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?

[Marcia590]

@Caroline2213 . Hi. Caroline. You can’t stop guests from taking things that you don’t want them to take unfortunately. I don’t know how your shampoo, etc are packaged. But maybe you can look into installing dispensers instead and placing your product in there. This way, if they really like it they will have no choice but to purchase it from the store.

[Patti-And-Marty0]

Hi @Caroline2213 

I also offer high end shampoo etc and I have the largest pump bottles I can get, harder to fit in a suitcase I suppose. If someone really wants to steal it they will, a 10% discount isn't going to prevent it. In 6 years I've had one or two go missing. Consider it a cost of doing business.

[Sue174]

I agree with @Marcia590 . The dispenser isn’t as chic looking but solves your problem immediately. You could even ask the store to provide you with the cute labels to slip into a frame so guests know which products they are using (“We proudly use XYZ shampoos and Conditioners from ABC company down the street. Ask for your 10% discount…”). I have also used my label maker and stuck one on each bottle: “DO NOT REMOVE FROM HOME”. Not as effective but it will make it clear it isn’t a parting gift. If it still goes missing, then @Patti-And-Marty0 are correct—it becomes just another cost of doing business. 

[Robin4]

@Caroline2213 

Caroline, a very wise person said to me when I decided to be a short term rental host, "Don't put anything out there you are not prepared to lose!"

Guests will consider whatever is there is for their convenience, after all they are paying you good money for the privilege of using your facility, they expect value.

Make your listing appealing but....utilitarian, don't provide anything high end that they can remove.

I provide an electric bed for them with massage function but, they can't walk out the door with that!

I provide a cheese plate for every guest.......

But the cost of this is built into my listing amount on an averaging basis so, if a particular guest wants to take the lot with them, so be it, it doesn't happen often and I don't get upset about it.

Caroline, most guests are not going to remember you for your high end toiletries, they will just remember that toiletries were supplied but, opportunists will take advantage of you if you give them the chance.

If I was in your position I would provide literature stating that certain outstanding toiletry products are available to your Airbnb customers at a 10% discount but keep what you supply for guest use to the regular supermarket proprietary lines.....after all, that is all they are expecting! 

Cheers........Rob  

[Caroline2213]

Thank you so much AIRBNB community.  Wow. So many wonderful ideas and food for thought.  I wanted to mention I am also trying to support our local community by using the products.  Great info.   I think I’m going to hang a sign regarding the product with a gracious request to keep in place.   Also Rob from Australia I live your cheese plate idea!    I am so very grateful I have this community to refer to!  Thank you all so much!    Happy hosting!😊

[Jenny]

Let us know how you get on, @Caroline2213! I hope the suggestions work!

We're really pleased you're here - hope to see you posting again soon!

Jenny

[Jenny]

Your cheese plate photos always make me so happy, @Robin4 😍

[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.

[Stephanie365]

I stock my AirBNB based on the number of people and the number of days and provide a reasonable but generous amount of each. 

So I think, 3 sugars per cup of coffee, 3 creamers per cup, 2 cups per guest per day. And provide the number of packets accordingly. 

My assumption is this is how much the guest will use so if it all disappears, that's OK because that's what I put it out for.

Now, most of my guests are 1-2 night stays and I only host 2 adults max. I also don't advertise that I provide coffee; it's a pleasant surprise when guests arrive. I also provide tea, hot cocoa and drink mixes for water bottles.

Early on in my AirBNB venture, I put out an entire box of tea. 25 bags.  I don't drink it; it was my late mother's tea so I was just looking to get rid of it by providing it to my guests. I had one guest take the whole box. After that, I started rationing what I put out so if everything disappears, I may be slightly irritated knowing that it's highly unlikely an overnight guest (or two) drank 4 cups of coffee, 2 cups of Hot Chocolate and 10 cups of assorted flavored tea, but I won't be thinking rude thoughts. 😉

[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! 

[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. 

[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.

[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.