Advertisers Help
This help file is presented in no particular order. It is a "master list" of all of our help messages for A1Vacations owners and managers.| Help Topics |
How can I update my listing?
When can I see my changes?
How will I receive inquiries?
Why should I add photos?
How can I supply photos?
Can I add captions to my photos?
Can I show more than four photos?
Can I show "booked" dates?
Free universal availability calendar
Free universal guestbook
Pet friendly
Accepting credit cards
Is my e-mail address displayed on my listing?
Sort order of properties listed?
I lost my A1Vacations password
How can I retrieve my old inquiries?
Rates
Can I list more than one property on my listing?
Hey ... somebody changed my listing!
How does A1Vacations handle renter complaints?
Catastrophes
Can I transfer a listing?
Should I use spam-filtering software, e-mail servers?
Avoiding scams
Does A1Vacations advertise timeshares?
Does A1Vacations offer vacation rentals "for sale"?
What is A1Vacations' refund policy?
Sales tax for vacation rentals
How to contact A1Vacations
How can I update my listing?
You can edit/update virtually everything on your listing: property rates, amenities, basic property information and your contact information (phone, fax, e-mail address, etc.) Sign in to your account and click "Edit Listings".When can I see my changes?
You must save all changes in order for them to appear on the site. Your changes should appear on the live site within 24 to 48 hours of saving them, though you may need to clear your "cache" on your browser (Netscape, Internet Explorer, etc.) to see the changes. Here's the "cache" problem: the unrevised page is temporarily stored in (and reloaded from) your storage "cache" on your local hard drive or possibly even the temporary storage cache on your Internet Service provider's hard drive.The cache is a feature of your browser (Netscape, Internet Explorer, etc.) and has nothing to do with A1Vacations. We cannot control it. The cache is designed to save you time, by not reloading pages which have been very recently retrieved from the Internet.
You can sometimes "force" a reload of your newly revised advertisement by holding the shift key while clicking Refresh near the top of your browser several times. If that doesn't work, then find the clear cache or clear history function under Tools on the top toolbar of your browser.
How will I receive inquiries?
Most of your rental prospects will use the e-mail feature on your listing to request specific rental availability dates. After you create your listing, please send yourself a test inquiry to ensure you receive it.Why should I add photos?
Take your best pictures, post them on A1Vacations, and start receiving even more inquiries and bookings today! Adding photos to your listing is one of the easiest and best ways you can increase the number of inquiries and bookings you will receive.Recommended Photos
1. View
2. Living Room
3. Exterior
4. Kitchen
5. Master Bedroom
6. Guest / 2nd Bedroom
7. Pool / Hot Tub
How can I supply photos?
The quality of your photos is very important to potential renters! If uploading the photos to your listing yourself, follow these guidelines for the best quality photos.- Make sure your photos are brightly-lit and sharp.
- Horizontal/landscape oriented photos fill the site layout better than vertical/portrait photos
- Upload 640 pixel x 480 pixel digital originals for best results. 320 pixel x 240 pixel photos are minimum requirements.
- Use medium to high quality settings on your digital camera. Don't over-compress your photos.
- If you are submitting prints, make sure they are bright and sharp. Send to:
A1Vacations
3801 S. Capital of Texas Highway, Suite 150
Austin, TX 78704 USA.
Can I add captions to my photos?
Yes, you can add captions to all of your vacation rental photos. Sign in to your account, click "Edit Listing" and go to the Photos tab. Each photo placeholder has a captions field below it. Remember to click "Save Changes" before leaving this tab.Photo captions add appeal to your listing by making it look more "professional". And your captions can include important keywords like "View from Oceanfront Deck" to improve search engine positioning.
Photo captions can also be used to describe photos that might otherwise be misleading. For example, if you include a photo of a beach that is nearby your condo, but not visible from your condo, you should add a caption like "Secret Beach, 5 Minutes’ Walk".
Can I show more than four photos?
Yes, you can show up to 12 photos. Four photos come standard with your listings, and the additional eight photos may be purchased by signing in to your account and clicking "Buy" under Photos Sell.Can I show "booked" dates?
Yes. Showing dates that are "booked or not available" serves two purposes:- You don't have to answer a lot of e-mails and phone calls for a period that is already booked.
