Special offer option

[Barbie0]

There was no "send special offer" option on a requested reservation. I could only accept or decline so I accepted thinking it would come up later. How do I change the price now?

[Anna26]

I have the same issue, I dont see Send special offer option anymore. Something changed in the interface, help description still points that there should be a button but I don't see it anywhere on the reservation request.

[Momi0]

Hey @Barbie and @Anna

I recently went though this myself, so I can now offer up the advice that I received from the staff at Airbnb.

It seems that the platform has changed if a guests SENDS A BOOKING REQUEST.......the only thing we can do is hit decline, then choose the SPECIAL OFFER option from the message board section, but keep in mind, that you can't do this unless you are using the browser website. This will not work on the mobile app (iphone or Ipad), but you can use those mobile devices to log into the website by choosing the internet broswer. It works even faster if you have downloaded Google Chrome too. That was truly a great suggestion that Airbnb gave me if I was going to use my Iphone to handle my airbnb listings.  It does work. I now log into Airbnb website on my iphone via Google Chrome.

My suggestion for all of you is to FIRST contact the guest via the message board letting them know that you are going to choose decline but only so you can send a SPECIAL OFFER within a minute too.  I have explained to my guests that their booking request was appreciated but I needed to send a Special Offer due to summer increase of cost which they had no problem with.  I then sent them a Special Offer using a different rate so they could book our B & B.

I recently completed an Airbnb Survery and my detailed feedback to them was to please bring back the Special offer option on the first page with the Approve & Decline. I heard they are working on it. 

Hope this helps......and Happy Hosting.

[Anna26]

I just had a phone call with them and they gave me another workaround - to Accept the offer and then adjust it but it does not seem appropriate in my case. They had no idea about the issue (that was local Australian helpline), by the way, how do you contact IT support to report bugs in a system or in a iPhone app. I can not find any contact form or email address???

[Anna26]

They called me back and explained that:

-the guest clicked "Request to book" so there will be no send a special offer option

-the guest should have clicked "Contact host" instead. This way host will see "Send a special offer" option.

I hope this will help someone. 

Cheers

Anna

[Momi0]

@Anna

Did you see my reply I sent to you over an hour ago?  That's what I wrote to you.  There will NOT be a Special offer option if the guests clicks on REQUEST TO BOOK, versus an INQUIRY. So I wrote you the exact answer on what you can do to get a Special Offer sent out by first declining the booking but first sending a message to the guests letting them know that you will do that and then after you DECLINE, the Special Offer button will be available. (Dont' forget to use the browser option to open the website  to log in and not the app)

I was very happy to help, hope you appreciate that. 

[Anna26]

Momi, thanks for your post. 

One note, don't do DECLINE yourself as this will decrease your rating. Maybe ask guest to Cancel the request and ask them to contact you instead of "Send a booking request"

It seems very convoluted to me, they should allow special offer in any case.

[Momi0]

@Anna

Yes you are right, I forgot to tell you that an Airbnb Manager told me that declining a few people a month isn't a big deal and won't affect your ratings or your search history.  So, the last few times, I needed to send a Special offer, I asked the guest to withdrawn their booking request and give me a chance to send them a SO.  Its worked every time.  People are so happy to get a reply from me within 5-10 mins that they are willig to do anything to get the booked confirmed.  🙂

He told me the reason it wasn't a big deal for the simple fact that I have accepted over 50 requests, so my ratio to Accept and Decline was NOT even close.  Its the hosts who decline one, then accept another, then decline again, then accept another.  The 50/50 ration is what kills host listings search.

Im still learning each day as a NEW host of only 7 months, but its been a fun journey none the less.  Im just glad I can help others now that I have been through so many things to kinda  "know" what to do...hahahaha

[Anna26]

Thanks again Momi,

I am very flustrated today, now I have a Send a special offer option but when I try, I get a message that "You have already marked some of the dates in this date range as unavailable. To include the dates in your Special Offer, first make them available." But my September is still empty - no bookings, all available. Sure must be some glitch, did you run into it?

