Is it just me?

[Sam V]

I have now, since 1st of Jan received 32 enquiries from HL, OD, and other sites. Some enquires for dates already booked but most for available dates, BUT out of all of these, only about 2/3 responses to be back in touch and no bookings! This seems a little odd to me. My peak dates booked really early in comparison to previous years but I'm usually getting a steady flow for March-June dates at this time. Anyone else ?

[LaVilleauTady]

Sam,

32 enquiries and no bookings does seem odd, or it would be for us.

Out of the last 51 enquiries we had 26 bookings.

[booboo]

I dont have the experience of others but that is very weird!
We get a very low level of enquires but a high rate of conversion due to our location.

[tavi]

I've had a gentle trickle of enquiries since 1st Jan - nowhere near 32....and no bookings, but Spring was booked up ages ago so that shows on my calendar.

Had a couple of good enquiries for Summer high season - didn't have that last year this early, but they didn't book. I think people are really shopping around and undecided.

Checking some stats the other night it seems that last year most of my guests booked only 6 to 8 weeks in advance, some even less (but I do only sleep 2).

[French Cricket]

We're the same as booboo - small number of enquiries but high conversion rate.

Since 1 January: 10 enquiries for available dates, 100 per cent conversion rate. 4 enquiries for already-booked periods ( we don't use availability calendar), 50 per cent conversion rate: one changed date, other changed accommodation, two didn't book but did respond and have joined mailing list.

Your response rate does seem very low, Sam.

[arkvilla]

I've had countless enquiries (some general so not specific to our home) and loads of them are for Easter. We booked lots of the peak dates for this year during last year so it's most off peak we have now.

Had no bookings for January and have only 4 nights booked in February which is a shame as it's nice in Florida then and also quiet so a good time to go.

Sandra

[Sam V]

Just got an OD enquiry for 18 nights in July. We're already fully booked for July, she could have seen that if she'd bothered to look and her budget was £2k, again if she'd looked and done the maths....

[Alvaro]

Hi. My stats are similar. Around 30 enquiries and 1 booking. 8 enquiries from HA from which 2 seemed to have genuine interest; one was barganing too much and the other never did the payment. 6 or 7 from HL all asking about prices and dates which were perfectly clear in the calendar. 2 probably fake enquiries from alpha holiday lettings. 1 enquiry from airbnb that wanted the whole month of june for 800 euros. 2 phone calls. And them 9 or more spanish enquiries asking about prices.

The most intriguing to me is when they say we love the place and want to book, is it near the beach? then you answer that it is actually on the beach and after that silence.

I am starting to think that a) there is something i'm doing wrong b) they screen the market and go for the cheapest possible.

[Hells Bells]

I got an enquiry from HA yesterday, and have had a slow trickle over the last week or so. I'm not worried about that, it would be unusual for me to be fully booked for the summer this far in advance. However, none of them so far have converted and all have been hard work. Yesterday's asked several blindingly obvious questions, although she was specific about dates. Eventually after several emails she replied that she really wanted the two weeks before which were already booked and did I have another property. Now had she done that in the first place, I would have immediately referred her to another owner. Doing so now after all my work feels like I am giving a booking away.

[roxytoo]

Finally got deposit today from one customer, 53 emails later.......

Had an enquiry today saying she will give me 800euros for 3 weeks on a property that is 1450euros.............

[Marks]

Had an enquiry from a Russian travel agency wanting an apartment in July for 3 weeks - budget of 9000 Euros, for 3 weeks in mine it would be 1500 Euros

[Annew]

Just got an OD enquiry for 18 nights in July. We're already fully booked for July, she could have seen that if she'd bothered to look and her budget was £2k, again if she'd looked and done the maths....

IME, OD enquirers rarely (if ever) consult the bit on the page with the availability calendar or rental prices!

Makes you wonder why we bother spending hours updating the prices and availability.......

[Beachcondo]

Makes you wonder why we bother spending hours updating the prices and availability.......

You do it for the occasional one that really bothers to check everything before enquiring.
Three days ago I got a lovely email from someone that had even managed to find out that my name is Marie-Louise and not Marie, the name I put on all my American ads (since the only double name that Americans can cope with are Peggy Sue and Mary Lo )

Except for that my conversion rate is probably one in 20. A bit higher with Europeans and a bit lower with Americans that really spam the web with their enquiries.

But to be honest, when I was looking for a place to stay in Rome I ended getting totally confused as well. After a while it is really hard to keep track of what pages one has inquired to, on which sites, and have I received an answer yet?

[katz]

It seems a high number but I wouldn't say particularly unusual - I've had 8 enquiries via HA since the beginning of Jan - 1 has turned into a booking and was the only one who responded to my quote. The others I have waited a week or so and sent a polite 'I have received another enquiry for those dates' email to chase them - a couple have responded the others didn't - there are lots of time wasters around I'm afraid - they seem to forget that there is a human a the other end of their enquiry!

[Clive in Abruzzo]

90% of our enquiries come through our own site - I suppose that could be because we're not listed on any others to speak of - apart from FK that is. We had a flurry of bookings in early January but since then everything's gone very quiet...

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