BnSellit Technology Inc.

How to Make Your Vacation Rental “Homey” for Guests.

Mark Muralla — Thu, 05 May 2022 16:38:58 +0000

We love that you put love into your Vacation Rentals. So let us help you do that.

There is a reason your guests chose to book your vacation rental over a large hotel. Your guests have booked your rental either for more space, to get a homey feel, or possibly to save a little cash. However, do not let your guests miss out on that 5-Star hotel experience.

We know that running a rental property (or properties) is not easy. We are vacation rental owners ourselves! You work hard to ensure that your guests can use your space as a commonplace for relaxation and enjoying themselves. In doing this, hosts also ensure that their rental is equipped for everything a guest may need, so why not add your virtual marketplace to that luxury.

In the everyday home, people have the necessities they need on hand, but with the hustle and bustle of traveling, people don’t think to pack certain things, or it may be too much to carry with them. By providing a marketplace of items that your guests can select, you are communicating to tell them you thought of them.

We all decorate our rentals to keep the interest of guests high. We hire cleaning services or do it ourselves to keep the space in tip-top shape. We provide lots of information and create guest books for our guests to never run into any issues finding an item or using an appliance. Needless to say, we work hard for that 5-star review! But more importantly, we also do this to please our guests because they are, in fact, our guests.

Here is the usual occurrence for rental guests: The host has a coffee machine on-site with a single pod of coffee which is an excellent addition for their guests! The only issue is that more than one guest is staying there, they are going to be there numerous days, and they have to go out to purchase creamer and more pods. Or, they have to make a coffee run every morning 15 minutes away. This is the typical situation for rental guests! It can get pricey to provide a substantial amount of coffee grounds or pods to guests, so why not sell them instead! This way, your guests do not have to run to any stores and interrupt their vacation to get something as simple as a morning coffee. Instead, your guests will be very impressed with your attention to detail in making their stay that much more convenient!

Setting up your virtual marketplace is simple and here’s how to do it:

1. Collect the items you wish to sell to your guests in a nicely compiled display. Our hosts like to present their articles in things like baskets filled with extra toiletries, entertainment, snacks, and sleep essentials.

2. Upload the photo, description, and price of the items on the BnSellit app or Secure Host Portal.

3. Then, all you have to do is print out your host ID and display it beside the item. This ensures your guests know exactly how to purchase your items from the convenience of their smartphones.

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A host shared an excellent idea to sell compact pillows or pillowcases for their guests. This is a smart choice of merchandise because people like the idea of having a fresh pillow, and they may not have thought to bring one or couldn’t due to size.

Sometimes guests may appreciate a fresh new set of sheets when they see it is available. This is a great touch to add to your rental and it doesn’t have to break the bank! All the items above are available at IKEA (USD). Pictures here are a compact standard pillow- 5.99, pillowcase- 4.99, blanket and fitted sheet- 4.99, and a towel- 4.99.

Here we have compiled the items in a basket that we will display in the master bedroom’s vanity.

Or would you enjoy a high-end option:

A 22-Momme 100% Pure Mulberry Silk Pillowcase Scrunches and Eye Mask – $106.99 USD

These are the little details that your guests will appreciate and have them saying, “wow… that was a great idea to book this place,” at the end of their stay.

Get started today and introduce BnSellit into your “Homey” Vacation Rental.

Experiences & Adventure for your Guests

Mark Muralla — Thu, 14 Apr 2022 13:28:36 +0000

Experiences Feature

We are excited to announce this new addition to our platform that gives our Hosts a way to make additional income while making their guests experience full of entertainment and adventure all without maintaining any inventory.

Are you familiar with the concierge desk at a hotel? They are located at the hotel’s lobby and they recommend restaurants, shows and entertainment to guests. Well, now this concept of a hotel concierge is available on the BnSellit platform from the convenience of your guest’s personal phone screen!

We are calling it BnSellit Experiences. This new feature allows guests to book local experiences and activities such as helicopter tours, passes to museums, concert tickets, food tastings, renting a personal chef for dinner, ski lessons, comedy club tickets and so much more. Hosts do not have to upload these experiences themselves; instead, all available experiences will be automatically generated based on the geographical location. So Hosts, sit back and let the passive income come from guests simply enjoying themselves!

We are now making it easier for Hosts to earn more income while making their Vacation Rental a convenient and premium-level package deal for their guests. Hosts can continue to generate revenue even beyond their inventory available in their virtual marketplace.

