Providing optimal experience is the philosophy that underlies Airbnb’s business model. Guest satisfaction is critical to attracting positive reviews, continued business, and referrals. While vacation rental hosts can earn a decent income from their Airbnb listings, they can earn extra income by providing add-on services or upsells. Airbnb hosts can optimize their property for maximum return on every booking through deliberate and strategically selected Airbnb upsells.
Key Highlights
- This blog post focuses on Airbnb upselling strategies, showing hosts how to maximize their income by offering additional services and products to guests after booking.
- Upsells is additional services or products to your guests after placing a reservation on your property.
- Upselling should be strategic and cater to your guest demographics and property location.
- Offer seamless payment options for add-ons during booking or confirmation.
- Prioritize guest satisfaction for positive reviews and repeat business.
- Upselling creates a memorable experience for guests and maximizes your returns.
What are Airbnb’s upsells?
Airbnb upsell refers to selling additional services or products to your guests after placing a reservation on your property. This is an excellent way to make extra income from your listing on Airbnb.
Providing additional services or products also allows you to stand out. You can leverage your listing add-ons to enhance the guest experience, inciting them to review your property positively. This will create additional business for you in terms of referrals and repeat bookings in the future.
How to use Airbnb add-ons to maximize your profits
Naturally, vacation rental hosts often aim to maximize profits by optimizing booking for additional revenue and minimizing operational expenses. As a host, you can use dynamic pricing tools to set prices for your property depending on seasons, events, and trends in your area.
However, Airbnb’s upselling is another critical tool to maximize your profits from your bookings. With upselling, the idea is to enhance your guest’s experience in your property, from check-in to post-check-out. Providing additional services or products to your guests and charging them would improve their overall satisfaction. And your guest would thank you for it.
How does Airbnb Upsell Work?
Once guests make a reservation at your property, you reach out to them, informing them of what else you offer to improve their vacation. When they demonstrate interest, you give them details of the offers and how much you charge.
Ensure you have a seamless system that allows your guests to pay for the additional services. Using tools such as Zeevou, you can enable your guests to choose Airbnb add-ons during the booking confirmation process, and the prices will be included in the final payment.
10 Cool Airbnb Upsells That Your Guests Would Love
Once you have considered upselling to maximize your vacation rental revenue, you’ll realize there is so much you can upsell to your guests. The products or services to upsell will largely depend on the location of your property, your target audience, and perhaps the seasons of the year (i.e. rainy or sunny seasons). Here are some incredible products and services that your guests would love to purchase to improve their experience in your property.
Additional Service Packages
1. Early check-ins and Late Check-out
Offering a flexible check-in and check-out is the simplest upsell for your Airbnb listing. Sometimes, guests may have trouble coordinating their arrival and the host’s stipulated check-in time, especially those traveling from far distances.
Depending on your check-in time, Airbnb guests may be forced to get a place to kill time as they wait for the stipulated check-in time. This can be an awful experience. Proving your guests with the option of paying a little extra to check in or check out at their convenience can improve their overall experience.
2. Airport Pick-up/Drop-off
For Airbnb guests, especially those new in town, figuring out traveling from point A to be can sometimes be stressful. Most travelers would be willing to take this burden off their shoulders.
Providing airport pick-up/drop-off and related logistical needs as a service to your guests can be a nice touch that they would love. Making it a simple add-on service during their booking is the best way to earn extra income from helping guests move from the airport to your property.
Besides making extra income, this upsell is a nice personal touch that can improve your guest experience, leading to positive reviews.
3. Rental Sporting Equipment
Depending on your target customers, providing rental equipment can be a good upsell for your Airbnb listing. The equipment you can offer as an upsell will depend on the location of your property and nearby activities available for your guests. Here’s a list of items you can rent out, including:
- Bikes
- Kayaks
- Beach toys
- Tennis equipment
- Swimming gear
Remember to keep your rental prices lower than the local shops. This will make it easy for your guests to pay extra for the services of this equipment. You’ll dramatically improve your guests’ experience by offering the rental equipment.
4. Extra Cleaning
For guest staying in your property longer than a week, providing cleaning services would improve their overall experience. Offering your guests an extra cleaning as an Airbnb add-on during their stay would be a worthwhile upselling.
It would be best to discuss possible cleaning arrangements with your guests, including the charges and the frequency of the services during their stay.
5. Shopping and Fully Stocked Pantry
Airbnb guests may arrive at your apartment tired and hungry. The last thing they would want is to go shopping and stock up on food for their stay. Offering the option for guests to pay extra for you to do their shopping and fully stock food and other provisions would improve your guest experience.
Upselling this as an additional service will allow you to ease the burden of shopping for your guests when they arrive. Make pre-arrangements with your guest who would love this Airbnb add-on to determine what they would like shopped and stocked before their arrival.
6. Laundry and Dry Cleaning Services
For business travelers, laundry and dry cleaning services are essential to their general welfare in your property. Providing these services as Airbnb add-ons will create a hotel-like experience that will encourage potential business guests to stay on your property.
Depending on your target customers, laundry and dry cleaning services are essential upsells for business travelers wanting to stay on your premises. It would boost your guests’ experience while creating an additional income stream.
Third-party Products & Services
As an Airbnb host, you can outsource additional services from outside providers for a commission on each sale. Here are some add-ons you can include in your listings to improve your guests’ experiences.
7. Local Experiences
Partner with local service providers to provide Airbnb experiences to your guests. The experiences could include cooking classes, rock climbing, scenic tours, and wine tasting. By recommending local Airbnb experiences to your guests, you would boost their stay in your property, and they will love you for it.
8. Taxi Shuttles
Besides offering to be your guests’ chauffeur, you could partner with a local taxi shuttle company to provide these services to your guests. They could offer airport pick up and drop together with drive around as your guests desire. Make it clear to your guests before arrival to ensure they know the additional charges.
9. Tickets to Events/Restaurant vouchers
Providing your guests access to exciting events in your areas can create a memorable experience that your visitors would love. Offer your guests tickets to events or restaurant vouchers at an extra fee to ensure they get the best experience in your property.
Highlight these offers in your Airbnb listing as an incentive to attract potential guests. Many guests would take you on your offer as it would help them avoid the hassle of looking for the tickets themselves. They will thank you for it.
10. Private Chefs
For high-end vacationers, providing private chefs is a luxury addition and a necessary personal touch. The guests would appreciate you going out of your way to ensure they have an ample and memorable experience in your property.
Private chefs offer guests a hotel-like experience without needing to go out. They provide customized menus for guests, ensuring an experience tailored to their unique needs.
11. City Tours
Creating a memorable Airbnb guest experience extends the property amenities. It involves allowing guests to enjoy the city’s beauty and the environment around your property.
Offering city tour guides to take your guests around to explore new sceneries can create a lasting impression on the guests. The guests will love this gesture and give you positive reviews for your out-of-the-box thinking.
Extra Products
You can also provide additional products for your guests at an extra cost. The range of products you can upsell to your guests is limited to your creativity. The goal is to ensure your guests feel special and get the best experience while staying on your property.
Here is a list of ideas of products you can include as Airbnb add-ons in your listing.
- Celebration cakes
- Breakfast box
- Flowers
- Balloons
- Parking permits
Final Thoughts
Airbnb hosting business requires commitment and strategic planning. Being deliberate in your listing and offers implies your dedication to ensuring exceptional experience for your guests. The key to generating revenue from the Airbnb platform is ensuring you consistently have guests booking your property. This is only possible when you prioritize your guest’s satisfaction, translating into positive reviews, repeat business, and referrals.
Creating a memorable experience entails going above and beyond providing accommodation for your guests and basic amenities. It includes providing an additional personal touch to boost your guests’ experience while maximizing your returns. Upselling is a strategic Airbnb business approach that ensures you optimize each booking for a maximum return from your guests.
Are you an Airbnb host? What are some of the upselling strategies you’re using to maximize your returns from your property? Please share with me your thoughts in the comments section.