What is Outdoorsy’s Instant Book? What benefits do I receive?

Instant Book is an Outdoorsy feature that allows guests to automatically confirm booking requests for your vehicle and submit payment details immediately.

This is a great way to maximize earning potential; just be sure to keep your availability up to date.

How does it work?

When you enable Instant Book on your account, all upcoming booking requests will be automatically confirmed. The guest’s credit card is charged for the initial amount, you receive a confirmation email with the booking details, and the reservation details will automatically become available in your Dashboard. If for any reason you’d like to disable this setting, you can do so easily in your account.

What are the benefits of Instant Book?

• Maximize Bookings – Instant Book gives guests the fastest and easiest way to book your property – they are only one click away from a confirmed booking. This encourages guests to book your vehicle, rather than shopping around, which increases overall bookings.

• Attract More Travelers – Your vehicle will display a lightning bolt icon on search pages to make it stand out. Guests who know what they want and are ready to book know to click these listings for the easiest booking experience.

• Save Time – There’s no need to manually review and approve each booking request. You can still communicate with a guest after they have booked, and you can cancel a reservation if the guests doesn’t meet your rules.

How do I enable Instant Book?

1. Start on the Host Dashboard, navigate to Listings
2. Click View for the desired listing
3. Open the Policies tab and click Edit
4. Scroll down for Booking Approvals (fig 1)

Fig 1.  You can choose Instant Book for all, some, or none of your trips

• Enable Instant book for all trips – If this option is selected, all trips will be confirmed immediately.
• Enable Instant book only for stationary delivery – If this option is selected, only trips where the guest does not intend to drive the vehicle will be confirmed immediately.
• Enable Instant book only for pickup trips – If this option is selected, only trips where the guest will pickup and drive the vehicle will be confirmed immediately.
• Require manual approval for all trips – If this option is selected, all trips will go through manual approval, whether they are stationary or drivable/towable.

What if I change my mind and want to return to requiring approval for bookings?

You can easily switch from Instant Book to manual review through your Listing.

Does Instant Book rank higher in search results?

Yes, there are many factors that determine your rank in search, including your Instant Book status.

Can I cancel an Instant Booked reservation?

Yes, you can cancel an Instant Booked reservation if the guest does not meet your stated rules, policies, or terms and conditions. If you need to cancel the booking for one of these reasons, do so right away. However, if a guest meets all your requirements, then you should only cancel the reservation if it’s requested by the guest.