HOW IT WORKS

1. Guest Scans the QR Code

2. BnSellit displays a list of local experiences and attractions

3. The guest purchases an experience

4. Tickets are sent to the guest via email or text!

Hosts have a lot of responsibility running their vacation rentals! Sometimes there isn’t always time to restock minibar type items between guests or maybe you’re waiting for the replenishment of your Marketplace Kit item. Not to worry! With the virtual Experiences feature, there is always something for your guests to purchase and enjoy. Your guests can browse your online marketplace, alongside any experiences they may want to book all in one place.

With our Experiences feature, Hosts will be able to provide local experiences to their guests during their stay with immediacy and flexibility. In addition, hosts receive a percentage of sales when guests book their tickets through the virtual Experiences. The host’s earning ranges depending on the experience booked. Our host will receive 40% of our commission which is between 8-10% of the sale.

Have guests that like to party but you have a no large gathering policy? Let them enjoy having fun outside of your rental with all of the party filled experiences on the Experiences feature.

The Experiences feature provides an excellent opportunity for Hosts to support the local businesses in their area by promoting their services and events to their guests. BnSellit would love to support your small business of charcuterie board making, free-lance photography, luxury picnic set ups or at-home aesthetician mani-pedi services.

The BnSellit Experiences feature works in all STR rental and hotel vacation stays.

For our Short Term Rental Hosts, we recommend letting your guests know that if they are looking to do anything fun during their stay that they can scan the Host ID to check out what is available to them. It is always best to place your Host ID beside your other items for sale this way, your rental guests know that your QR code correlates to purchasing things they may want or need.

In terms of our Hotel Hosts, we recommend placing your Host ID signs within the guest rooms, lounges, poolside and wherever your guests tend to leisure.

We have many fun options for signage to choose from that will fit any Vacation Rental. Email us at info@bnsellit for more information.

So what do you have to do now? Download and print your Host ID that includes your QR code, sit back, and let the income roll in.

Want to see a sneak peek? Scan this QR code to see what experiences are available; no need to download the Buy it app.

Outfitting Your Property With Things Your Guests Will Love

Mark Muralla — Mon, 21 Mar 2022 16:43:40 +0000

There’s never been a better time to be a vacation rental owner. According to a survey by tourism market research firm Destination Analysts, around 82% of Americans are in a “ready to travel” mindset this year. This proves that travel sentiment has recovered significantly in spite of the disruption caused by the virus’ variants. In fact, the same survey also notes that at least 92% of respondents will take a leisure trip in the next year. For vacation rental owners, this means that business will be picking up and hopefully returning to how it was before the pandemic.

If you want to attract more people to your vacation rental property, we’ve highlighted below some of the key amenities your property should have.

Washer & Dryer

A lot of vacationers these days are looking for a more flexible way to work. For this reason, most of them opt for long vacations where they can have fun while they work. If you have guests that are looking to stay for more than a week, they will appreciate your property more if it was outfitted with a washer and dryer. With these features, you can also entice renters to book a longer stay with your property. Aside from having a washer and a dryer, be sure to provide useful items as well, such as washing powder, fabric softener, and a drying rack.

Fast & Reliable Wi-Fi

“Off-the-grid” experiences are slowly going out of style. As we’ve mentioned, many of today’s vacationers are looking to work flexibly and adopt a digital nomad lifestyle. Because of this, it’s important that your vacation rental property is outfitted with fast and reliable Wi-Fi. An article on money management resource AskMoney.com notes that you should read the fine print before signing a Wi-Fi plan. This is mainly because you want to avoid agreeing to a plan with a low data cap and throttled speeds. By making sure that your property has Wi-Fi, your guests will be able to continue their work while enjoying the relaxing amenities you have in your property. This is also a feature that you should strongly consider if you’re looking to improve your property’s exposure and reputation on social media.

More Than Basic Kitchen Appliances & Utensils

Another key amenity that your vacation rental home should have is a kitchen where your guests can prepare their meals. According to a survey, 62% of guests want to cater for themselves while on vacation. Furthermore, more than 83% of potential guests look for a fully equipped kitchen when booking a rental property. A post on digital lifestyle magazine TheManual.com highlights how the most basic kitchens should have a refrigerator, a cookware set, a stove, a microwave, a toaster oven, and other utensils. If you’re considering adding this feature to your property, make sure that you only get high-quality appliances and utensils that can handle being frequently used.

