# Salon step 4: online booking and deposits

> Switch on your salon or spa online booking page, let clients choose a stylist, ask for a deposit to confirm, and take bookings in the Shopper app.

Source: https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-types/salon-and-spa/step-4-online-booking-and-deposits/  
Last updated: 2026-10-30  
Product: SmartPOS Hub (https://smartposhub.com)

Most salon and spa clients would rather book at midnight than call during opening hours. This page switches on your **online booking page**, lets clients choose a stylist, and asks for a **deposit to confirm** so no-shows cost you less. It is for the owner or manager.

## Before you start

- Services, staff and working hours are set ([step 2](https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-types/salon-and-spa/step-2-service-menu/) and [step 3](https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-types/salon-and-spa/step-3-stylists-hours-and-commission/)).
- For card deposits, a payment gateway is connected in **Settings › Payments** (see [Payments hub](https://docs.smartposhub.com/modules/payments-hub/)). For bank transfer deposits, add an offline payment method there.

## Switch on online booking

1. Open **Services › Settings**. Under **Online booking**, tick **Online booking page is on** and **Customers can book services online**.
2. Tick **Customers can choose a staff member** if clients may pick their stylist. Otherwise they book **Anyone available**.
3. Tick **Show prices on the booking page** if you want prices visible.
4. Decide on **Confirm online bookings automatically**. Off means online bookings arrive as **Requested** until a receptionist confirms them.
5. Under **Scheduling**, set **Start times every (min)**, for example 15.
6. Under **Reminders & cancellation**, tick **Send email reminders** and set **Reminder (hours before)**; tick **Customers can cancel online**, set **Cancel until (hours before)** and write your **Cancellation policy**.
7. Click **Save**.

In **Bookings › Settings** you can also choose the **Location for online bookings** (or let the client choose the branch) and add a **Welcome text on the booking page**.

![Booking settings with the online booking page link and Copy, Open and New link buttons, confirm online bookings automatically, location for online bookings and opening hours for each day](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/booking-settings.DMw7uXH2.png) (web app page: `/bookings/settings`)
*Bookings › Settings: the booking link, location choice, welcome text and opening hours.*

**Caution:** 
**New link** creates a new address and the old one stops working. Only use it if the link was misused, and then update it everywhere you shared it.

## What clients see

Clients open your link, choose the branch, tick one or more services, pick a stylist (if allowed), then a day and a free time, and enter their name and mobile. Times are only offered when someone who performs those services is working and free, including buffers and breaks.

![Public booking page of a beauty lounge with location selector and a Choose your services list of haircuts and blow-dries with durations and prices](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/online-booking-page.rH2mezzY.png) (web app page: `/book/…`)
*The online booking page. Step 1 is choosing services; staff and time come next.*

## Ask for a deposit to confirm

> **How to turn it on**
> 1. **Plan:** Payments plus the Services module
> 2. **Switch:** Payment to confirm card in Services › Settings; offline methods need Offline payment methods in Settings › Payments
> 3. **Permission:** Booking payments: view / manage; receipts need Review payment proofs

1. Scroll to the card **Payment to confirm — Appointment** at the bottom of **Services › Settings**.
2. Set **Payment required** to **Deposit** (or **Full payment**). Choose the **Deposit type**, for example **Percentage of the total** and 25, or use each service's own **Online deposit**.
3. Under **When it is due**, choose **Pay within a number of hours** (for example 24) or pay now with a short hold.
4. Tick the **Allowed payment methods**, or none for every method attached to bookings in **Settings › Payments**.
5. Write the **Refund and cancellation policy (shown to customers)** and click **Save**.

![Payment to confirm appointment card with deposit, percentage of the total 25, pay within 24 hours, allowed payment methods and a refund and cancellation policy](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/spa-payment-to-confirm.BD4_QfOc.png) (web app page: `/services/settings`)
*A day spa asking for a 25 percent deposit within 24 hours.*

Follow every deposit in **Settings › Booking payments**: filter by status (waiting for payment, receipt under review, paid, expired) and open **Receipts to review** for bank transfers. On an appointment, the **Payment to confirm** panel lets you **Request payment** for a phone booking, **Mark as paid** or **Confirm without payment**.

![Booking payments list with status, type and search filters and buttons for receipts to review and payment methods](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/spa-booking-payments.BX4eJztG.png) (web app page: `/booking-payments`)
*Settings › Booking payments lists every deposit request.*

## Bookings from the SmartPOS Shopper app

Clients who use the **SmartPOS Shopper** app ([Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.smartposhub.shopper)) and follow your store can tap **New booking**, choose **Appointment**, pick a day and time and confirm. Their bookings, statuses and any deposit to pay are listed under **Bookings**. To make your store visible in the app, see [Shopper app for your store](https://docs.smartposhub.com/online/shopper-app-for-your-store/).

![Shopper app New booking screen with Table and Appointment choices, a day strip and time slots](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/shopper-new-booking.CFSvfDOG.png)
![Shopper app Bookings screen with upcoming bookings, one appointment waiting for the store and a past booking](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/shopper-my-bookings.BlZZRunO.png)
*Clients book and follow appointments in the SmartPOS Shopper app.*

## What happens next

Online bookings appear in **Bookings** and on the Services overview, with **Requests to confirm** counting the ones that wait for you. Continue with [step 5: appointments, walk-ins and checkout](https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-types/salon-and-spa/step-5-appointments-walk-ins-and-checkout/).

  - [Booking payments](https://docs.smartposhub.com/modules/booking-payments/)
  - [Bookings](https://docs.smartposhub.com/modules/bookings/)
  - [Shopper help: book an appointment](https://shopper.smartposhub.com/bookings/book-a-table-or-appointment/)

## Frequently asked questions

### Where do I find my booking link?

Click Copy booking link on the Services overview, or use Copy and Open next to the link in Services › Settings or Bookings › Settings. Share it on your website, Google profile, Instagram bio and WhatsApp.

### Should online bookings be confirmed automatically?

It is up to you. With Confirm online bookings automatically off, online bookings arrive as Requested and a receptionist confirms them. With a pay-to-confirm rule, a booking stays pending until the deposit is paid.

### How does the client pay the deposit?

After booking, the client sees a pay page with the amount and a deadline. They pay by card through your payment gateway, or pay by bank transfer and upload the receipt, which you approve in Payment proofs.

### What happens to the deposit at checkout?

A paid appointment deposit is saved as the client's advance balance. At checkout the POS banner shows Deposit paid, and you take it off the bill with the Advance payment method.

### What if the client does not pay in time?

When the deadline passes, the hold expires and the appointment is released so the slot can be booked again. The client gets an expired message.

### Can clients cancel online?

Yes, when Customers can cancel online is ticked. They cancel from the link in their booking confirmation up to the number of hours before the appointment that you set in Cancel until.

### Can clients book from the SmartPOS Shopper app?

Yes. Clients who follow your store in the SmartPOS Shopper app open New booking, choose Appointment, pick a day and time and confirm. If a deposit is required, they pay it in the app.