Ways to pay: checkout, deposit, venue, WhatsApp

Last updated 15 October 2026

Each service has its own way to pay. You choose it on the service, and the booking form changes to match.

At a glance

WayThe customer paysThe booking is
FreeNothingConfirmed straight away
Paid at checkoutThe full price, in your Shopify checkoutConfirmed once paid
A depositPart in your Shopify checkout, the rest at the venueConfirmed once the deposit is paid
Pay at the venueEverything at the visitConfirmed straight away
Request on WhatsAppEverything at the visitA request, until you confirm it

Choose the way for a service

  1. In Bookmerce, open Services & events and choose the service.
  2. Under How customers book, pick a way.
  3. For Paid at checkout, set Customer pays now to the full price, or to “A deposit now, the rest later” and enter the deposit.
  4. Click Save.
The How customers book section of a service: Paid at checkout is chosen, with a $50 deposit on a $180 price.
1 The way to pay. 2 Full price, or a deposit now and the rest later.

You can change it any time. Bookings already made keep the way they were made.

What your customers see

The form is the same for every way: the customer picks a time, then fills in their details. Only the last button and the line under it change, so they always know what happens when they press it.

For paid services the button takes them to your Shopify checkout, and their time is held while they pay (15 minutes by default).

The booking form at its last step: the date and time, the customer's name and email, and a Continue to payment button.
Free
Confirm booking, with "Nothing to pay online" under it.
Paid at checkout
Continue to payment, $65, with "Your time is held for 15 minutes while you pay" under it.
A deposit
Pay deposit, $50, with "Your time is held for 15 minutes while you pay" under it.
Pay at the venue
Confirm booking, with "Pay $95 when you arrive" under it.
Request on WhatsApp
Send request on WhatsApp, with "Opens WhatsApp with your request. The store confirms it there" under it.

Payments go through your normal Shopify checkout, so every payment method you have in Shopify works, and discounts, taxes and gift cards work as usual. For each paid service we keep a hidden product in your store with the service’s price; you don’t need to touch it. If the customer doesn’t finish paying, the time is released.

With a deposit, collect the rest at the venue, or by Shopify invoice before the visit (Settings › Payments). The dashboard shows “Deposit paid” and how much is still due.

Requests on WhatsApp

  1. In Settings › Payments, add your WhatsApp number.
  2. On the service, choose Request on WhatsApp and save.
The WhatsApp requests section in Settings › Payments, with the WhatsApp number filled in.
1 Your WhatsApp number, with the country code.

The customer picks a time, and WhatsApp opens with the request written for them. The time is held for you (24 hours by default) while you confirm it in Requests. Replying on WhatsApp doesn’t confirm it: you always confirm in Requests. WhatsApp requests are paid at the venue.

This suits places where customers like to chat before they book.

Refunds

Refunds are made on the Shopify order. When a paid booking is cancelled, Bookmerce reminds you to refund it, with a link to the order.

Next: Service settings: length, breaks and booking rules

Still stuck? Email support@bookmerce.com with your store's address.