how to send a special offer

[Laura4890]

How do I send a special offer. Forr instance when I approve pets but want to charge more.

It says to click ont the conversation and click special offer...but I do not see that button anywhere

[Emiel1]

@Laura4890 

The special offer not be sent to guests which already sent you a booking request.

You have to:

Ask the guest to retract the booking request

OR

decline the booking request (not recommended as it affects your rating)

OR

Accept the reservation and use the "change" option to change the price.

(Only to be used if other options fail)

BTW

A pet fee must be charged separately via the resolution centre.

[Robin4]

@Laura4890 

Laura, trying to negotiate an additional cost with a guest can backfire on you. The option to send a guest a special offer will only be available for a guest enquiry. 

So if you have received a reservation request your way to handle this would be to discuss with the guest in the message stream prior to accepting the reservation request the additional pet charge. But you have to either accept or decline the reservation request within 24 hours or you will be penalised for failure to respond. If the guest agrees to the additional charge, accept their booking request and when the booking is confirmed, via the message stream with that guest on the right side of the message stream you will see a tab that says 'Change or Cancel Reservation'. Click that field and then click 'Change', in the box that pops up, put in the price you have agreed to with the guest, and  when the guest accepts the alteration, the booking will alter to reflect your pet fee and the guest will be charged accordingly.

The potential problem with doing this is Laura, the guest may refuse the alteration request which means that the onus falls back on you to either not pursue the extra charge, or cancel the reservation.....so, there is a risk involved.

The safest course of action for you  is to ask the guest to withdraw their request because of the pet thing and submit an enquiry to you so you will then have the ability to send a special offer and not be penalised  if the guest decides not to pursue it!

Cheers.........Rob 

[Jennifer1773]

@Laura4890 You got some great advice from @Robin4 and @Emiel1 . I took a look at your listing and I would also advise you to make some changes there. Nowhere in the listing are pets mentioned except "pets allowed." So as far as guests know, when they go to submit a reservation request, pets are allowed with no caveats or extra charges. My suggestion would be to add into your listing description and your house rules what the guests should expect about pet rules and any pet fee. I host a pet friendly listing, but use instant book and do not charge a pet fee. However, in my listing I request guests to contact me with an inquiry about pets so that we can chat before they book. About 95% of them do--during that time I can explain my policies and assess the situation. I have avoided some pretty sketchy ones--like 4 guests wanting to bring "5 well trained vizslas" to my 2 bedroom cottage--that they were going to leave alone for the day in my cottage while they visited their parents in a nursing home in the next county. I was able to convince them we were not a match... with no penalties.