I pitched this idea to Airbnb’s Brian Cheskey a couple years ago (he has a public email address, for what that’s worth). Needless to say it never got a response. But I still think it has legs.
The idea is simple: offer add-on products, from bath-products to booze, that are shipped to the location in advance of the guests’ stay—waiting for them on the kitchen counter in a nicely branded package. These custom packages, on their own, are not intended to be huge revenue drivers, but they could do wonders for customer experience. Ultimately that is key for customer retention and annual revenue per user (ARPU).
Little things can go a long way when traveling
I’ll never forget the white sand beaches and turquoise water at Caneel Bay in St. John, where my wife and I honeymooned. I will also never forget the complimentary rum punch we were greeted with when we got off the boat. While it was just a small drink in a plastic cup, it was a really nice gesture—at the perfect time! Little things can sometimes go a really long way.
That is the essence of these packages. Some of them may seem prosaic but they have the benefit of timing, circumstance and in many cases, the intrigue of local vendors—Murray’s cheese in New York City for example. Others have a more nuanced and sentimental appeal that can also go a long way—especially with kids!
Happy kids = loyal customers = ARR
My son’s favorite car is a Tesla. It wasn’t until he actually rode in one, though, that he officially fell in love. It was not my Tesla, nor a friend’s, but rather the property of 1 Hotel South Beach. Getting a ride to Joe’s Stone Crab in that Tesla is a memory he will always have. Of all the great things I could say about that hotel (see our review), that Tesla ride is what my son remembers most and it’s essentially a complimentary service. An add-on.
While few Airbnb hosts can provide Tesla service, there are little things that can be offered (available for purchase, on the site, and mailed to the host in advance) that can go a long way with kids. Take the “Hogwarts” package for example (below). “Roomates”-brand bed spreads are not exactly luxury bedding. Nor is the miniature “Potion Bottle” night lamp a reliable light source. But you combine these with the Harry Potter decals and mini quidditch stick—and you’ve transformed an ordinary room into a magical place they will always remember. When the time comes to leave, the bed spreads fold-up and can fit into a small bag, along with the other accessories, that the guests can take with them.
A little history behind this idea…
When I ran marketing for Wine Spectator circa 2008, I put together a pitch for a co-branding campaign with an airline called “Flights on Flights.” The idea was to give passengers an option to buy the “Wine Flights” package when they purchase their ticket online. Yes, the title is pun. That’s why they paid me the big bucks.
When the drinks are passed, if you bought the package, you would be given a flight of 3 wines (2 oz pours) from Wine Spectator’s “Value Wines” index, plus the most recent issue of the magazine. There are clear benefits to all parties—Wine Spectator, the suppliers, the airline and the customer—which I’m not going to elaborate on in this article but you can use your imagination. Unfortunately, the financial crisis struck and my idea died on the vine (no pun intended on that one), but I think this kind of “value add” could be a perfect fit for Airbnb.
Here is what I sent Airbnb…