- A calendar with booked dates provides a sense to the renter that this property "must be good" and available dates will soon be gone.
Free universal availability calendar
A1Vacations co-sponsors and supports the free availability calendar from Rentors.org. A calendar is automatically created for you when you list a property on A1Vacations. The calendar displays the next 12 months, with the dates you mark as available and booked. Your Rentors.org calendar can be automatically linked to listings published by any co-sponsor of Rentors.org or to any personal vacation rental Web site.Free universal guestbook
A1Vacations co-sponsors a free universal guestbook for your vacation rental. Homeowners and their guests can add comments. Homeowners and property managers who use the service get the advantage of a single point of data entry for guest comments, in guestbooks that can be linked to all of their listings.To create a free guestbook, follow the directions at: http://www.rentors.org
Pet friendly
If your vacation rental is pet friendly, you should check off the appropriate boxes in the Amenities section of your listing.Accepting credit cards?
Credit cards are convenient, and they offer many advantages to homeowners and renters. If you wish to establish a credit card merchant account so that you can accept credit cards for your vacation rentals, please check the credit card merchant account program created especially for vacation rental homeowners and at:Credit Card Merchant Account Info
Is my e-mail address displayed on my listing?
No, your e-mail address is not displayed on your A1Vacations listing. When a traveler clicks the e-mail link near the bottom of your listing, our software looks up your e-mail address in our database, and sends the e-mail directly to you.Please be sure that your e-mail address is always up to date with A1Vacations, or you cannot receive your inquiries and e-mails! You can change/update your e-mail address on the Contact tab when you sign in to your Owner home page.
Sort Order of properties listed?
There are five factors that influence order of search results. We have found these factors to be most important to travelers:
- Updated Calendars: Users prefer listings with calendars that are kept up to date.
- Number of Photos: Users prefer listings with more photographs.
- Special Offers: Listings which are running a current Special Offer provide additional benefits to renters.
- Extra Pages: Users prefer complete, detailed information about properties they are considering.
- Random Distribution: To assure that every property receives adequate exposure on A1Vacations, there is also a random factor which operates independently of the others.
I lost my A1Vacations password
If you've lost your A1Vacations password, click the Password Reminder link on the Sign In page, and we will e-mail you your sign in information.How can I retrieve my old inquiries?
A1Vacations’ inquiry archive is maintained for all listings. To retrieve your personal summary of your A1Vacations inquiry archive, sign in to your account and click the Inquiries tab at the top of the page.Rates
A1Vacations rates listing system is very flexible, and can accommodate nearly any combination of weekly, daily, and other rates that you offer. If entering your rental rates into the rates table, please do not include any dollar signs, decimals or commas. Any lapse in time from one rental rate line to the next is not recognized by the system and will be filled in with those dates. You can also enter notes about your rental rates in the fields below the rates table.Can I list more than one property on my listing?
No. Each listing is designed to describe just one vacation rental property. Travelers can search for properties according to many criteria (such as: number of bedrooms, number of people the property accommodates, etc.), so each listing (and its photos) must be property-specific. If you wish to advertise multiple properties, you will need to create more than one listing.Hey ... somebody changed my listing!
You and the staff at A1Vacations are the only ones who can change your listing. Here are the cases where A1Vacations may have edited your listing:- At any time, we may edit the information that you supply, to correct spelling and grammatical errors, and to present a uniform style of writing, punctuation, and capitalization.
- Your e-mail address may be included only in the Contact section. We will remove it from any other section.
- No HTML code may be added to your A1Vacations listing.
- You may submit one URL to be included as a link in the Contact section of your listing. It can be your personal Web site or other related Web site for your property, provided that it includes a link back to A1 Vacations. Any links included in other sections of your listing will be removed.
- AlVacations reserves the right to delete, disable, or edit any listing (without giving notice to the advertiser) if we believe it contains inaccurate, misleading, or false information of any kind.
How does A1Vacations handle renter complaints?
We occasionally receive complaints from renters who found a vacation rental advertised through A1Vacations and ask us to help resolve a problem with the rental. Here's how we respond.- We request specifics of the complaint. Usually, the complaint claims misleading listing content (eg. amenities "not as advertised"), or the complaint concerns deposits not promptly returned in full.
