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I have people opting for a drop-in and then wanting a walk. Since it's cheaper to opt for a drop in and the 'card' app allows for a walk, I feel like, the walk option is meaningless. Anyone else have this problem?

I wish there was a way to separate sitting for cats and sitting for dogs. The dog people want you to walk them but at the drop-in rate -- not the walker rate. The cat people get upset that the charge is per cat when it is easy to take care of 2 or 3 cats in 30 minutes.

There should be more options.

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Karen R.

Agree with Walt, increase your drop-in rate to be the same as a walk. Then you can't say anyone is taking advantage of your rates. Also, you can direct clients to this description of the service:

https://support.rover.com/hc/en-us/ar...

which states that a drop-in is to play with and feed the dog. Nothing about a walk. If the client has a secure backyard, then the dog can be let out for a potty break, but that isn't a 30-minute walk.

If you need to discount for a cat client, then do so. but I wouldn't because, as Walt said, it is still 30 minutes of your work day.

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Some sitters just see it as 'what I'll do in 30 minutes of paid time'. If a client wants a walk with a drop in, fine, but that will take away from the rest of the time available for play. Plus the cancellation policy isn't applicable for walks.

Cindy & Stephen G.

Cindy, you have an interesting take on it. But I doubt most customers realize the difference in cancellation policies. They'd be calling Rover to get their money back regardless and they'd probably get away with it. Their decision IMO is strictly a cost thing.

Karen R.

I don't know... If a client cancels a walk last minute, there's no penalties, the sitter has no say in the matter. On a drop in Rover deducts unless the sitter overrides. Why would Rover override? I've read of sitters booking walks as drop in's for problem clients.

Cindy & Stephen G.

Companies do this all the time for customer retention, but only once per customer. It doesn't affect the sitter at all; the refund would come from Rover, just like a first-time discount. For a single walk/drop-in, you are talking a pittance to them.

Karen R.

Perhaps I'm not getting this right.. It was my understanding that a sitters cancellation policy is not applicable to walks. So for example a client cancels a walk day of service, even if a sitters cancellation policy is set to strict the client gets a full refund.

Cindy & Stephen G.

Contrast that with all other services..a drop in, for example:. Someone cancels day of, with a strict cancellation policy client would only get 50% refund, sitter gets 50%. The sitter benefits by billing a walk as a drop-in, b/c of the cancellation policy.

Cindy & Stephen G.

I have a question but rover is giving me problems to post the question, I have a client with a puppy. He wants me to go and take care of the puppy for 2 hours and he is just paying for like 30min walk, I'm earning what I should for staying longer. How can I fix this...

Melissa P.

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Cindy & Stephen G.

Also, seems like I've read that booking as a drop in is more advantageous to a sitter anyway, b/c clients can cancel a walk last minute w/out a cancellation charge. This is not true with a drop in.

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Kenna P.

I've had a similar problem with people booking house sitting but wanting drop ins, as house sitting is cheaper. If it doesn't sound like they want what they requested, just tell them that what they want is actually a different service and that they need to make a different request for it.

I personally have drop ins cheaper because it's less work to stay inside than it is to take a 30 minute walk in the heat/cold. The walk option isn't useless if you actually enforce charging that price for that service.

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Walt G.

Many sitters charge the same rate for both walks and drop-ins, as a 30 minute visit is a 30 minute visit. And many sitters will lower the rate of the booking for cat sitting, hey you are offering a discount, and everyone likes a disount.

And I do agree Rover needs to have more booking options, and rates for new services

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I strongly agree!!!

Crystal L.

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Julia N.

With cats that are either on free range food and don't have a litter box or go outside, I have found it hard to know what else to do for a 30 minute drop in. And for walks, I do not see the purpose of all being thirty minutes either? I understand if the dog owner would like you to bring the dog to a park or so, but if it is just to have them go potty then it should not take thirty minutes, that is why I prefer having them say it is a drop in visit even if its just walking because I can just have them walk and play with the dog but not only just walk. Depending on client and pets I will give a slight discount for cats if dog is included. Currently watching two dogs one puppy one slightly over a year old and a 15 year old cat. I asked for 30 dollars extra for the whole visit (8 nights) (she ended up giving me a 100!)

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I have people opting for a drop-in and then wanting a walk. Since it's cheaper to opt for a drop in and the 'card' app allows for a walk, I feel like, the walk option is meaningless. Anyone else have this problem?

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