Feature request: Block dates pending special offer

[Lon0]

I have a feature request that seems simple to implement and would vastly improve the utility of the special offer tool.

This feature already exists for pre-approvals. When someone makes an inquiry and I pre-approve, I have the option to block the dates so no one else can book while the person decides whether to book. On the other hand, if I send a special offer to someone, I don't have that option. So, there is the risk that someone else can come in and book those days despite the fact I've made an offer to the first person. (If this happened, I would have to refuse or cancel that booking which hurts my rating, and is rude to the person who booked.) If I block the days, then the person with the special offer is not able to book. (I believe this is what is happening, right?) It would be great to have the option when sending a special offer to block the days except for the person receiving the offer. Any chance of that being added?

When I call AirBnB help they don't seem to understand the problem and just refer me to documentation on how special offers work now. Thanks. 

[Emiel1]

Hello @Lon0 ,

The advantage of the special offer tool is that you can sent a special offer to different guests,  just waiting for the first one to book. There is no need to block dates, also not when you pre-approve a guest (unless you are on "Instant Book" and want to prevent somebody else to book). So i personally don't see the "improvement" in your suggestion. But other hosts will have different opinions, so i suggest you post this item in "Host Voice" for voting: Host-voice 

Best regards,Emiel

[Lon0]

Thanks @Emiel1. Yes, I do use Instant Book. AirBnB seems to push this pretty strongly and it does seem to get more bookings. I understand that when you make several offers you want to leave the dates available. I was asking the option to be able to block these dates except for a single person to whom you made an offer. You would still have the option to not do this. But I do see that it could become more complicated because you could make an offer to someone else at the same time. Thanks for the suggestion to post in Host Voice. I was not aware of this. 

Best, 

Lon 

[Fred13]

Jon, perhaps this may help.  I block dates all the time while people are deciding what to do, so that others do not book those dates. Once I hear from the original interested party that they are ready to book, I unblock the dates and they quickly  'book' the dates. However, I never use that Special Offer option, I give a 'special offer' by changing the price of the days on the calendar, and then use the above method.

[Lon0]

@Fred13, Thanks. Yes. This is what I have done but it is hard because it requires timing it so you unblock the days just in time for your guest to book before someone else might book. This is why I requested the option to make it only available for booking from the one person you have been negotiating with. This option is offered when using "pre-approve." 

Lon 

[Fred13]

   Yes, it makes sense, since the programming convention is already there with Pre-Approved and the intention of an offer, I would think, is toward only one party at a time. Use the 24-hour timer, also in the code already. Can be offered as an option, if host locks the dates at the Offer point, can't do another offer.

If a host is using 'Special Offer' at random, then they can just change the base price in the calendar and be done with it.

   A very good idea, because it is logical.

[Alex168]

Good point.

I just turn off Instant book in such cases. When you do this Airbnb ask why, so enter this reason and it should help escalate a fix.

[Salome15]

I think that this idea is great. I can provide you one example and you will understand why.

Normally I take one day to prepare my apartment to the next guest, so I have normal check in after 12:00 and check out also at 12:00 noon. because i have one day in between. Now I have an offer from airbnb to book from september 29 till october 2. and the guest is asking if he will be able to check in at 2:00 a.m. on september 29. He can't change dates, because 28 is blocked, and i should at first make this day available and then send special offer, because I know that I will have time to prepare apartment for this guest till 2:00 a.m. But there is a risk that someone books instantly that dates, before this guest answers to my special offer and if it happens I wont have any time to prepare apartment. So I have only one option, to block instant book for 24 hours, wait for the answer of this guest and than turn instant book again. It won't happen if we have option to block dates when we send special offer 🙂 

[Susan1188]

you let people arrive at 2 am?!!

[Earl21]

I do, if they paid for the entire night it doesn't matter if they check in at 5 PM or 2 AM several hours later. I have August Home keypad access for everyone

[Susan1188]

I have another solution, I change the prices to crazy high for the dates I want to block.  I'm sure nobody will book at those prices, but if they did, it would be worth the annoyance of the person I'm blocking the dates for!   Anyway I put super high prices so the person can come back a few days later and make another inquiry for a special offer.  The calendar remains open and I don't have to turn off instant booking.  I just have to remember to put the prices back down afterwards, harder when your apartment is on several platforms.

[Tommy120]

My concern with this approach is that you may end up with upset guests and bad reviews if they book for that super high price and you let it ride, then they arrive and it's not the Ritz Carlton they thought they were paying for.

[Susan1188]

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@Tommy120 wrote:

My concern with this approach is that you may end up with upset guests and bad reviews if they book for that super high price and you let it ride, then they arrive and it's not the Ritz Carlton they thought they were paying for.

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Well the key words in your statement are "and you let it ride".  

If someone booked for the super high price, which I'm sure they won't, but hypothetically...

I am perfectly free to send them a special offer and/or a refund Airbnb never has a problem with this!

But your post did make  me think of a potential problem which is the airbnb fees for the super high price.

Anyway, I'm 99% sure this will never happen in my experience guests are very sensitive to price, the platform let sthem compare to all the properties in the area.

And if despite all that a guest decides it's worth it to book for  1000 dollars a night instead of my usual 100, I suppose I could stand getting one bad reveiw!

[Diana812]

This upsets me so much!

It seems like a must-have feature. Specially when its a high demand season, and of course I have instant booking and a 2 night reservation can ruin a month (or even larger booking) in a few minutes.

Guess we must wait for this feature eventhough it seems pretty logical to me.

[Susan1188]

@diane812 why don't you adjust your calendar to have a 7 or 10 or 14 night stay in your high season?  Then when the season fills up, just switch the gaps in your calendar to shorter minimum stay if you want.