Payment methods for your salon: why the right choice brings more bookings

It is Sunday evening. Lisa is on the sofa, booking a haircut for Thursday. Everything goes smoothly until the last step: paying. Her usual payment button is not there. She hesitates, puts her phone down and thinks: “I’ll do it tomorrow.” By tomorrow, she has forgotten.

This happens more often than you might think. A client who drops out at the payment step is an appointment you miss. The right payment methods prevent that. In this article you will read why that choice matters so much, which methods are popular in each country, and how to set it up smartly.

Why the payment method matters so much

Paying online is all about trust and convenience. People like to pay the way they always pay: with their own banking app, with their phone or with their usual card. If they do not see their favourite method, the step suddenly feels bigger. They have to find a card, open another app or create an account. That is exactly the moment some of your clients give up.

If a client does see a familiar button, paying takes seconds. And a paid appointment gives you more than just the money:

• Fewer no-shows. Clients who have already paid really do turn up. And if they cannot make it after all, they cancel in time.
• Less hassle at the desk. Nobody has to pay after the treatment, which leaves time for a chat or the next booking.
• More certainty. The money is in your account, even for long and expensive treatments.

Every country has its own favourite

What is completely normal in one country is barely known next door. Someone in the Netherlands reaches for iDEAL, a Belgian for Bancontact and a Swiss client for TWINT. These are the most popular methods per country:

• United States: credit card, Cash App Pay and Link.
• United Kingdom, Germany and France: credit card and PayPal.
• Netherlands: iDEAL, by far the most used way to pay online.
• Belgium: Bancontact, plus the KBC/CBC and Belfius apps.
• Austria: EPS.
• Poland: BLIK and Przelewy24.
• Switzerland: TWINT.
• Sweden: Swish.
• Denmark and Finland: MobilePay.
• Norway: Vipps.
• Spain: Bizum.
• Portugal: MB WAY.

On top of that, credit cards (Visa, Mastercard and American Express), Apple Pay and Google Pay work all over the world. The last two are especially handy on a phone: a quick look or a touch, and it is done.

Do you have clients from different countries, for example because your salon is close to a border or in a tourist city? Then switch on the methods of the neighbouring countries too.

A client who sees their own payment button does not hesitate.

How many payment methods do you need?

More is not always better. A long list of unfamiliar logos actually makes the choice harder. A good basis:

• The local favourite: the method most people in your country use.
• Credit card, Apple Pay and Google Pay: for everyone, including tourists and expats.
• Perhaps one or two extras: such as PayPal, or the favourite of a neighbouring country.

Keep an eye on the currency as well. Local methods only work in their own currency: BLIK in złoty, TWINT in Swiss francs and Swish in Swedish kronor. And do not choose methods where the client pays later, such as a bank transfer or a direct debit. With an online booking, you want to know straight away whether it has been paid.

Should everyone pay in advance?

Not necessarily. Many regular clients prefer to pay at the salon after their treatment, and that is fine. Paying in advance is most useful for new clients, whom you do not know yet, and for clients who did not show up before. For long or expensive treatments it can also make sense to ask everyone.

What matters is that it feels fair. If a client cancels in time, they get their money back. Make your cancellation rules clear when people book, so everyone knows where they stand.

How to do this with ChairIt

In ChairIt Pro, clients pay straight away when they book. You choose whether you work with Mollie or with Stripe. Mollie is strong in European methods such as iDEAL, Bancontact, TWINT and Vipps. Stripe also works far beyond Europe, for example in the United States, Canada and Australia. The money goes straight to your own Mollie or Stripe account.

Together that is almost twenty payment methods. You decide which ones your clients see: you switch them on in your own Mollie or Stripe account. The overview of payment methods per country shows exactly what is possible.

By default, clients choose for themselves: pay online now or at the salon later. Want more certainty? Then require new clients, clients who did not show up before, or simply everyone to pay online in advance. If a client cancels in time, or you cancel an appointment yourself, ChairIt refunds the amount automatically. Treatments with a “from” price or a price on request are always paid at the salon.

Online payments are part of ChairIt Pro (€69 per year), together with the message centre, gift cards and discount codes. Online booking, the team agenda and confirmation emails are free.

ChairIt is a WordPress plugin, so you need your own WordPress website. You install ChairIt there for free via the Plugins menu.

Start with your own clients

Not sure which methods to switch on? Ask your clients on their next visit: “How do you prefer to pay online?” Chances are you will know exactly what you need within a few days. Switch those methods on, and see how many appointments come in already paid.