Selling essential items or snacks at your space

[Jijie1]

Hope everyone reach my post in good health and happy doing hosting in Airbnb.

I love to talk about selling essential items in my space. Let me share my place as introduction so you will imagine how i got the idea to do this activity. I am owner for small studio apartment just next to water theme park name Sunway Lost World of Tambun located at Tambun, Perak, Malaysia,Asia. This apartment is new building and new development but the theme park was established about more than 10 year.

We feel pity to our guest who ask about nearby shops because the building bit far by walking distance from shop and restaurants  So we bring mini bar at our space. Some of essential items like toothpaste, tooth brush and slippers always be left at home when we travelling. It is small thing that always come to last minute to forgot to bring. Besides that snacks like instant noodles, chocolate, nuts, can drinks and milk always be our favorite choice to our guest. We always trust our guest by paying the item with e-wallet , bank qrcode and still accept cash if they want to. We always trust our guest to pay after checking the stock every time they leaving. But please put reasonable price to the item.

Some of relative always ask about how they did't want to pay? if they took without we know? It s all about what the worth you do this to your guest. We did because we want to help our guest and feel it is helpful to them. So my advise don't put something is not worth for what you do. Please also give complimentary items like teabags, coffee, sugar and biscuits or maybe bucket of fruits and welcome card to your guest. So they will feel we as host is generous and concern about them. This gesture will return back to you as host, like they will take care of your space/house, the will watering your plants and throw rubbish by their own.

[Helen3]

glad this is working for you -  I've never offered any of these things and have been a superhost since starting nine years ago 

I'm glad selling supplies works in your market .  @Jijie1 

I leave an emergency box for guests who forget items like toothbrushes and toothpaste and offer this for free. 

I would never  leave fruit as, if, guests leave it out it attracts fruit flies in the summer and once you have them it's hard to get rid of them for the whole summer season @Jijie1 

[Jijie1]

We will give fruit basket for selected guest. 1 of our guest love our home and did their wedding ceremony at our cosy unit and we preparing small gift. To avoid flies can use cling wrap and put lovely word on card . They love and happy with welcome fruit basket.

Hope it will help give some ideas❤️

thank you

[Bhumika]

Hi @Jijie1 , thanks for sharing about this unique approach with us! 

What kind of feedback do you usually receive from your guests about the mini bar? Do they mention about these additional perks in their reviews?

I also wanted to share contributions from our hosts @Laurelle3 and @Rikke39 since they prepare a welcome basket for their guests as well. If you'd like, feel free to read about their wonderful approach to welcome guests here and here.

Looking forward to reading ideas from other hosts! 🌻

[Rikke39]

Kære Bhumika

tak fordi du deler og henviser til hvordan jeg modtager mine gæster. Det er en kæmpe succes som bliver omtalt i anmeldelserne og i gæstebogen, fordi det er uventet og fordi vores gæster føler at vi tager kærligt i mod dem UDEN at vi kan være tilstede. 
Der venter også altid friske blomster fra haven, kaffe, the og små chokolader på hovedpuden i de redte senge. 

 

[Jijie1]

Great and I love it too. Lovely vibe ❤️

[Jijie1]

Hi thanks for approach me. Yes they mentioned about our mini bar offer snacks ,drinks and essential items. If they want to purchase .They feel it's help because we put trust on it. They love and mentioned in reviews 

[Bronwyn100]

Is this even legal to sell things through Airbnb? 

[Kia272]

@Bronwyn100 It's not through AirBnB. 

[Bronwyn100]

You are a member of Airbnb and must follow their guidelines. For instance you are not permitted to sell alcohol but an hotel can in their mini bar. 

[Kia272]

@Bronwyn100  If I choose to supply (sell) small convenience items to my guests, it has nothing to do with AirBnB. It's a cash transaction, just as you would do at a grocery store. 

Whether it be alcohol, toothbrushes, or lipstick, I may now be opening myself up to some sort of liability- is it illegal, unregulated, etc. - but the transaction itself has nothing to do with AirBnB. And if you Google this, AirBnB has no hard and fast prohibition on selling alcohol- they defer to laws and regulation in the local jurisdiction. 

However, my point is that this is a transaction taking place between me and my guest, and AirBnB plays no part in it. 

[Jijie1]

Hi please explore Airbnb account which is they offer you to request/receive money from guest. This will help transactions from foreign guest. Hope it's help .

[Jijie1]

Why come to not illegal.im not selling illegal things. Airbnb offer section to transfer/request money from guest. This help guest to pay using Airbnb especially foreign guest with no e wallet services. Airbnb also allows guest to pay (services etc). to host

[Anton7298]

I was planning doing something like this before. Some sort of vendo cabinet inside the house.

I ended up giving it for free.

Now I am considering it again because I am getting queries from some guest asking me where to buy the toiletries I use. Many guest is very appreciative of the Bath & Body Works hand Soap and Bath gels.

Good to know that some is actually doing it.

@Bronwyn100 legalities of things like this is probably jurisdictional. It can be legal to some places and can be not in others.

[Jijie1]

Agree dear host. Don't disappointed with profit because the selling items not profitable it just to give convenient to guest and help them . They will compliment you. However you might survey which item they love to purchase with Reasonable price. 

Dear @Bronwyn100 strictly not to sell something illegal until you get caught. Sell something that return compliments from guest. We are not run shop or groceries. Hope it will help you to get the idea. Thank you