Curated Selection of Travel Items

Your guests will surely appreciate any gesture of convenience that you extend to them. To make a good first impression with your guests, why not give them a curated selection of travel items that they might find useful during their stay? Here on BnSellit.com, we can help you to provide your guests with essential items and products that they can use during their trip. Our Marketplace Kits are based on research and include useful items such as phone chargers, breath strips, tampons, medication, and sheet masks. Your guests can see the whole range of Marketplace items offered by simply scanning a QR code that you can display on your rental property.

If you want to elevate your guests’ experience, be sure to consider adding to your marketplace with items such as seasonal items (aloe gel, umbrellas, bug spray etc.), snacks (chips, sodas, trail mixes etc.) and local goods (organic honey, local art, and souvenirs).

Written exclusively by Anna Wright for bnsellit.com

Your Marketplace Inspiration

Mark Muralla — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 21:08:38 +0000

Did you know that BnSellit hosts receive 100% of every sale made from items sold at their vacation rental property? Our hosts like to sell drinks & snacks, useful items like toothpaste and sunscreen, art % collected, and much more!

Here are some items we recommend you sell to your vacation rental guests:

The Marketplace refillable bags are a perfect addition to any vacation rental, there is an excellent selection of categorized bags to create a convenient variety store right there in your rental! However, we encourage our hosts to add items to their kits that are unique to their location and the experience they would like for guests.

Near the Beach:

Sell beach essentials! Such items could include beach chair clips, cold drink tumblers, and mini personal fans. These items will allow your guests to spend more time enjoying the sand and less time going to stores.

Small Town Cottage:

Collect local goods from farmer’s markets and mom and pop shops. Hosts can include local jams, honey and trinkets that represent the town. Your guests will be grateful, and so will the locals!

Big City Loft:

Add items to your Marketplace for your guests ready to explore. Sell umbrellas, selfie sticks, and portable chargers so they are well prepared for their visit.

Lake-side Cabin:

Include a bug protection kit that includes bug spray, citronella candles and anti-itch cream.

Tourist Hotspot:

Your guests may spend a lot of time on their feet exploring, so make sure they have the essentials! Hosts can add, fast flats, hats, and reusable water bottles.

Snow Lodge:

Keep your guests toasty warm with items like hand warmers, thermal socks and hot chocolate mixes. Your guests will appreciate it!

The Long Distance Home:

Do most of your guests travel long distances to get to your rental? Add items to make their return travels a little more smooth! Add items such as Gravol, neck pillows, and a blanket.

Don’t know where your rental falls in these categories? Not to worry, you can’t go wrong with adding more snacks or games! The Marketplace refillable bags come with bags for candies and chocolates but you can add chips, trail mixes and granola bars for your guests to take with them for their daily activities or the ride home. Pocket-sized games are also a great idea to keep your guests entertained. Games like cards, Monopoly Deal, UNO and Travel Scrabble.

The best place to gain inspiration on what to add to your marketplace is by visiting local stores that tourists often visit. These certain stores are filled with essentials and souvenirs. These items your guests may already be seeking out, so why not be one step ahead of them, they will appreciate your effort!

To keep your marketplace eye-catching, it’s best if hosts keep their inventory full and contain various items. Once your guests purchase an item, hosts should restock their inventory with any duplicate items they have collected beforehand! This way, everything is available to each guest to buy, and hosts can make the most earnings possible.

Here are the BnSellit’s Team Picks of what you can add to your rental:

BnSellit Technology Inc. Announces Launch of new Enterprise Division

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BNSL-launches-Enterprise-Division-Final

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Mark Muralla — Fri, 21 Jan 2022 20:47:44 +0000

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The Photo Savvy Host

Mark Muralla — Sun, 26 Dec 2021 23:55:41 +0000

Here are some tips for uploading pictures to your BnSellit Marketplace.

Although this seems like a small detail, we think it is essential to show your guests well-presented items, it may help them make a purchase.

Here are seven easy tips to remember:

1. Have a Clean Camera Lens.

Fingerprints and smudges can appear on photos, so make sure to give the lens a quick wipe before.

2. Set Up Your Background.

Try to find a surface that is a solid color with nothing in the background. This way, your items are the focal point of the picture. However, make sure your item is not a similar color to the scene, so it doesn’t blend in.

3. Take Your Photos During the Day.

Sometimes photos taken with flash look too harsh, so the best type of lighting for a picture in daylight! Set up your item facing a window. Although, make sure your image is not backlit (this is when the light comes from behind the object instead of in front of it).

4. Fill the Frame.

Make sure your item takes up the majority of the photo.

