Selling extras is a simple way to earn more from each shortlet stay. A guest already inside your home may be glad to pay for breakfast, cold drinks, an airport pick-up or a laundry run, because it saves them a trip out. On Cabans, checked-in guests can order your extras from their stay page, pay online, and you bring them to the home for free.
This guide covers what to sell, how to price it, how delivery and billing work, and how to put together a welcome pack guests remember.
What stay extras are
Stay extras are things your guests can buy from you during a stay. You set them up once in the seller menu under “Stay Extras”, then choose which of your shortlets offer each one.
- Who sees them: only guests who are fully checked in at a property you ticked. Extras never appear in search, on your store page or on your listing pages.
- How guests buy: on their stay page, in a card called “Shop for your stay”. They add items to their basket and pay online through Paystack.
- How it arrives: you or your team bring it to the home. Delivery to the stay is free for the guest.
- When: only while the guest is fully checked in. Not before the host approves the check-in, and not after they leave.
The step-by-step help guide how to sell stay extras to your guests shows every screen.
Ideas guests actually buy
The best extras solve a problem the guest has right now: hunger, thirst, getting somewhere, or something they forgot. Start with a few and add more as you learn.
| Type | Ideas | Who buys it |
|---|---|---|
| Food | Breakfast, a simple meal, fresh fruit, snacks | Business guests, late arrivals, families |
| Drinks | Bottled water, soft drinks, juice, wine | Any guest |
| Travel | Airport pick-up or drop-off, a driver for the day | First-time visitors, guests from abroad |
| Comfort | Toiletries, phone chargers, an extra fan, a baby cot | Guests who forgot something, families |
| Services | Laundry and ironing, a mid-stay clean | Long stays, work trips |
| Celebrations | A cake, a decoration set-up for a birthday or proposal | Couples, staycations |
Think about your guests. A flat near offices sells breakfast and laundry. A home near the beach sells cold drinks and snacks. A family home sells cots and simple meals. See also our guide to hosting business travellers.
A later check-out as an extra
Some hosts sell a later check-out. Only offer it when no one is arriving that day, and agree the new time with the guest in a message. Remember the guest’s door code stops showing on their stay page 2 hours after the normal check-out time, and guest requests close then too. So keep any later check-out within that time, or make sure the guest has another way in, such as a key.
Prices and stock
To add an extra, open “Stay Extras” and press “Add your first extra” (later, “Add an extra”). Then fill in:
- “Photo”: a clear, real photo. A new photo waits for approval; until then guests see the approved one.
- “Name” and “Description (optional)”: say exactly what is included, and when you can bring it.
- “Price (₦)”: what a guest pays for one. Delivery to the stay is free, so build your costs into the price.
- “Stock”: choose “Track how many I have” for things that run out.
- “Where guests can buy it”: tick the short lets where guests can order it.
The live preview, “How guests see it”, shows the tile as a guest will. Extras go live as soon as you save, with no approval, except a new photo.
Pricing tips:
- Price for your real cost. Include the item, your time and the trip to the home.
- Keep small items together. Card payments start at ₦1,000 (one thousand naira), so sell water as a pack, not a single bottle.
- Be fair. Guests compare with the shop down the road. A small mark-up for convenience is fine; a big one feels unfair.
Stock does not count down on its own.Orders do not lower your stock number. Update it when you restock or run out. Guests see “Sold out” or “Only 3 left” based on the number you enter. To pause an extra, switch it to “Hidden from guests”.
Delivering to the stay
When a checked-in guest orders, the extra is paid for online, and you bring it to the home. Cabans does not promise a delivery time, so set your own and keep to it.
- Say when in the description, for example “Breakfast brought between 7 and 9 in the morning. Order the night before.”
- Keep a small stock at the property or nearby for fast items like water and snacks.
- Knock or call first. Respect the guest’s privacy, even when you have a key.
- If you run out, tell the guest at once and hide the extra, so no one else orders it.
