I also would like to know, when a stranger-from-the-blue invites me, that it is one of many invitations they’ve sent out. I go to the trouble of replying, but would not bother if I knew this. And they would not mind that I did not bother.
@Lauraa Unless there is a personal message addressed to you by name you can assume the host has sent out multiple invitations. I often get invites with no message so, If declining, I just write a polite one sentence msg. Today I received a long personal message with the Hosts invitation where she referred to several things in my profile and showed genuine interest. I replied in kind with a friendly message, declining for now (too early to commit) and wished her well. Out of courtesy I do always send a reply to everyone however short. It does not feel right to just click ‘decline’ From a Sitter perspective I always appreciate a personal note If the Host declines my application which I’ve spent time and energy constructing. Some hosts don’t bother even acknowledging an application at all and I think that’s rude.
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Sometimes my name has been in the invitation-message - does that mean it isn’t a mass-mail? I understand what you mean about politeness but think these mass-invitations should be called something else. Because they aren’t invitations to sit but invitations to apply - and I don’t like that.
Does it really matter who and how many got invited? We all can either answer it or not. For myself, I answer them because I think that’s good manners and I like to treat others the way I wish to be treated. It’s a personal thing like so many things on here and in life.
Elsie
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I’d say just go with your feelings how you want to respond. I just do what feels right to me and how I’d like to be treated-but we all have different expectations so there’s no right or wrong way. If it looks like an impersonal message just with your name added, or no message at all, there probably are more invitees. If you get a longer personal msg like the one I mentioned before it feels different- like they really chose you especially. I think even the mass invitations to apply could give you a head start - If you like the Sit & dates fit etc- as it does indicate some sort of pre-selecton. After all the host found your profile somewhere and must have had a look at before inviting. If they don’t like your profile they won’t invite.
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Going off at a slight tangent from the main theme of this thread, I once got a personal invitation to do a cat sit in a beach house in Tasmania! Unfortunately, I had to decline due to work commitments.
@Dace That sounds lovely! Pity you couldn’t take it. Tasmania is beautiful! We have had lots of invitations but only one that we could actually accept as it fitted perfecty into our travel schedule- and it was a dream Sit! 3 weeks in a Villa in Provence, France, with 2 dogs, 2 cats, Pool, use of car! In a gorgeous village! Such a lovely experience! And to be specially invited too!
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HOs see that you have favorited their home/pet. So, when they are trying to book someone, they will go to all of those people and invite them to sit. THS should really change this to say you have been invited to apply, rather than invited to sit. That would be truer to the actual action being requested / taken.
Please do not take it personally. I know it can feel like a personal affront, but I think most HOs don’t mean it in that way.
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I believe there’s an “invited to sit” and an “invited to apply”…
Hi @melissaandhiten - As an HO, how do we see who may have favorited our listing? And as a HS, can we also see who may have favorited us? Thx!
Hi @melissaandhiten welcome to our community forum thank you for joining in the conversation and for your feedback on invitations to apply …
I hope you will browse the many other conversations on the forum and contribute to those also.
Angela and the Team
Thanks! Happy to be part of the petsitting community! It has been such a fun new addition to our lives, to meet new people and to have the love and affection of dogs (mainly, since Hiten is allergic to cats 
in our lives on a more regular basis.
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If I invite someone to a sit am I able to still confirm the sit.?
Hi @Cawall when you invite a sitter, if they respond and after communicating with each other they accept the sit you will both confirm the sit in the normal way.
Both sitter and owner have to accept and confirm the arrangement, inviting does not mean the sit is a confirmed arrangement.
Do I still have two enter the dates or can we both confirm with the invitation? I’m trying to avoid other applicants applying.
Hi @Cawall sharing this from the help centre which will help you with the listing process
Thanks @Angela_L : that is useful to know as we have been invited by previous OH but always on a public date, so it may interest them. I can explain this procedure to them the next time we get a private invitation.
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I imagine the owner invited several sitters, and someone else applied before you did, automatically closing the sit.
I’m not a HO, so I sought advice from Customer Service. This is their response:
"Homeowners are able to see ‘Who saved their listing’ which shows sitters’ profile photo, their first name and their location. Owners can click on each sitter profile to view and read and they can also privately invite sitters for their dates.
Sitters are not able to view homeowners’ ‘favourites’, however, if you have saved favourites on your app, you will be automatically notified when the owner updates their listing with new dates so you will be able to apply directly if you are available for these dates."
I was very curious as to who actually got the sit that we were personally invited to and then declined so recently looked up the listing. The couple that were chosen were very young with one review, whereas we are a mature couple with 30 reviews so I guess it depends on what the homeowners is seeking as a more “suitable” sitter.