Heading to an Airbnb, but you don't want to haul along six boxes of your kid's favorite macaroni and cheese? You might soon be able to have your choice of groceries waiting for you when you arrive. Airbnb is testing a new service in three US cities that will allow travelers to place an Instacart order ahead of their trip.
The program will launch Jan. 5 in Phoenix, Orlando and Los Angeles and will continue for a few months to see if it gains traction among guests. Currently, guests can place an Instacart order during their stay if they desire, but this feature would mean the items would already be there when they arrive.
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The new option would mean more work for Airbnb hosts, who'd have to unpack and put away the order before guests arrive. However, Airbnb plans to pay hosts for each completed order.
"By offering this service, they [hosts] not only receive rewards, including a one-time payment of $100 plus $25 for each delivery that opts in for kitchen stocking, but they will be helping to make their guests' stay even better," an Airbnb spokesperson told CNET.
Guests can use Instacart through the Airbnb app to order groceries, household essentials and other items up to three weeks in advance. After they place an order, the hosts are notified. The host then selects a date and time that works for them to receive the order.
"While the order can be placed up to three weeks in advance of a stay, hosts can coordinate delivery and kitchen stocking to be a part of the general turnover process between guests, similar to cleaning," the Airbnb spokesperson said.
On delivery day, hosts receive updates on the order's status and can notify guests that their groceries have been packed and are ready for pickup. Hosts can accept the delivery up to 24 hours in advance and at least three hours before the guest's check-in time. Hosts are also expected to follow food safety guidelines when unpacking and stocking items.
This isn't the first time Airbnb has experimented with unique services for guests. They previously teamed up with Chargepoint, the electric car charging service, and offered guests discounts on EV chargers.
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