The No-Show Problem Is a Payment Problem
Most service businesses experience a 15–30% no-show rate when bookings require no upfront commitment. The correlation is straightforward: zero cost to cancel = zero cost to not show up. The client who booked at 9 PM on Sunday had every intention of coming. By Tuesday morning, something else came up. Because they paid nothing, there's no friction to cancelling (or just not appearing).
The fix is equally straightforward: require a deposit at the time of booking. Studies consistently show that businesses requiring a deposit at booking see no-show rates drop by 40–60%. The client is now financially committed — and human psychology does the rest.
How BookPoint Online Payment at Booking Works
- You enable payments — Connect your Stripe account in BookPoint's Settings → Integrations.
- Full payment required at booking — Clients pay the full service price via Stripe before the booking is confirmed. Per-service configurable deposit amounts (partial %) are coming soon.
- Client books and pays — The BookPoint booking flow includes a Stripe payment step. The client enters card details and pays before the booking is confirmed.
- Manual refunds from dashboard — From the bookings panel you can issue full or partial refunds to the client's original card. Automatic refund policies based on cancellation windows are coming soon.
Payment Settings You Can Configure
- Full prepayment at booking — Require the complete service price upfront via Stripe. Available now on Starter+.
- Per-service deposit amount (coming soon) — A 90-minute massage might need a €20 deposit; a 30-minute consultation just €5. This per-service configuration is on the roadmap.
- Hold-only (authorise and capture later) (coming soon) — Authorise the amount at booking, capture on arrival.
- Manual refunds — Issue full or partial refunds for any paid booking from the bookings panel. Processed back to the client's card within 5–10 business days.
Deposit vs. Full Payment — Which Should You Use?
| Strategy | Typical use case | Effect on conversion |
|---|---|---|
| Small deposit (10–20%) | Salons, gyms, physiotherapy | Minimal drop in bookings, major no-show reduction |
| 50% deposit | Coaching sessions, consultations | Slight drop, qualifies clients more seriously |
| Full prepayment | Workshops, premium experiences | Biggest drop but eliminates all no-shows — justified for high-value slots |
The Psychology Behind Why It Works
An economic principle called the sunk cost effect explains a large part of this. Once a client has paid something, they feel obligated to "use" what they paid for. The other factor is commitment: paying for a service makes the appointment feel more official and harder to walk away from. It's the same reason a paid event sees 3× better attendance than a free event with identical content.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Payment features |
|---|---|---|
| Free | €0/mo | No online payment |
| Starter | €24/mo | Online payment at booking (full price via Stripe), manual refunds from dashboard |
| Pro | €59/mo | All Starter features + WhatsApp payment reminders, revenue analytics |
FAQ
What processor fees apply?
BookPoint uses Stripe for payments. Stripe charges approximately 1.4% + €0.25 for European cards (rates vary by country). BookPoint does not add any additional transaction fee.
Can I issue partial refunds for cancellations?
Yes. From the bookings panel you can issue full or partial refunds for any booking with a recorded payment. Refunds are processed back to the client's original payment card within 5–10 business days.
BookPoint Starter includes online payment at booking from €24/month. Set up in 5 minutes and watch your no-show rate drop.
Start requiring upfront payment →
