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”
Section titled “💡 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.
⚙️ How to set up a Paid service (Pay to book)
Section titled “⚙️ How to set up a Paid service (Pay to book)”Step 1: Open Services
Section titled “Step 1: Open Services ”- Open the app > click Services
- Click New service button
Steps 2: Choose a service type
Section titled “Steps 2: Choose a service type ”
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.
Step 3: Create the service product in Shopify
Section titled “Step 3: Create the service product in Shopify ”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.
Step 4: Configure service settings
Section titled “Step 4: Configure service settings ”👥 Capacity
Set how many people can book the same time slot.
- Example:
1for 1-on-1 appointments - Example:
5for 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
Step 5: Choose payment type
Section titled “Step 5: Choose payment type ”Select one of the option below:
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
Step 6: Set Availability
Section titled “Step 6: Set Availability ”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
Step 7: Customize more settings (Optional)
Section titled “Step 7: Customize more settings (Optional) ”- 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)
Step 8: Save the service.
Section titled “Step 8: Save the service. ”Click Save at the top right of the service page.
Your service is now a paid service (Pay to book).
✅ How your service works on your online store
Section titled “✅ How your service works on your online store ”- 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: they pick Pay now or Pay later in the booking popup
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
📋 How it looks in admin
Section titled “📋 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
✅ Quick comparison: Free service vs Paid service
Section titled “✅ 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 |
Q: Can I switch a service from free to paid later?
Section titled “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)?
Section titled “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.
🙋 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.