Exactly which was why I did not bother to respond. Hope this is not how THS measures success. There are 890 mainly negative responses on this forum.
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Hi All,
We have just released Exact number of applications to be shown on listings on the website.
Previously we showed a range of the number of applications submitted for each sit (e.g. 1-3 applications, 4-7 applications, etc). We are now showing the exact number of applicants for each assignment on the listing detail page. This is to help you know exactly how many applications have already been made as you apply for a sit.
The change will also be made on app.
Many Thanks, Ben
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Excellent! Thank you!
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In which thread can we freely discuss the topic then, without being patronized and policed like small children?
Why does this topic get closed constantly and uncomfortable posts deleted the second they are published even if they are very relevant to the responses from Ben?
Why is this forum so heavily censored?
Lack of transparency and rising censorship only result in falling trust
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@Ben-ProductManager , I know you declined this request, but I’m asking you to please reconsider leaving a listing up for 24 hours so that people in different time zones do not have to wake up in the middle of the night to look for listings. By cutting it off after 24 hours, you are still forcing HO to make a quick decision, as they will not be able to reopen their listing until the count goes below five again. It would be a very considerate move that would keep your current roster of sitters and HO happy and make them feel they have been heard.
I would like to add that a 24-hour extension would allow people like me, who are located in the US, to be better able to apply for UK sits. It is my observation that the number of UK sits that have not found sitters has been a concern.
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@anon47943759 this thread is being moderated in line with the community guidelines, not censored. There are many people involved in this conversation and as moderators it’s our role to try and keep it as balanced and respectful as possible and most importantly in a long thread like this, on point and relevant to the topic. Comments are only removed if they are totally irrelevant to this long conversation (and users are notified of the reason), or abusive, something we don’t allow anywhere on this forum.
Hope that helps explain.
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Thank you for your explanation. I stand by my opinion. This thread (and forum) is censored not monitored and nothing will convince me to the contrary
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Data I would like to see in a year or so … the impact on member referrals for new memberships. Methinks it will be down.
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Also joining the ‘very disappointed’ crowd with the change.
Not sure how many people were actually having a big issue with how the number of applications were being showed, 4-7 etc which has now been changed whereas so many complaints re pausing at 5.
It is interesting how we get changes that the majority of people never even mention and others that people keep mentioning (filter for whether the sit is accessible on public transport for example) never seem to get worked on.
I am also on a major home exchange site and they recently made a change to their search engine that didn’t really work for their members. After complaints on their fb group within 4 days they acknowledged it wasn’t working for us and are going to change it back. That makes me feel supported and heard.
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As a software engineer I think this new feature makes complete sense . . . as a software engineer.
A an end-user however, I think the THS community has spoken pretty loud that this new feature eliminates choice.
THS has been great in helping to match Sitters and Hosts in a somewhat natural way without limitations of # of applicants or time.
By adding the limitation of # of applicants (5), time applied (who applied first) and time viewed (time it takes for hosts to review the first 5 applicants) I think you guys are shooting your product in the foot by experimenting with features that eliminate choice and persons natural ability to review and find the ideal match.
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If this new feature stays I think leaving the sit active for 24 hours is great idea.
In addition to leaving the listing active for at least 24 hours, I think features that give Hosts/Sitters the freedom of choice may be more equitable. i.e.:
MORE CONTROL/OPTIONS: Some hosts may prefer having fewer applicants to review while others prefer more. Instead of forcing an arbitrary number of applicants that is good for some and not for all, maybe give hosts the option to set the max number of applications before the listing is paused. You can then keep the parameters of declining applicants in order to reactive it
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THS has already solved the old problem of owners not being able to stop receiving applications.
But now THS has decided 5 applications is the correct amount and members are resorting to weird strategies to lock in a place so they can submit a real application later.
Unfortunately, the way it works feels like I’m stuck in an old Monty Python skit!
“You may receive 5 but not 6 unless you decline 1 and then you may receive 1 more or you can decline 2 and receive 2 more and tell each or both of the ones you declined they are not really declined as you may still choose 1 of those but not 2. You may decline all 5 and tell each they may still be considered and receive 5 new ones unless 2 new ones immediately come in and then you can receive 3 more unless you decline one of the 2 new ones so then you can receive 4. Clear?”
So, let me suggest what I think is a sane, rational and simple alternative to the 5 app pause.
- After 10 application are received, the applications are automatically paused.
- THS sends an email asking if the owner wants another 10 and the owner must say “yes” to receive more.
- Repeat for every 10 applications
- A maximum of 50 applications per listing.
Would that make everybody happy?
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After following all of the conversations very closely, I find it difficult to believe that there really are either hosts or sitters in favor of these changes as they stand. The overwhelming discussions here have shown that. There were some very good suggestions how this COULD be modified to best meet everyone’s concerns. All apparently ignored. I just hit my 100th sit and love this site and lifestyle with a passion. But no longer looking forward to the THS future. This (IMO) will drastically hurt the THS family.
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How could you find that a 24-hour-rule ‘negatively impacts’ your test when it wasn’t part of the test? @Ben-ProductManager
Is this something to do with the investor making California the main target of expansion and therefore California time-zone members ought to match up all the time? Couldn’t you try to explain this?
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Great point Lauraa !
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Hi @ziggy, just check that your membership is not set on auto-renew.
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@Therese I’ve never received a newsletter. And I read that kind of stuff
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We are happy to take a look at this over in Membership Services. Just copying the below from earlier.
We will keep an eye out for your email so that we can help.
All the best
Lucy
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Thanks Temba, I didn’t think about that 
@Ben-ProductManager @DevKev @mars
Here’s the thing, Ben. We believe you when you tell us the data indicates the desired outcomes you have sought. From where you sit, it makes sense: alter the application process, modify behavior, achieve “success” and – based on the message you sent yesterday – that seems to have become the lens through which you look at this issue.
What you do not SEEM to be taking into account – in the proportion that you maybe should?? – is the day-to-day experience of those of us who live this lifestyle. We are your “boots on the ground,” so to speak. We are the ones who are closest to the reality of the auto-pause feature. We can tell you how, in the real world, this is working.
This new feature has made the THS life very difficult and stressful for many (if the hundreds of posts on the Forum are any indication), and many sitters have stated that they can no longer compete for sits that they easily could three months ago.
Hundreds of us have posted on the Forum that the pause feature is too rigid. It needs a higher application limit up-front or you can expand the pre-pause window to 24 hours (to accommodate different time zones).
HUNDREDS have posted on the Forum, and that is just the tip of the iceberg – because many hundreds, if not thousands more are watching the Forum and don’t post, or are not on the Forum but disagree with the auto-pause feature and haven’t found their voice.
Just wanted to give you a different perspective. Thanks for listening.
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