue using couchsurfing, and it would be better for your survival in the long run as well. Thats the missing piece here, and has been for a very long time. If you want to make this change then get rid of the people that havent even logged into the website in years as well as those that havent completed their profiles. Just because we are a corporation does not mean we are focused on money, profits, or expensive compensation packages. I would be happy to donate more than thatbut theres no option for me.. Sincerely. It just requires a number greater than zero. This is a great way to meet locals in your area or connect with travelers passing through. . We stand by this decision. I think its quite scandalous that I should now on top of that be paying a fee to have people staying with me for free. They are traveling using Couchsurfing. Hard to know what information is reliable, because independent internal sources describe this as a cash grab designed by CS leadership that takes advantage of a pandemic, but either way, suddenly imposing a paywall on users with no prior communication about it was their strategy. This would be a true community that could be financially feasible through member fees. As well as alerting us to this particular message, using this system helps us investigate whether this member has a tendency towards offensive messages so that we can take appropriate action. Although we discourage people from leaving references in this case, we do allow it. Even if you dont have time to show your Couchsurfers around, you can still provide a local perspective! Be safe from hackers and unwanted bills. I first heard about CS in 2005 and became a part of it by way of my friend. Just thinking about it isolated like that makes me cringe a bit. The number of Couchsurfing members engaging with the website and mobile applications on a monthly basis has grown almost 5x. Dont be afraid of planning something last-minute! Teach your kids about your Couchsurfers home country: show them where it is on a map and teach them a word or two in a new language. I dont think everything is mainly black or white. But now theres a different category: Contributions. Even before that in some regions I already found many many ghost profiles, mostly they were easily recognizable. If you need inspiration, browse experienced members profiles. Why people is not counscious about living for free Nobody lives for free, neither a website! Many members only occasionally use CouchSurfing, more like I havent looked into CS for some time. If you are unable to update your email address in your account settings using your Couchsurfing password, we can help you update your email address for you. All these accounts need to *not* be on the site. Instead of that, you can introduce a small fee when travelers are surfing someones couch. I made sure to complain to the CS team about this, and provided videos.
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