Nothing, a deposit or the full amount
Nothing at booking. The customer pays in person. It's simple, with no online payment fees, but a no-show earns you nothing. For small amounts and customers you know.
A deposit. Part of the price, for example 30%. The customer commits; the rest is paid in person. For stays, rentals, groups.
The full amount. The whole price at booking. For scarce places, events, dates you can't resell at the last minute.
A threshold for small amounts
A 30% deposit on a one-hour rental only comes to a few euros. At that amount, ask for the full price instead: it's simpler for the customer, and for you.
What to check before taking payments online
- Where the customer enters their card. On a payment page hosted by the payment provider, card numbers never pass through your site: you stay clear of the heaviest security obligations of the card industry standard (PCI DSS).
- When a booking becomes “paid”. Only when the payment provider confirms the payment, not when the customer comes back to your site: they may have closed the tab, or the payment may have failed.
- The balance. How the customer pays the rest: in person, or through a link you send them.
- Refunds. Can you refund all or part of the amount from the booking, without redoing everything by hand?
- Your cancellation terms. Write them before the first booking: until when people can cancel, and what is refunded.