Why is it required to select dates when contacting a host?

[Kelsey94]

This is very frustrating and non-sensical for people who want to ask general questions. 

I have a guest who asked a question about making an exception for pets, my answer is no. But do I decline her request (and possibly hurt my ratio?) or approve while telling her "no pets"?

Two support agents incorrectly told me a message could be sent without dates selected, which I quickly proved wrong. 

This feature makes absolutely no sense. Airbnb needs some SERIOUS consultation on website efficacy. 

[Kelsey94]

That is why it says "pre-approve". 

[Kelsey94]

It is impossible to create an inquiry without creating a "trip request".  Hence the having to select dates. 

[Emilia42]

I can confirm that I have never pre-approved or decline an inquiry since I have been hosting on Airbnb. I am following the information given in the two links I posted above.

[Mark116]

@Emilia42  Yes, me too.  Once in a while I send a pre approval if I have a really good sense they will want to book, but 90% of the time I answer the question and then they either disappear or send a request to book.

[Ange2]

@Emilia42    A "trip request" is an inquiry (hence you have the option to pre-approve it),  it is not a reservation request which only has two options: accept/decline.

Airbnb makes it extremely confusing by using the word request in relation to inquiries (trips, questions) and reservations (bookings) .

[Kelsey94]

As you said, it is extremely confusing to both parties and needlessly difficult.

I hope they realize this and remedy soon. 

[Emilia42]

@Ange2 , I see that now. I assume Airbnb wants hosts to pre-approve or decline because it makes it more clear for guests on the other end. But it in no way affects your response rate.

[Ange2]

@Emilia42    In my experience it has affected my "acceptance rate", a rating they use for superhost, and allegedly (from posts on here) to oust people from the platform who decline too many guests.

I might not want to pre-approve because they have no verifications, not even an email to their profile.  And I might not want to decline because they may be new and not aware of the verifications needed. So I send a message instead (which is fine because the clock stops ticking IF it is an inquiry aka a trip request aka a question alone).

p.s. EDIT:  to clarify   "it has affected my "acceptance rate"" meaning hitting 'decline' affected my acceptance rate.

[Sarah977]

@Ange2  I have often just answered Inquiries without pre-approving or declining and it has never affected my acceptance rate, which has always sat at 100%.

[Ange2]

@Sarah977    I am talking about clicking "decline" for inquiries, which I never do now, I always send messages alone, because when I did hit decline  it did affect my acceptance rate.  I clarified it with an EDIT  in my post just now.

[Sarah977]

@Ange2  Thanks for the clarification. I've never clicked on decline, just messaged back if it's an inappropriate or "not a good fit" inquiry or pre-approved if the guest sounds fine from their introductory message.

[Sarah977]

@Kelsey94    As others have said, you just need to answer an Inquiry within 24 hours, you don't need to pre-approve or decline. Ignore the messages to do so if you have answered the message. And as you've been advised, those proddings to pre-approve or decline will disappear if you clear your cache.

It doesn't matter at all that guests have to enter dates to make an Inquiry. I'm not sure why you're so fussed about this. Those dates will not be blocked on your calendar for an Inquiry. If you get a Booking Request in the meantime for those dates, and approve it, that takes precedence over an Inquiry.

A Booking Request does block the calendar for the dates chosen and you do have to approve or decline within 24 hours. But as long as that 24 hour mark hasn't been reached, you are still free to message with a guest to ascertain if they'll be a good fit before approving or declining.

[Kelsey94]

I'm "fussed" about it for reasons that have already been explained.

Airbnb says in their terms (that i previously posted images of)  3 things need to happen within 24 hrs, one of those is PRE-APPROVE OR DECLINE an inquiry/"trip request".

Obviously this information is incorrect/misleading and needs to be changed. It is confusing for all involved. 

If no dates were selected, it wouldn't be an issue! 

[Ange2]

@Kelsey94 

Three things do not have to happen, the instructions are misleading. Only one has to happen.

Airbnb are masters of the nebulous and confusing. I suggested it bring out its own dictionary "Airbnb-Speak" the better to help people navigate and understand its usage and abusage of language!

[Sarah977]

@Kelsey94  Yes, I agree it's needlessly confusing. And guests shouldn't be prompted to enter dates if all they're doing is asking aquestion, only if thiose are the dates they actually want.

I meant fussed about them entering dates, not fussed about being prodded to pre-approve or decline.

And it's unlikely that Airbnb will change that- they are prodding you to pre-approve or decline because they want bookings to roll in as fast and furiously as possible. That it's confusing and an annoyance to hosts is something they couldn't care less about.