[Momi0]

Hey @Anna

Actually I haven't but I can tell you that other times I have run into an ERROR message, it helped me to close out the Airbnb login account, and close the browser, and basically start all over.  Make sure you close everything. Are you using the website as I mentioned several times to you,  all of my frustrations went away when I stopped using the mobile app.  I now only use the Google Chrome brower to log into the website to access everything about my listing. Its great!!!  So happy Airbnb told me to do this.

Try clearing out your cache too....do you know what that means?  They have great articles on the HELP section of the Airbnb website that have given me great instructions on what to do when I am stuck.  Just type it into the search bar what you need.  But clearing out your cache and cookies will help too. And  no I am not talking about the chocolate chips type...but I still laugh everytime I think about that word.

If all else fails, call Airbnb.  They are truly the most amazing group of people that I have gotten the most invaluable help from on so many issues I was having at the beginning.  Now I just call to tell them I miss them all.. (hope this makes you smile).  I am so happy to find out that one of those wonderful people are now seriously looking to book my home this summer..I can't wait to host an Airbnb employee.  

Hope this helps.....but remember, download Google Chrome....its been wonderful!  (for now, log out, and log in.  and double check the dates again, because it could be something is wrong with the dates on the calendar somehow.)

[Anna26]

Yes, I am using Chrome 🙂 and I know cookies and all that stuff. It doesn't help that I have terrible internet connectivity where I am. On complex website like Airbnb, where everything is very dynamic, it sometimes just does not load all necessary data to the page.

And I know what you mean by great support. Ray has just helped me immensly, he was really friendly and patient with me 🙂

Great thanks for your effort replying to me Momi!!!

Cheers

Anna

[Momi0]

Hey @Anna

its my absolute pleasure to have helped you and with my added suggestion to call Airbnb!  I think I may have gotten Ray once too since you and I are almost on the same hour of being awake and this is the normal time I usually call Airbnb for help...lol.  I know the Ray I had was super patient and sweet.  Sounds like the same guy.  I love the staff so much that I sent some Hawaiian chocolates to them to show my appreciation.  (Specifically to one special person Taylor who has practically given me a HUG through one of those phone calls where I too was flustered.

I have best friends who live in Melbourne (Aussies) so I know exactly what day and time it is there.  haha

Sorry you don't have great internet connection but at least the phone system there isn't from the dinosaur days.....

Don't frustrate yourself in the future, just call an awesome rep like Ray and POOF its all fixed. 

But keep posting because its super nice to communicate with a host who lives in a country where the people are my favorite in this world!

BTW..you never did tell me what was wrong with your calendar?  Come on, don't leave me hanging.....hahahaha 

[Anna26]

Not entirely sure at the very end, mix of my bad connectivity and browser storing some old data + weird scenario ( cancelled request and then trying to send an offer on top of that). It worked fine on Ray's side so he was able to complete the offer for me to save some time. 

Come down to Sydney and stay in our awesome beachside apartment one day. The surf is a beauty on Dee Why beach 🙂

[Momi0]

oh @Anna26, if we werent going to Disneyland this year, I would have booked my plane tickets to Australia for all 3 of us.  Its on my husband bucket list for surfing....he's already been to 6 countries for surf and can't wait to hit those waves "down under!" Our best friends from Melbourne were just here a few months ago and have been begging us to come visit them too.  We will so have to make this happen...would love to meet you too.

Thank you for being so sweet.  Glad to know its all been taken care of.......

Im off to the airport now to pick up my 2  Airbnb guests from Sweden who have been flying for 19 hours now....I can't wait to put a lei around  each sister ....they have no clue that I made these for them....and they smell AMAZING too!  If I can get someone to take a photo, I will find a way to send it to you....haha, then you will know that I practically never sleep since their flight comes in at 10:30p.m. 🙂

[Joni2]

Hi Momi,

is there any way to offer a "special" on website for a specific set of dates where you are open and want to fill?