Multiple reservations

[Candice7]

I just listed my place, I'm getting tons of action and inquiries. Here's my issue, one person requested a weekend, had a question if I could accommodate 3 even though I said 2, I responded that I could leave out an airbed. This was last night
And they did not confirm the reservation. In the meantime, someone else made a reservation for the same weekend, I approved them and they confirmed the reservation. Now the first person is trying to book. Did I mess up? Should I have held it open?

[Clare0]

@Candice7 the first guest made an inquiry, not a reservation request, correct? If that's the case, no, you did nothing wrong.  In this business it's up to you to decide which guests to accept.  In my view, the first guest who is ready, willing and able to book gets the reservation. 

It's vital, though, that you understand the difference between an inquiry and a reservation request and use the correct terminlology when asking for help with reservations.  You probably already know this information, but it might be a good idea to review this help article:

https://community.airbnb.com/t5/Tips-Tricks/Reservation-Inquiry-or-Request-What-s-the-Difference-A-C...

[Jen27]

I have had folks that made several inquiries and booked other places but did not tell me. I turned other guests away. If they can't manage I want Airbnb to notify me. I'm not a charity or doing this for fun. I'm trying to avoid eviction. It's an app, but we are PEOPLE. After Ovt, big money in my town, I can't. I have really good reasons.

[David126]

If it helps I would tink a third of the people I pre approve I do not hear from again, and all that does is give them the opportunity of booking. The only time I have held a room just in case was where it was somebody who had stayed before and I knew their situation.

[Donna15]

@Candice7, it's 'first come, first served' (meaning whoever actually books first gets the accommodation). Unless you had manually blocked the dates, you couldn't have kept them 'open' in any case for the first person (who I suspect had sent an 'inquiry' rather than a 'request'). 

[Christine1]

@Candice7

You did not mess up.

You handled things correctly.

All that remains is to Thank the remaining enquirer, and explain that another booking came through simultaneously and was completed in the meantime.

Encourage them to reapply at another time.

Best regards, Christine.