Emily Duprie
It’s very frustrating to rent out a mediocre home on Airbnb for hundreds of dollars a night and then be asked to clean up before you leave. That’s not even the worst part, though. The worst part is that most owners will also charge for a “cleaning fee” that can accumulate into hundreds of dollars as well.
It’s safe to say that we’re all tired of Airbnb racking up their prices with outlandish extra fees for “cleaning” and “service.” After all, if we wanted to have cleaning fees included and pay an arm and leg for a place to stay, we’d just stick with hotels. Well as it turns out, one TikToker, Norman (normanbnb), found a way to not only take away cleaning fees for his customers, but also make a surplus of money in doing so.
This Airbnb host has found a way to make everyone happy. By removing the cleaning fee for his buildings and simultaneously raising his overnight price, Norman has managed to make way more money in a “free shipping” trick. This trick is used on store websites in which the seller raises the cost of the item and removes the shipping fee. As one commenter said on Norman’s video, “it’s all a mental game.”
I guess the grudge against the cleaning fees is strong for most Airbnb users, as they didn’t seem to question the more expensive nightly charge. Norman wrote in a text overlay of his video, “When you remove the cleaning fee, raise your nightly rate and now you’re 100% occupied at your 30 Airbnb homes.”
The hack this now-fully booked Airbnb host used went viral on TikTok and ensued discussion on why it was his tactic worked so well.
https://www.tiktok.com/@normanbnb/video/7179760582151785771
Viewers agreed that when the cleaning fee is out of sight, out of mind, it’s more appealing to rent out a property.
In the comment section of the video, users discussed their grievances with cleaning fees on Airbnb listings.