5. Shoot All Your Photos at the Same Angle.

Make sure that when you take your photo, you are standing in front of the item, and you aren’t at any weird angle. Pro tip: if you want to give your item some depth, try shooting your photo at a slight angle.

6. Take 5 Good Photos.

If you are taking a photo of an item that isn’t generic (like water bottles or soda cans), give your guests various photos. If you are selling something as a set, make sure to take individual pictures of each item. If your item opens or can sit in different ways, make sure to include those visuals as well.

7. Set the Scene.

Include one photo of your item displayed where it would usually be placed. For example, if you were selling a sculpture, you would take a picture of it on the desk it sits on with a nice photo in the background.

Now you’re ready to add a brief description of the item, set a price, and it’s ready to go. Woo your STR guests with how great your virtual marketplace looks and impress them even further with how great those items are!

The Hostess with the Most-ess

Mark Muralla — Wed, 15 Dec 2021 21:39:57 +0000

Since launching our Marketplace Kit promotion, hosts have been inspired to sell more of their items in their short-term rentals and discover what their guests love. This past November, our featured host, Dr. Christin Bradley, introduced her Marketplace Kit in her lovely short-term rental in Denton, Texas. Within one day of having her Marketplace Kit in her rental, she received her first purchase. Her guests bought the Charger Kit, Pearly Whites and the KitKat pack. Christin showed us her sales and said, “Literally the first day I set it up! I love this!!!” and told us that in just 12 hours, she already made 28 dollars. Imagine what could be made in a month? Or even a year! We’re excited to see what’s to come for her rental.

Here’s what else Dr. Christin had to say:

“As a short-term rental host I am constantly trying to think of creative ways to give my guests the best experience possible.

True story: My first job at just 16 years old was in a hotel and I remember having to stock the hotel room with soaps, water, and other necessities for guests! Some items were even available for guests to purchase.

I wanted to create a very similar concept in my own short term rental!

The perfect getaway Marketplace!”

“It’s a win for the host because the host makes additional profit beyond their rental income, and the guest gets to enjoy snacks, toiletries or whatever else they may need that is on the cart without having to go to the local store!”

– Dr. Christin Bradley

With the Marketplace Kit promotion, we hope this allows guests to discover how easy it is to sell items that will enhance guests’ stay. Even the smallest of items could make a guest stay that much better. For example, if your short-term rental is a cozy cabin, selling hot chocolate mixes for your guests to sip on could be the ‘icing on the cake.’

The BnSellit Kits have also inspired Dr. Bradley and now she sells her small businesses’ merchandise! Her online business is called the Host to Freedom Collection, which consists of home and lifestyle-created products (along with also providing its audience with tips and tricks about everything short-term rental). Besides her Marketplace Kit, she has begun selling her @HosttoFreedomCollection mugs that have handmade phrases on them like” Be Our Guest” and “The Perfect Getaway.” How cute! Now her guests can take something to remember her rental by. All she had to do was upload an image of her mugs on the BnSellit app, add a price, description and now her items are ready to be purchased by the next guest that comes across them.

A side table or counter is perfect for displaying your Marketplace Kit or other items for sale. Bradley has created a dedicated corner to all the items she sells with a chalkboard and a stylish side table for her guests to check out. This is sure to be the first thing her guests are drawn to look at. She has also conveniently placed her unique Host ID beside her items for sale to ensure that guests know exactly how to purchase these items.

All Dr. Bradley’ guests have to do is scan the QR code or search the website address to take them to her online store and . . . poof! A sale is made.

According to SiteMinder’s 2021 Changing Traveler Report,

60% of US travelers “Now expect higher standards from their accommodation providers”.

When guests prepare to travel, they may often forget certain items, and once they arrive at your rental, they may not want to leave to go buy those forgotten items. By providing items in the convenience of their vacation rental, they can breathe a sigh of relief. Not only does this innovative service provide comfort, but it can also provide entertainment and fun! Hosts should think about making their guests stay that much more fulfilling by selling things like games, spa kits or renting out sports equipment. The BnSellit Marketplace is a collection of essential items and curated products specially put together for every short-term rental guest to enjoy. Feel free to take inspiration from what comes in the Kit to sell your own items!

We created the Marketplace Kit as a starting point for hosts to become familiar with the BnSellit app and see how easy it is to make extra money! Once you wish to replenish your Marketplace Kit, restock packs will be available for purchase at wholesale prices from our supplier via our website. We encourage our hosts to refill their kits with their own items or from local stores. Our app was built knowing there is more money to be made from every short-term rental, and we created a platform for guests to do exactly that.

