Both features are off until you switch them on, so nothing changes for your customers until you decide.
Saved cards (Stripe only)
- Connect Stripe and choose Stripe as your Payment Provider. Saved cards do not work with Square, and Square kennels do not see the option.
- Go to Settings, then Business & payments. Tick Allow customers to save cards and press Save Settings.
Customers then get a My cards page in their account menu, a Pay now with my saved card choice at checkout, and a Save this card for next time box when they pay by card. The card is kept by Stripe on your own Stripe account. Dogly only keeps the card type, the last 4 digits, the expiry date and Stripe's reference numbers, never the card number.
If the bank wants the customer to approve a payment, or the card is declined, nothing is charged. At checkout the customer is sent to the normal secure payment page instead.
Charging a deposit balance
If you take deposits, the Bookings page shows Charge saved card next to a balance that is due, when the customer has a saved card. It opens a confirm page that shows the amount and the card. Press the charge button to take the money. You need the Payments permission. You see a clear message if it worked or why it did not, and the customer is emailed a receipt. Refunds still work from the booking as usual.
Repeat bookings
- Go to Settings, then Features, and switch on Recurring Bookings.
- Under Business & payments, choose how many days before each visit the payment is taken or the payment link is emailed (2 by default).
A customer picks Repeat this booking? on the booking form for boarding, daycare, grooming or training: every week, every 2 weeks, or every month on the same weekday, for up to 12 visits or until a date. Each visit is its own booking and follows your normal availability, closed days and waitlist rules. A date that cannot be booked is skipped and the customer is shown exactly which ones, on the confirmation page and by email. Repeats are for one dog at a time. Grooming and training repeats look for the same time of day.
Nothing is charged when the repeat is set up. A scheduled job runs a few times a day to take payments and send links. The customer chooses how each visit is paid:
- Saved card (Stripe only, and only with the customer's own tick-box agreement that says how much and when). The card is charged the set number of days before each visit. If it fails, we try once more at least 12 hours later, then email the customer a payment link. If the bank needs the customer to approve it, the link is sent right away. Bookings that could not be charged show a note on the Bookings page.
- Emailed payment link (Stripe only), sent the set number of days before each visit.
- In person or e-Transfer, exactly as for a normal booking. You press Mark Paid.
On the Bookings page a repeat visit shows a Repeats weekly badge (or every 2 weeks, or monthly). Staff can enter a repeat from New booking (card plans can only be agreed by the customer themselves online) and can press Cancel series to cancel every future visit. Visits that were already paid show as Refund needed.
If it does not work
- No Repeat box on the booking form: check that Recurring Bookings is switched on and that the service is boarding, daycare, grooming or training.
- No saved card options: check that Stripe is your provider, charges are enabled, and Allow customers to save cards is ticked.
- A visit shows a failed card charge: press Email Payment Link on that booking, or contact the customer.