If a guest leaves before paying for extras in their basket, they can no longer pay for them, because the stay has ended.
Billing what guests used
Some things are easier to charge for afterwards, like drinks from a stocked fridge or a laundry bag. For that, use “Bill the guest” on the booking.
- Open the booking while the guest has the keys, is checked in or is leaving.
- In “Bill the guest”, pick how many of each extra they used. Add a “Note for the guest” if you like.
- Press “Review bill”, check it, and press “Send bill”.
- The guest pays it from their stay page.
Good to know:
- You can only bill extras that are on sale and linked to that property. A hidden extra must be published first.
- One bill can hold 1 to 20 different extras, and 1 to 99 of each.
- A bill below ₦1,000 is refused, because a card cannot be charged that little. Add more to it.
- You cannot take a bill back once it is sent, so check it carefully.
- Paid bills arrive as paid orders in your store’s Orders.
Guests can also ask for help through “Stay services”, such as “Room service” for fresh towels. See how to answer guest requests and bill extras, and the Host Academy lesson During the stay.
Welcome packs
A welcome pack is a small set of things waiting for guests when they arrive. It makes a strong first impression, and it is a natural way to introduce your paid extras.
A free basic pack
- Bottled water in the fridge
- Tea, coffee and sugar
- A few biscuits or snacks
- Toilet roll, soap and a small shampoo
- A welcome note (see below)
Paid packs to sell as extras
- Breakfast pack: bread, eggs, butter, spread, fruit and juice.
- Drinks pack: a case of water and a selection of soft drinks.
- Celebration pack: a cake, drinks and simple decorations.
- Family pack: snacks, juice boxes and wipes.
A welcome note you can copy
“Welcome! We hope you enjoy your stay. The Wi-Fi network name is on your stay page, and the password and door code appear there once your check-in is complete. Please read the house rules on your stay page. Hungry? Open ‘Shop for your stay’ for breakfast, drinks and more, brought to your door. Need anything else? Use ‘Stay services’ or message us. Have a lovely stay!”
Never write the door code or Wi-Fi password in the note. Guests see them on their stay page, and they are never sent by email.
Start selling extras
Extras only work when guests can book and check in online. Take bookings online, then add your first three extras. Guests pay for extras and bills online through Paystack, like the booking itself, and pay Paystack’s processing fee on top. What they pay for extras and bills is added to your payout for the stay. Cabans charges you a 5% commission, and you are paid within 7 days after the stay, sooner when the guest approves the payment. See also the tools for managing short-let bookings.
New to hosting on Cabans? List your short let and work through the free Host Academy. To see what guests expect, browse homes on the short let page or in Lekki.
Frequently asked questions
What are stay extras on Cabans?
Things your guests can buy from you during their stay, such as breakfast, bottled water or an airport pick-up. Checked-in guests see them on their stay page, pay online, and you bring the items to the home. Delivery to the stay is free.
Who can see my stay extras?
Only guests who are fully checked in at a property you ticked for that extra. Extras never appear in search, on your store page or on your listing pages.
What should I put in a shortlet welcome pack?
Bottled water, tea or coffee, sugar, a few snacks, basic toiletries and a short welcome note with the house rules and local tips. Keep a free basic pack, and sell a bigger breakfast or drinks pack as an extra.
Does Cabans lower my stock when a guest orders?
No. Orders do not lower the stock number. Update it yourself when you restock or run out, so guests see “Sold out” or “Only 3 left” correctly.
Can I charge a guest for things they used, like drinks from the fridge?
Yes. Use “Bill the guest” on the booking while the guest has the keys, is checked in or is leaving. Pick the extras they used, review the bill and send it. The guest pays it from their stay page.
Is there a minimum amount for an extra or a bill?
Card payments start at ₦1,000 (one thousand naira). A bill below that cannot be paid by card, so group small items together into one bill.
Related guides
Hosting business travellers · Shortlet house rules template · Shortlet cleaning checklist · Is a shortlet profitable? · Setting prices for busy dates
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