If you are a short-term rental host and wish to be sent one of these kits, email us at [email protected] or schedule a call using this link: https://calendly.com/bnsellit to see if you are qualified. Don’t let this money-making opportunity go to waste! Download the BnSellit app and discover all the new possibilities waiting for you.

Once you receive your Marketplace Kit, don’t forget to post a picture of it displayed in your STR and tag us @bnsellitinc to get free shipping on your next restock order!

Bradley’s story inspired us to write this blog, and we hope that she encourages you to make much more from your short-term rental today!

Check out Dr. Bradley’s Instagram post to see how she set-up her Marketplace:

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BnSellit Technology Inc. Provides Operating Update

Mark Muralla — Wed, 24 Nov 2021 17:05:32 +0000

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What Do Coffee Shops, Gas Stations and STRs Have in Common? Trust.

Mark Muralla — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 14:21:24 +0000

This balance of trust is evident everywhere in our society.

When you go to a coffee shop, and there are mobile orders on the counter waiting to be picked up, Starbucks trusts the community will not take coffees that don’t belong to them.

When you go to pick up food, and there are takeout bags waiting to be picked up by delivery services like Ritual, the restaurant trusts the public not to take someone else’s food.

When you walk by a market or gas station with products displayed outside the store, they trust that people don’t walk by and take it.

When you go on a train and pay for a ticket, the transportation company doesn’t check every person’s proof of payment, but they trust you bought a ticket.

The same thing goes for minibars in Canadian and American hotels. Although the process has become more sensitized, the hotel trusts that you didn’t take snacks or water without paying for them first.

Supermarkets are also implementing the honor system with their self-checkout stations. They are trusting their customers to scan every item they place in their shopping bags.

And finally, Short-Term Rentals implement the Honor System. Hosts trust that their guests won’t steal any items on the property and that they will respect their spaces. There is always a level of trust between you (the host) and your Short-Term rental guests. You provide a service that allows guests to experience their travels in a space much more welcoming than what a hotel can provide. And you trust that your guests will respect your property. In turn, your guests also have to charge you; they rely on you to provide them with shelter, safety, and comfort.

This is called, the Honor System, aka the “trust system” is a belief that society will self-regulate itself to be ethical and not take things without buying them first. Of course, this is not always the case, but have you ever seen someone steal drinks from Starbucks? Or steal a bag of ice from the gas station?

With the honor system, you trust that your guests won’t take any items from your STR, and they trust that you will provide them with a safe space to stay.

“trust that your guest won’t steal your pillow as much as you trust that they won’t steal that bag of chips”

Let’s talk about how this affects the Marketplace Kit Program. If you are not familiar with our MPK Program, BnSellit provides qualifying Short-Term Rental guests with a collection of essential items and curated products to sell to their guests. Hosts are encouraged to add their items to sell with this kit and replenish items based on what your customers enjoy! For example, if your guests take a liking to the Summer Set collection, this may inspire hosts to sell sunscreen, sunglasses and lip balm again after it is sold! The Honor System or trust system is clearly placed on your MPK as well! The MPK comes sealed, and we provide you with printable signage to display besides these items; that way, it is clear to guests how to purchase these items easily!

When you display the items that are for sale on the app we provide you with a Host ID card to put beside your items that clearly tells your guests that they are for sale and how they can easily purchase them. If you have larger items for sale like decoration pieces, paintings or small furniture, guests will see that they are for sale by scrolling through your online Marketplace after searching your Host ID. That way you do not have to put these larger items together in a designated spot, but instead they can flow with the set up of your space. When it comes to smaller items like snacks, toiletries and games; we recommend keeping them all together in one display to prevent misplaced items or guests accidentally taking them. Now all these items have a cute designated sort-of mini store within your rental!

By selling items to guests on the BnSellit app you are enhancing your short-term rental by providing your guests with a unique and fun experience that will leave a lasting impression.

Knowing the Honor system when setting up your sellable items, you will be confident your guests will see the extra service you are providing them, and that they will follow the purchasing process on BnBuyit (or through the quick checkout on our website).

There is a mutual trust between host and guest so that both sides get the best outcomes out of their b&b experience. As STR hosts we do our best to give our guests the best experience possible. And as guests going into someone else’s space, we do our best to enjoy our time while being aware of that. Society has built a trust in the many structures all around us and we expect the same trust in our STR guests.