What's a "request"? (the demand-signaling thing)

If you can't find what you need on the marketplace, post a request. You describe the item, your dates, an optional max budget, and your location. Owners browse the request feed and can respond by creating a listing tailored to your need (public — added to the marketplace, or private — visible only to you).

It's a way for the marketplace to surface latent demand. Owners who hadn't thought to list a particular item see real people asking for it; renters who can't find what they need don't have to leave the platform.

Requests expire after 30 days or your listed end date, whichever comes first. You can close a request manually if you've found what you need elsewhere.