# Paid Service (Pay to book)

Use **Pay to book** when you want customers to confirm their appointment only after they pay.\
The app connects your booking flow with Shopify checkout so you get confirmed, paid bookings.

### 💡 When to use “Pay to book”

Perfect for services where payment is required or recommended:

* **Salon & spa appointments**
* **Classes & workshops** (yoga, dance, courses)
* **Consultations & sessions** (therapy, coaching, beauty)
* **Events with limited seats** where no-shows are costly
* **Tours, rentals, or experiences** requiring upfront payment or deposit

If you don’t want to charge online, use **Free booking (no payment)** instead.

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### ⚙️ How to set up a Paid service (Pay to book)

#### Step 1: Open Services <a href="#step-1-open-services" id="step-1-open-services"></a>

* Open the app > click **Services**
* Click **New service** button

<figure><img src="/media/0a089beae08e17052d13.webp" alt="" loading="lazy" decoding="async"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

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#### Steps 2: Choose a service type <a href="#steps-2-choose-a-service-type" id="steps-2-choose-a-service-type"></a>

<figure><img src="/media/16624e388dff59eae076.webp" alt="" loading="lazy" decoding="async"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

**A. Book by Time Slot**

Best for services that happen within a day and have a set duration.

* Examples: \* Barber Shop: 30-minute haircut slots.
* Customer View: A list of specific times (e.g., 10:00 AM, 10:30 AM) showing available slots.

**B. Book for a Full Day**

Used for services where the customer occupies the entire date from start to finish.

* Examples: \* Photography Studio: Renting the space for a full day shoot.
  * Car Rental: Hiring a vehicle for a 24-hour period.
* Customer View: A calendar where they select one specific day.

**C. Book Across Multiple Days**

Best for services that span several consecutive days.

* Examples: \* Summer Camp: A 5-day youth program.
* Customer View: A date-range picker where they select a Start Date and End Date.

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#### Step 3: Create the service product in Shopify <a href="#step-3-create-the-service-product-in-shopify" id="step-3-create-the-service-product-in-shopify"></a>

The app creates/uses a Shopify Product for your service. In the **Add product** screen:

* **Title**: e.g., Cycling
* **Status**: Active
* **Category**: choose the closest match (optional)
* **Price**: set your service price (for checkout services)

Click **Save**.

<figure><img src="/media/9dcb541c192d3d242fce.webp" alt="" loading="lazy" decoding="async"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

#### Step 4: Configure service settings <a href="#step-4-configure-service-settings" id="step-4-configure-service-settings"></a>

**👥 Capacity**

Set how many people can book the same time slot.

* Example: `1` for 1-on-1 appointments
* Example: `5` for group sessions

**⏱️ Duration**

Choose how long each booking takes:

* Quick buttons (30, 60, 90, 120 min…)
* Or **Custom**
* If your service supports it, you can choose:
  * **Less than a day**
  * **Multiple days**

**Example**: Haircut = `60 min`

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#### Step 5: Choose payment type <a href="#step-5-choose-payment-type" id="step-5-choose-payment-type"></a>

Select one of the option below: &#x20;

You’ll see these options under it:

* **Pay now** – customer must pay immediately at checkout
* **Pay later** – a draft order & invoice are created; customer pays later
* **Allow customer to choose pay now or pay later** – customer picks at booking time

<figure><img src="/media/52f44ff98d707b511cb9.webp" alt="" loading="lazy" decoding="async"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

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#### Step 6: Set Availability <a href="#step-6-set-availability" id="step-6-set-availability"></a>

In the **Availability** section, click **Manage**

* Assign team members to this service (required). If you have not had a team member, create a new one.
* Their schedules determine what time slots are available

[Learn more](/tipo-appointment-booking/availability-team-members/set-availability-for-services#how-to-set-availability)

<figure><img src="/media/26de705b459f1bececdf.webp" alt="" loading="lazy" decoding="async"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

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#### Step 7: Customize more settings (Optional) <a href="#step-7-customize-more-settings-optional" id="step-7-customize-more-settings-optional"></a>

* In **Location** field, enter the location of the service
* **Color**: helps identify bookings in the calendar
* **Questions & Add-ons**: collect info (name, preferences) or sell add-ons
* **Advanced settings**: booking rules, lead time, buffer time, etc. (if available)

<figure><img src="/media/ed9a7974bd35f6350156.webp" alt="" loading="lazy" decoding="async"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

#### Step 8: Save the service.&#x20;

Click **Save** at the top right of the service page.\
Your service is now a paid service (Pay to book).

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#### ✅ How your service works on your online store <a href="#how-your-service-works-on-your-online-store" id="how-your-service-works-on-your-online-store"></a>

* Customer opens the service product page.
* Clicks the **Book now / Schedule** button.
* Selects a date, time, and fills in required details.
* Payment step:
  * If **Pay now:** they are redirected to **Shopify checkout** to pay
  * If **Pay later:** booking is confirmed, and they receive an invoice
  * If **Customer chooses: t**hey pick **Pay now** or **Pay later** in the booking popup

<figure><img src="/media/bcfd4b8423f577a6cc6e.webp" alt="" loading="lazy" decoding="async"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

Once complete:

* The appointment appears in the **Appointments** list in the Tipo app.
* A corresponding **order or draft order** appears in Shopify (depending on the payment option).

Video

<iframe class="video-embed" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/PHdH6gW25fc" title="Video tutorial: Paid Service (Pay to book)" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen></iframe>

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### 📋 How it looks in admin

After a customer books a paid service:

* In **Tipo app > Appointments**, you’ll see the booking with its status and payment note.
* In **Shopify Orders**
  * **Pay now** → a regular **paid order** is created.
  * **Pay later** → a **draft order / invoice** is created, awaiting payment.

You can still:

* Reschedule or cancel appointments
* Manually mark payments as received (for Pay later)
* Communicate with the customer as usual

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### ✅ Quick comparison: Free service vs Paid service

| Type                        | Payment step                                  | Booking status                     | Best for                                        |
| --------------------------- | --------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| **No payment required**     | No payment – booking only                     | Appointment created, no order      | Free                                            |
| **Pay to book – Pay now**   | Checkout immediately after booking            | Appointment + **paid** order       | Online paid services, deposits, no-show control |
| **Pay to book – Pay later** | Invoice / draft order sent after booking      | Appointment + draft order (unpaid) | Invoice workflows, offline payments             |
| **Customer chooses**        | Customer selects **Pay now** or **Pay later** | Depends on selected option         | Flexible or mixed payment models                |

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### ❓ FAQ

#### **Q: Can I switch a service from free to paid later?**

Yes. Edit the service, change Choose payment type from Book without payment to Pay to book, set a price, and save.

#### **Q: What happens if a customer abandons checkout (Pay now)?**

The appointment is not confirmed until payment succeeds. You’ll see the status/order in Shopify if they complete payment.

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**🙋 Still need support?**

If you still need help, please feel free to contact us at <hi@tipo.io>. We’ll be happy to assist you further.