Booking Process
Overview
OpenBooking offers you flexible options for how guests can book your offers. You have full control over which booking method best suits your offer.
This page explains the different booking options, the booking process, and associated costs.
Booking Methods
When creating or editing an offer, you can choose between two main methods:
1. Redirect to External Website
How it works: Guests are redirected directly to your own booking website. You manage the booking entirely through your own system.
Ideal for:
- Providers with an existing booking system
- Complex offers with many options
- When you want to retain full control over the booking process
Cost: No fees
2. Booking Form on OpenBooking
How it works: Guests fill out a booking form directly on your offer page. You receive the booking request via email and can confirm or decline it.
Ideal for:
- Providers without their own booking system
- Simple, straightforward offers
- When you want centralized management of all bookings
Cost: 5% commission (Minimum CHF 5.00)
The commission covers all costs for booking management, email system, and CRM functionality.
Note: No commission is charged for free offers.
Optional: Direct Payment with Credit Card
You can enable direct credit card payment for booking forms. Guests then pay directly on your offer page, and we process the payment securely via Stripe.
Benefits:
- Instant payment confirmation
- Reduced no-show risk
- Professional payment processing
- Monthly billing directly to your account
Cost: 10% booking fee (incl. credit card fees, technical processing, and support)
Booking Process with Booking Form
When you use the booking form on OpenBooking, the booking process works as follows:
Booking Request by Guest
The guest fills out the booking form on your offer page and provides the following information:
- Name and email address
- Desired date (optional)
- Selected services and quantity
- Personal message (optional)
With direct payment enabled: The guest pays immediately with a credit card via Stripe. Payment is only charged upon your confirmation of the booking.
Email Notification to You
You immediately receive an email with all booking details:
- Guest information (name, email)
- Desired date
- Selected services and total amount
- Guest's message
- Link to booking overview in Offer Studio
Confirmation or Decline
You open the booking in Offer Studio and have the following options:
- Confirm: The booking is confirmed, and the guest receives a confirmation email
- Decline: You can decline the booking with a reason
With direct payment: When you confirm the booking, payment is automatically charged from the guest's credit card account. If declined, the payment is cancelled.
Email Confirmation to Guest
The guest automatically receives an email with:
- Confirmation or reason for decline
- Booking details and total amount
- Your contact information
- Your individual confirmation message (if entered)
With direct payment: The confirmation email also includes a payment confirmation.
Payment Processing with Stripe
When you enable direct payment for your booking forms, we use Stripe as our payment service provider. Stripe is one of the world's leading and most secure payment providers.
How does it work?
- For the guest: Simple and secure entry of credit card details directly on your offer page
- For you: OpenBooking handles the complete technical processing
- Security: All payments are protected by Stripe's 3D Secure authentication
- Transparency: You can see all payments and transactions in your booking overview
Billing and Payouts
For bookings with direct payment: You automatically receive 90% of the booking amount (after deduction of the 10% commission) monthly to your registered bank account.
For bookings without payment: The 5% commission (minimum CHF 5.00 per booking) is recorded monthly and invoiced. You receive a summary of all bookings for the month.
Cancellations and Refunds
If you need to decline a paid booking, the payment is automatically fully refunded to the guest. There are no additional fees for refunds.
Cost Overview
Here you will find a complete overview of all booking methods and associated costs:
| Booking Method | Payment Processing | Fees | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| External Website | You manage payments yourself | Free | Guests are redirected to your own booking website |
| Booking Form (without payment) |
You arrange payment directly with the guest | 5% Min. CHF 5.00 |
Guests send booking requests via OpenBooking, you confirm and arrange payment.
|
| Booking Form (with direct payment) |
OpenBooking handles payment processing via Stripe | 10% |
Guests pay immediately with credit card. The 10% booking fee includes:
|
Example calculation: For a booking of CHF 200.00 with direct payment enabled:
- Total amount: CHF 200.00 (paid by the guest)
- Commission (10%): CHF 20.00
- You receive: CHF 180.00 (90% of booking amount)
For form bookings without payment: Booking for CHF 80.00
- Total amount: CHF 80.00 (guest pays directly to you)
- Commission (5%): CHF 5.00 (minimum reached)
- You pay monthly: CHF 5.00 commission per booking
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change the booking method later?
Yes, you can switch between booking methods at any time. Simply edit your offer in Offer Studio and select a different method.
What happens if I don't confirm a booking in time?
Bookings remain in "Pending" status until you confirm or decline them. There is no automatic decline. However, we recommend processing bookings within 24-48 hours to provide good service.
Do I have to enable direct payment?
No, direct payment is completely optional. Many providers successfully use the booking form without payment and arrange payment directly with their guests (e.g., on-site or by invoice).
When do I receive my money for direct payments?
Payments are transferred to your registered bank account once per month. You will receive a detailed statement of all transactions. The first payout occurs after the first full month has elapsed.
What if a guest wants a refund?
After a booking has been confirmed by the provider, a refund must be coordinated directly between the provider and the guest. Cancellations after confirmation are not possible through the system. For questions or special cases, please contact our support.
Support and Contact
Do you have questions about the booking process or need assistance? We're happy to help:
OpenBooking AG
Email: support@openbooking.ch
Phone: +41 32 511 1919
Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM