From mini-bar snacks to surf board rentals…
HonorTab lets you supercharge your vacation home by selling your guests premium items directly from your rental.
We recently sat down with Laney, one of our top HonorTab Hosts, and asked her to tell us her strategy for making HonorTab a profitable addition to her Airbnb listing.
Laney had some great things to share with us, so we asked her to write us a guide to help other users get started and come up with ideas.The following article is her guide to setting up and getting paid with HonorTab.
Hi! I’m Laney 🙂
When I first discovered HonorTab, I had stumbled across the website while researching ideas for my AirBnb. I’m all about amenities but at the same time I was looking for other ways to add a value added service while pocketing extra cash. I love the concept of HonorTab, adding a hotel style MiniBar with items that your guests will appreciate the convenience of having available to them for purchase during their stay.
The Bathroom
These are the most forgotten items when traveling. So why not add them to your HonorTab?
- Toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouth wash, etc. (Trial Sizes)
- Razers, shaving cream, deodorant
- Sunscreen- My Airbnb is in Tampa if yours is in Anchorage this probably isn’t needed : )
The Fridge
I stock my beverage cooler with coffee creamer, condiments and a few extras. Ketchup, mayo, syrup, hot sauce, butter and even some Mio Flavored water enhancer drops.
- Local bottled water, OJ, Izze Sparling juice, Perrier etc
- Protein boxes, Lunchables, yogurt. Something to grab on the go!
The Freezer
Here’s where my BFF, Trader Joe, comes through for me! I am lucky enough to have a Trader Joes just a few miles away, making it easy to keep my HonorTab freezer Stocked! My 2nd BFF’s are Ben and Jerry. Very popular with my guests! Also, I keep a big bag of ice as well as an IKEA freezer bag marked “AirBnB” so that guests can also store their own items in the freezer! (Win/Win)
Getting Paid
This is what my guests see when checking out.
This has been the tricky part. We want to keep the “Honor” in HonorTab. I personally would never dream of being a guest, using items that clearly are not included in my nightly rate and then checking out without paying. I don’t think many guests have this intention, but let’s face it; some of us are not “tech savvy” Guests can quickly become intimidated by the thought of having to download an app and navigate it. This can be stressful, not an emotion that is welcome during any kind of travel.
So, what to do?
Options, peeps, options!
I had many a guest check out and dash. I quickly became frustrated and considered tanking my HonorTab. I knew there had to be a way to better communicate to my guests that the items were not included in the nighty rate.
1. Include the HonorTab Logo with your AirBnb listing and mention the ins and outs in your house manual.
2. I always leave a printed copy of the house manual near the door. I include a printed menu (downloadable at HonorTab) as well as a brief FAQ. This communicates the concept of HonorTab to guests and makes it clear items with the HT sticker are not included in their nightly rate.
3. Leave printed Menu Trackers (available to print through the app) near the pantry, fridge, freezer, bar, etc.
Is HonorTab Worth It?
Absolutely, yes! As I mentioned above, it was a bit touch and go at the beginning, but I finally found a system that works for me. Almost all of my guests have commented on how much they love the HonorTab setup. It has led to very positive reviews and has made a bit of money for me. I’m at the point where I’m investing heavily in more equipment like chest freezers to better serve my guests.
What’s Next?
I teamed up with Luke from HonorTab to create templates and downloadable resources like the ones that I used to make my HonorTab successful. We’ve bundled them together into an awesome guide that we’d love to share with you. Just install the HonorTab App and register as a host and we’ll get these awesome, money making, 5 star-review-earning templates to you.