Itās unfortunate that the messaging system on the Home Exchange platform is inadequate to support hosts wishing to message potential guests who have indicated a preference for the hostās location, and invite them for a GP stay.
Currently, the HE messaging system is constructed to only support guests seeking a place to exchange, either for Guestpoints or Reciprocal; it does not support hosts seeking to invite guests to their home for Guestpoints.
I suggest putting a request to the HE development team to fix the messaging system flaws in the HE platform itself rather than putting this functionality in the forum, which is not even connected to the HE platform where the actual HE transactions occur?
Some members do reach out to other members who have shown an interested in their home (e.g. added it as a favourite). However some regard this as unwanted āspamā and donāt like it.
In a previous version, there was a favorite called : āOpen to anywhere. Surprise us.ā
It is not exactly the same idea but we could add a box for this.
Respectfully, how is my proposal any worse āspamā than a member who messages me for a guestpoints visit for dates where my home is unavailable, or a member messages me for a reciprocal exchange and their house is not in a location on my wishlist, or does not correspond to an open date on my calendar, or requests fewer days than my stated minimum days?
I consider these messages to be āspamā yet Home Exchange considers it to be a valid message and facilitates the construction of such messages.
Yes, I know that I can check boxes that minimize these kinds of messages. Then why doesnāt Home Exchange allow Hosts to invite Guests for GP visits, and then provide a checkbox to ensure that members who are offended by these messages, donāt receive them?
Home Exchange has made the business decision to go all-in on the concept of GP exchanges and fully encourages them. 75% or more of all exchanges are with GPs. It makes no sense whatsoever to coddle and pamper the minority of old-timers who donāt like the GP system when 75% of members use it.
I keep hearing this comment from admins āsome members consider it spam and donāt like itā. How many of the 250,000+ members have spoken about this? 1% ? 2% ?
There are some things about the platform that are not perfect and wonāt suit everybody. But this is not a reason to reduce the functionality of the platform because of a small handful of mostly oldtime members who donāt like the GP system.
In any case, it would be an easy matter to simply add a box that a member can check that says āDo not accept GP invitation messagesā. One simple click, and the traditionalist oldtimer who doesnāt like Guest Points will never receive a message from a host inviting him/her/they to a Guestpoint stay.
I am not sure itās the Ā« old timer Ā» who consider it is a spam because they can not be contacted for a GP exchange.
Their calendar is opened for exchange only.
It makes sense to send such a proposal to members whose calendar is opened for GPs or any type.
There can be some exceptions for members who have a lot of GPs and donāt want more. But it quite impossible to guess if they are against or if they have plenty.
If i look at offers done on the forum, one thing that caught my eye is the people who seek for people to come for GPs are quite dear > 250 GPs.
This may explain that people are not interested in their listing.