I too have seen a huge uptick in favorite sit notifications, which, by the time I check them, are no longer open sits.
I would estimate that this is happening to me about 10 times more often than it did before the autopause test.
Even though I’m checking the listings dramatically more often than I did a few weeks ago (before this “test”), I am missing the listings for my favorite sits, because they autopause so quickly.
(And these have not been international sits with big time differences.)
Suddenly, being a sitter looking for favorite and suitable sits has become quite a bit more stressful.
A number of members have asked for a solution to HOs not responding to sitter applications in a timely way. See the thread link below that has 308 entries.
I’m sure there are other threads as this has been an ongoing issue. While I agree something was needed to put a rocket under some HOs I don’t agree with the limit of 5 applications then a pause. I like the idea of a limit of 10 applications or 24 hours and then a pause. But as you say it is a sledgehammer solution that needs to be tweaked to address particular HOs not all of them.
The moral to this story is be careful what we wish for/complain about.
I was one of the HOs whose listing was paused about a month ago. I have expressed my frustration with the system here a few times, and continue to loathe it. I’m a sitter also, so it affects me both directions.
I have reread the thread titled Unread Applications etc
Although there are 308 entries, most of these are just repeat entries.
A small amount of entries refer to HOs not reading applications and the pause feature may not change their behavour. I have had unread applications where the applicant number was 0 to 3.
I agree with you about the moral to this story.
Absolutely agree @Lost.In.Translation
The point of my self expression is that sharing one’s views should not be regurgitated repeatedly to the point where one’s own level of health is compromised. Anxiety, stress, anger serves nothing but self inflicted harm.
Live long and prosper.
@Amparo - Suppressing unhappiness can also be detrimental to health. Complaining is how change happens - whether it is something relatively minor like THS procedures, or major like ending slavery or granting voting rights to women.
@amparo, yes, this is only a test. Meanwhile again I awoke to two of my favourite listing coming up with no dates showing. So as long as this “TEST” continues, many of us are missing the opportunity to apply for sits AT ALL.
This has passed being a Test, and is now an Impediment.
yes, I understand and I sympathize. My comment was not meant to minimize the sentiments of what has been expressed or what everyone is experiencing.
It was really meant to encourage patience and to remain calm during this difficult time.
I have no doubt the views and concerns are being noted and again, we on this forum are only a small sampling of this huge community.
I have expressed my view.
Thank you and that is all.
Just saying.
What do you think is the main fonction of this new test ? Beside answering to the small % of complaints?
I think it is related to the fact that many HO do not receive any applications. With a limit of 5 sitters applying before the offer disappears, it kind of drives us to look somewhere else…sometimes toward posts with 0-3 applications.
Just an idea here.
PS. Just noticed that an application I did this morning is now showing 4-7 applicants.
Ok this is probably how people do because the first 5 go so quickly !
For a non english native speaker it is impossible to write a proper application in such a limited amount of time.
Hi Brigitte,
I agree that is what they are hoping will happen. However, if you are targeting a specific location this will not drive that behavior. Another issue with people not getting applications is that they post a sit in peak school holiday timeframe very close to when they require a sitter. Lots of sitters have been booked for many months. The cost of last minute flights or rental cars is very high also making these sits unattractive.
I just want to add my comment to this new rule.
As a french native speaker my english is not perfect. It takes me time to write a proper application, with no mistake.
Being in a rush in writing is very bad for the quality of the application OH will receive.
Please THS : stop it. Or put the level to 10 or 15 applications. Or let the OH deciding how much applications they wish to receive.
I have already missed 1 or 2 sits these last days I would have loved to apply for. They were very popular because of Use of car included… and disapeared before I finished my letter.
Bonjour ! Je suis aussi francophone. Ce matin, j’ai appliqué rapidement sur une annonce (deux phrases). Simplement pour être une des cinq premières.
Puis, j’ai pris le temps d’écrire une présentation qui était plus complète et l’ai envoyée 30 minutes plus tard. Ce qui a fonctionné.
Hello.
You maybe right for the last minute posts during school breaks.
But let me give you an exemple: my daughter lived for ten years in South California, 10 minutes walk from the beach. Then on a boat in the same area. She received dozens of applications each times she posted, last minute or not.
She then moved 30 minutes south of Nashville ( Spring Hill). She posts way before time they go. She has one offer right now for December. No one responds. We had to ask a THS sitter from Montréal, also family relative to come the last time, after 2 months of posting with no one to apply.
I suggested my daughter to offer the car included. which she added yesterday. We will see if it help
I actually ignored the forum for almost a month because I was sick of people complaining that no one was reading their applications or the pet owners were not making decisions quickly enough. That’s how many complaints there was.
Now THS are trying new ideas, complaints are coming in thick and fast again but on the other side. I actually feel sorry for the head office staff, they just can’t win.
I hope that they have a punch bag in the office!
This is a test. Who knows what’s going to happen. It is probably the first of many ideas to solve this. Let’s just wait and see. Rome wasn’t built in a day.
@Brigitte I hope you also suggest to your daughter to join the forum and embed her listing into her username. Almost any owner listing or sitter profile can be improved by the constructive feedback from a variety of members. At the very least it will give your daughter points to consider.
She is also listing for December. For some sitters that’s still too far away to decide. For others, they are fully booked. I agree with posting the listing, but it seems to be early days to be anxious.
