Online Payments for Services: A Complete Guide
How to set up online payments for your salon. From choosing a provider to your first transaction in 15 minutes.
Online payments have become the standard in many industries, and the service sector is no exception. Clients today expect to pay for a booking just as easily as they shop online. For service providers, online payments offer not only convenience but also concrete business benefits: lower no-show rates, faster cash flow, and less cash-handling administration. In this guide, we'll show you how to implement online payments, what options you have, and what to watch out for.
Benefits of Online Payments for Service Providers
Switching to online payments brings a range of measurable benefits:
- 50β80% reduction in no-shows β a client who has paid in advance almost always shows up
- Immediate cash flow β money is in your account before the client even walks through the door
- Less cash handling β you reduce the risk of counting errors, theft, and the need for regular bank deposits
- Professional impression β online payment signals a modern and trustworthy operation
- Accounting automation β all transactions are digitally recorded and easily exportable
- Time savings β no waiting for payment after the service, no making change
Payment Gateways: How They Work
A payment gateway is a service that facilitates the transfer of money between the client and your account. It acts as a secure intermediary β the client enters their card details, the gateway verifies them, processes the transaction, and transfers the money to your account.
Stripe β The Global Standard
Stripe is the most widely used payment gateway for online services. It supports card payments (Visa, Mastercard, American Express), Apple Pay, Google Pay, and a range of local payment methods. Fees are typically 1.5% + 0.25 EUR per transaction within the EU. Stripe offers excellent developer APIs, robust security, and automatic refund processing.
GoPay
GoPay is a Czech payment gateway popular especially in e-commerce. It supports card payments, bank transfers, and Czech payment methods. It's suitable for service providers who prefer a local provider with Czech-language support.
Comgate
Another Czech player in the payment gateway market. It offers simple integration and support for Czech banks. Fees are around 1β2.5% depending on the payment type and transaction volume.
Deposit vs. Full Prepayment
When setting up online payments, you need to decide how much to require at the time of booking. Both options have their advantages:
Deposit
A deposit of 20β50% of the service price is a compromise between protection against no-shows and a low barrier for the client. It's particularly suitable for:
- Mid-range services (500β2,000 CZK)
- New clients with no attendance history
- High-demand services with limited capacity
Full Prepayment
Paying the full amount at the time of booking is ideal for:
- More expensive services and packages (over 2,000 CZK)
- Group activities and classes with limited capacity
- Online consultations and virtual services
- Seasonal services with high no-show risk
Many providers combine both approaches β deposits for standard services and full payment for premium or longer procedures.
Payment Security
Security is crucial for online payments. As a service provider, you must ensure that the payment process meets security standards:
- PCI DSS compliance β the standard for processing card data. If you use a payment gateway like Stripe, it handles PCI compliance for you
- 3D Secure β two-factor payment verification that protects against card misuse
- SSL encryption β all communication between the client and the payment gateway must be encrypted
- Tokenization β card details are never stored in readable form on your server
When using a reputable payment gateway, you don't need to worry about the technical details of security. The gateway handles everything, and you simply display the payment form on your booking page.
Refund Policy
A clear refund policy is essential for client trust and your legal protection. We recommend defining rules for these situations:
- Client cancellation with sufficient notice β full refund of the deposit or payment
- Late cancellation β partial refund or no refund according to cancellation terms
- Cancellation on your end β always a full refund, ideally with an offer of an alternative time slot
- Dissatisfaction with the service β individual assessment, possibly credit toward the next visit
Display your refund policy to clients at the time of payment and make it available on your website. Transparency in this area builds trust.
Stripe Integration in Resovu
Resovu offers native Stripe integration, meaning you can accept online payments without any coding. Setup is simple:
- Connect your Stripe account with Resovu in settings
- For each service, choose whether you require a deposit, full payment, or allow payment on-site
- Set the deposit amount (percentage or fixed amount)
- Define cancellation and refund terms
Clients then see a clear payment form directly on your booking page when making a reservation. Payments are automatically matched with bookings, and you can track everything in the dashboard. Stripe payouts go directly to your bank account, typically within 2β7 business days.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does accepting online payments cost? Payment gateway fees typically range from 1.5β2.5% per transaction plus a small fixed fee (approximately 2β6 CZK). Resovu does not charge any additional fee on top of the payment gateway fees.
Do I need a business license to accept online payments? Yes, to accept payments for services you need a valid business authorization. Payment gateways like Stripe require identity verification and business authorization during registration. This is standard procedure for anti-money laundering protection.
What if a client doesn't have a payment card? Offer alternative payment methods. In addition to cards, Stripe supports Apple Pay and Google Pay. You can also allow on-site payment for clients who don't want to pay online, and only require a deposit for selected services.
How do I handle refunds? In Resovu, you can issue a refund directly from the booking detail with a single click. The money is returned to the client's card typically within 5β10 business days. For partial refunds, you enter the specific amount you want to return.
Are online payments safe for my clients? Yes, if you use a reputable payment gateway. Stripe is certified to PCI DSS Level 1, which is the highest security level in the payment industry. Card details are encrypted and tokenized, so they are never stored on your server.