How do I make sure my guests do not take my organic expensive shampoo, conditioner and body wash?

[Caroline2213]

I buy from a boutique near my AIRBNB. Guests get 10% discount at boutique

Hello.  I recently became a host and I absolutely love it!!   We have a lovely organic boutique 2 blocks away from our AIRBNB.  I am offering organic shampoo, conditioner and body wash that is high end.   I did not buy travel size but mid size.   I was going to put a framed note on wall of bathrooms nicely stating please leave the toiletries for our next guests....they will get a 10% discount at the store as I have an agreement with the owner. 

Any advice AIRBNB tribe?

[Dimitar27]

Hi@Caroline2213 

Use dispensers. Wall mounted. That's all you need. All the bottles, boxes, etc...you don't need that. It's a "customer psychology" thing. Very simple. You can put somewhere some text about the products you use, about the boutique address, the discount and everything else, but if you use the original bottles, two things can happen. First-your guest perceives the bottle as a personal belonging and...takes it. Second-not using anything of the provided at all...and leaves a negative comment, because most people are not happy to use anything in the bathroom, used by someone else previously. To feel something "clean" enough for you is a feeling, not a fact.

And keep the dispensers always clean and filled to the top. They must always look like your guest is the first person, who uses them.

[Anna2032 · Accepted solution]

Just like in highly rated hotels, we have added a one pager price list to all of the items that guests are likely to take with them. We also add a note in our messaging that says something to the effect of "Please leave amenities for future guest, however, if you do take them, there will be a charge as listed in our price sheet" We also mark up the cost for the  time and inconvenience it takes us to order replacements,  making the cost  in most cases undesirable.  This has worked like a charm for us. The challenge is to make sure this price list is visible to to the guests as soon as they check in. 

[Caroline2213]

Anna.  Ty for your response.  I used your exact wording.  But I don’t have a price list ….can you charge your guests after they check out?  

[Anonymous]

@Caroline2213  You can send a Resolution Request asking guests to voluntarily pay for the items, but you can't charge them directly. If they decline to pay, Airbnb won't collect the charge on your behalf, so all you get for your troubles is a not-so-great review.

[Kristina46]

by the way, some retailers are having clearances on bath items right now as it is fall and they want to clear their shelves. It's a good idea to stock up. I just bought a super nice stone-like body wash dispenser at Target for $8, originally 16. Right now I have a plastic dispenser, but this one will look nicer. 

[Caroline2213]

Thank you.  I guess the dispenser is the way to go in the long run.  

[Anna2032]

dispensers are good, but the brand names invested for guests to see the product leave them guessing about the quality of the product they are using. 

[Huma0]

@Caroline2213 

I'm lucky enough to stay at a lot of 5* hotels on work trips. I noticed that a lot of them are moving away from the little travel sized complimentary toiletries to dispensers. Why not? If you have nice looking dispensers with posh toiletries, I don't think it looks cheap, plus it really cuts down on single use plastics. Win-win.

[Kristina46]

You will have to transfer your products into a permanent dispenser of some kind. Otherwise guests think they are theirs for the taking. Don't use signs. Guests think they are annoying and insulting. 

[Caroline2213]

Oh boy.   Thanks Kristina.   I thought if I put a well worded nicely framed message with the product description and place purchased…. As it is a organic boutique 2 block’s away…..  

[Anonymous]

@Caroline2213   If you choose the dispenser method, it's good to have a sign showing the brand name and especially the ingredients of the contents (in case of allergies). I don't know how many guests are in the market to buy bottled toiletries as souvenirs, but I don't think it would be offensive to leave some little discount cards with the address just in case.

Just don't do the sign asking people not to take the soap home. That would  be offensive.

[Michelle1851]

@Caroline2213 I provide dispensers but mention the brand in my listing, not that it matters to the guests, I do it just in case.  In my previous listing, I provided a drawer of high end products and simply put a note stating "please enjoy during your stay, but do not take"  it seemed to work, some guests even left other high end unused product.    The only thing I've had guests take have been extra packs of toilet papers, so now those are hidden.

[Caroline2213]

Thank you Michelle.  So appreciate your advice.  Really helps 😊

[Anonymous]

@Michelle1851   Once in 2020 I saw two guys running down the street looking like they'd just robbed a bank, but carrying only packages of toilet paper. It was quite a rare commodity for awhile there...

[Huma0]

@Anonymous 

I only had something similar happen once, early on in the first lock down. Toilet paper was scarce and, for a while, really difficult to find around here. It was crazy how people stockpiled.

At the same time, I noticed that my guests seemed to be using it up more quickly than normal. I kindly asked them to be a bit conscientious about it, i.e. use what you need, but maybe don't go wild with it as I'm finding it tricky to stock up seeing as the shelves are empty.

I only realised later that one of my guests (a visiting doctor from Spain doing a rotation in an NHS hospital, no less) was stealing it and hoarding it in her room. I guess just I in case we ran out...

[Stephanie365]

Put it in a wall mounted dispenser. That makes it clear it is there for them to USE but not to TAKE. You could put a small sign up highlighting the products you use or put a note in your welcome manual letting guests know the quality of your toiletries. Or perhaps put a photo of the product's label in your listing.

[Anonymous]

@Caroline2213  I definitely don't recommend putting up a sign asking people to leave the toiletry bottles for the next guests. The message that sends is that you're providing other people's leftovers, which might have been tampered with or tainted by the previous users. Why go to all the expense of sourcing high-end products just to turn around and look cheap (at best) or even unsanitary (at worst)?

Since single-use plastics go against your listing's environmental ethos, I agree most with @Marcia590 's suggestion:  refillable dispensers. They can flow naturally with your design while not adding clutter, nobody will run off with them, and if you have an arrangement with the boutique, they might be able to source you some bulk refill packages to minimize the waste. 

[Patti4]

Interesting because I was going to post a new thread on "How do I discourage guests from taking home *all* the teas, sugar packets, oatmeal packets, and coffee from the complimentary breakfast bar?"

I was wondering if anyone has neutral-sounding language in their guest guide or house rules to discourage the typical hotel-stay practice of taking these as they do soaps and shampoos (I've done that myself in hotels).

I've been hosting since 2013 and this is the first year that two separate guests cleaned me out. When they checked out, I could see that they had not used all of the missing tea, sugar, and coffee during their stay.

I put out a limited amount of each item and encourage guests to message if they need more. I don't leave out boxes of supplies such as TP and garbage bags. But I DO say in the guest guide "please help yourself to anything on the breakfast bar." I suppose that can be interpreted as "take home anything you want"?

The space is a separate guest suite in my home so they are aware that I'm on-site.

[Kristina46]

Just put out enough packets for that guest stay and no more. Remove the sign that says help yourself. That could be interpreted as "this is all yours, take it."

I once had guests help themselves to all my stuff. Shampoos, TP, trash bags, etc. I was appalled and wasn't even sure what they used to carry all that stuff out! Now I just put out enough for each stay. Reduces the 'losses.' 

[Patti4]

@Kristina46  sorry for such a late reply, just to say, thank you for the suggestion to change the wording, “help yourself to anything you like.“ I do limit what I put out, and make sure not to imply that they are free to hoard soap, coffee, tea, sugar, etc. I have added the words “unlike a hotel, this is a home - thank you for being mindful that you’re sharing it with me and the guests who come after you.” I’m always tweaking the language!