How to delete/disable an API-connected property

Undercard_Wonder
Feb 5, 2024 6:02 PM
Joined Nov, 2023 67 posts

Very long backstory made very short -- in order to take advantage of Vrbo's new listing boost, both Vrbo and OwnerRez reps agree that I need to delete/archive an existing API-connected listing, and then regenerate the property as a new listing.

OK. It's easy on Vrbo to hide, then archive a property. 

On the OwnerRez side, however, I cannot find how to disable/delete a property from the API connection.  I can see how to disable the entire channel, but not a single property.

Any ideas?  Thank you in advance.

 

Ken T
Feb 6, 2024 3:53 PM
OR Team Member Joined Aug, 2019 1705 posts

The short answer is - you really can't.  It is not possible to disconnect a property from the Vrbo API and then reconnect it as a new property, from the OwnerRez side.  It is theoretically possible to be done from the Vrbo end, with the assistance of their IPM tech support team, but I don't recall ever seeing them do it because normally it is considered a violation of their TOS.  I have seen them swap properties around when they got mixed up in the first place during the initial API setup process, but not otherwise.

Undercard_Wonder
Feb 6, 2024 4:31 PM
Joined Nov, 2023 67 posts

It is the Vrbo IPM group that suggested it.

I don't need to reconnect it.  I just need to delete it from the Vrbo API.  Then I would generate a *new listing* on Vrbo. That may be different than a reconnecting.

You get a considerable algorithm boost on Vrbo if you have a new property. Vrbo recognizes the property as "new" on their side, even though I created a "dummy" listing on their site back in August, which was never public and never received any bookings.  But for some reason (says Vrbo), there is a flag or an indication somewhere from OwnerRez that marks the property as not being eligible for the new property boost.

I took this to support, and your colleague Adria told me that trying to reset this flag within the two systems would be *way* more trouble than it's worth.  She suggested that I delete the listing and reconnect.  I then called Vbro and they told me that sure, this was fine with them.  Now I seem to be hearing that this cannot be done.

How can I accomplish this then? I really would like to because otherwise I have start at an algorithmic disadvantage, and this has a direct economic consequence.

Thanks!

PS I have no current bookings from Vrbo for the property.

Ken T
Feb 6, 2024 4:47 PM
OR Team Member Joined Aug, 2019 1705 posts

Hmm, I see your ticket - we can explore this issue more that way.

Undercard_Wonder
Feb 6, 2024 5:21 PM
Joined Nov, 2023 67 posts

Triffic!  I look forward to hearing from you.

Brendan C
2 days ago
Joined Nov, 2019 24 posts

Any new information on this? I had a VRBO software rep reach out to me because I hadn't received a VRBO booking for quite a while. Over a year to be exact. I told her of the countless times I have reached out to VRBO to see what was wrong and what I can do to get more bookings. She mentioned disconnecting the API and reconnecting it. She said sometimes the information doesn't transfer to VRBO correctly and it affects how the listing get viewed and the algorithm. Is there a way to disconnect the API though VRBO and reconnect it?