I got a couple applications in that were worded really weirdly, basically the way chat gpt would phrase things. It was their profile as well as their message, while at the same time having no reviews.
Another weird one was a person applying for the sit but sending the exact same message as a year ago. I replied both times and never heard back. This person looks very real. They have a lot of reviews from THS.
I ended up declining these situations because either the person doesn’t have a lot of experience or isn’t communicative, both not ideal for a longer sit with two dogs.
Just curious if anyone else is experiencing something like this.
Thanks!!!
1 Like
I’m very sure that many people use Chatgpt nowadays to communicate.
In my opinion there’s no need to see it as something that drastic.
Sometimes people use tools like Chatgpt to help them organize their thoughts or to ensure they communicate clearly, especially if they’re non-native speakers or not confident in their writing skills. AI can assist with phrasing things in a concise, clear, and structured way, which might make the message feel a bit formal or robotic, but in the end it’s their thoughts, their input, just in better writing.
Nevertheless, not answering your message is of course a no go.
Since the inbox changes , when applying for a sit , sitters can’t see if they have previously communicated with the host so it would be very easy to send the same message again .
I can’t think of an explanation for them not replying back though.
6 Likes
I would just add: until after the message has been sent! It’s very annoying, isn’t it!
2 Likes
Hi @Silversitters
That is so true.
Just moments ago, I was browsing through listings and came across one that I wanted to apply for. As I looked closer at the listing, it seemed familiar, particularly because of the dog’s unique name. With the old inbox, I could have just clicked on “apply”, and it would have revealed prior communication with the homeowner.
However, with the new inbox, I had to scroll through old archive messages to see if I had applied to the sit. As It turns out, I had applied to the sit last year. While the host had chosen another sitter, she thanked me for my application and stated that I was welcome to apply again in the future.
Well, the future is now. I re-applied and I received an invite almost immediately. But of course, before accepting, I would like a video chat / or at least a phone conversation.
As someone had stated before in a thread, it could be “embarrassing for sitters to re-apply to sits” and then realize that they had already had prior communications.
Fortunately, I found the archived listing which revealed previous communications I had with the HO and saved myself some embarrassment. 
5 Likes