- If the renter agrees that we can forward complaint details to the advertiser, we do so by e-mail. We ask the advertiser to promptly resolve the complaint, or to reply otherwise.
If we receive more than two complaints about a specific advertiser, regarding deceptive or misleading advertising, withheld deposit refunds, or similar issues, and we believe that the complaints are valid, then we remove all of that advertiser's properties from A1 Vacations, and we will not allow that advertiser to list any other properties at A1Vacations. We also provide Rentors.org with details of the complaint and our handling of the complaint.
Catastrophes
If a catastrophe (hurricane, tornado, earthquake, flood, act of terrorism, etc.) impairs a vacation rental, this is what we expect of the owner or advertiser. (However, if the advertiser has a written agreement that has been signed by the renter, and that agreement specifically covers catastrophes, then the signed, written agreement applies instead.)If a catastrophe occurs, the advertiser is not responsible for any of the following:
- finding alternate lodging for the renter
- renter's financial losses related to transportation or alternate lodging
If renters are required by local authorities to evacuate the area, and actually do so before their stay in a vacation rental is completed, then the advertiser should refund a pro-rated portion of the unused rent, plus any deposit. There should be no deduction from the deposit for damages that could have been caused by the catastrophe.
Can I transfer a property to a new customer?
Yes. If you sell your property to someone else, and wish to transfer your A1Vacations listing to the new owner, you must contact A1Vacations Customer Support for help:- E-mail: http://support.homeaway.com
- Phone: 540-721-9915
Available 9am to 5pm EST
Can spam-filtering software, e-mail servers block my inquiries?
Yes, it is possible. If you are not receiving all of the inquiries listed on the Inquiries tab of your account, check the spam filter settings on your e-mail account. They may be set too high. Check your junk mail folders for any A1Vacations correspondence. You may need to contact your e-mail service provider to request that any A1Vacations and HomeAway correspondence not be blocked.Avoiding scams
If a renter wants to send you payment that exceeds the required amount, that is a red flag. You should not agree to this unless you are absolutely certain it is not a scam. Also, never agree to send a refund until the original payment has cleared and the successful deposit to your bank account has been confirmed by your bank.Does A1Vacations advertise timeshares?
Except as noted below, we do not advertise timeshares for rent because of their extremely limited availability. Travelers expect some reasonable degree of availability when they spend the time to search for and view vacation rentals online. Most timeshares are available just one or two weeks each year. It creates a bad experience for rental prospects when they realize they have wasted their time finding and viewing a property that is available just one or two weeks each year.To advertise with A1Vacations, your vacation rental home must be available (through you) for at least 8 weeks each year. If you personally own a timeshare for at least 8 weeks of each year, you may advertise it with A1Vacations.
Does A1Vacations offer vacation rentals "for sale"?
No. We prohibit advertising of any vacation rental for sale at A1Vacations. We list only those vacation properties that are available for rent.What is A1Vacations Refund Policy? Please note that our fees are non-refundable.
Sales tax for vacation rentals
Like hotel rooms and B&Bs, most vacation rentals are subject to sales tax in the USA. While renters pay these taxes as an add-on to the rental cost, the law requires that homeowners collect and remit them. Substantial penalties and interest may apply if you fail to comply. These sales taxes typically total 10% of the rent, but the amount varies widely by location.Filing quarterly or monthly with the state, county, and city can be confusing and time-consuming. To determine your tax filing obligations, contact the tax department in the city, county, and state where your property is located.
Alternatively, you can hire a sales tax service to file and remit your taxes. HotSpot Management can help you acquire your tax licenses, then file your returns on your behalf, usually for less than $10/month.
If you mention "A1Vacations", HotSpot Management will reduce your annual fee by 50%. For more information: Call HotSpot Toll-Free at 877-589-0207 or visit HotSpotTax.com
How to contact A1Vacations.com
A1Vacation.com95 Westlake Rd. Suite 205
Hardy, VA 24101 USA
Phone: 540-721-9915 (9AM-5PM Eastern Time, Business Days)
E-mail: http://support.homeaway.com
Fax/USA: 202-318-8347 (efax)
Copyright © 1998-2005 A1Vacation.com & HomeAway, Inc.
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