For most bowling centres, online payment is worth it, at least as an option: guests who pay in full or pay a deposit in advance are more likely to turn up, and your team saves time taking payment at the counter. On the other side are transaction fees and some extra work with cancellations. You can decide for each type of booking whether to ask for the full amount, a deposit or nothing in advance, for example only for groups and at weekends.
Fewer no-shows through payment in advance
One of the most frustrating situations for bowling centres is no-shows: guests who reserve a lane and then do not turn up. On a Friday evening the lane stays empty, even though other guests would gladly have booked it.
Taking payment online when the booking is made lowers this risk. Guests who have already paid in full or paid a deposit feel committed to their booking and are more likely to cancel in good time. Whether you may keep the money if they do not turn up is governed by your cancellation and payment terms. Have these checked by your legal adviser and show them to the guest before payment. You can read about further measures in the article How to reduce no-shows in your bowling centre.
Fees and costs
Online payments cost a fee per transaction, and this is often not refunded when you give a refund. At first glance that speaks against them. But taking payment on site costs money too: the card terminal, handling cash, cashing up and your team's time at the counter.
With online payment, part of this happens automatically. The payment is linked directly to the booking, and your team has less to settle up in the evening. Compare both sides for your centre before you decide.
Which payment methods your guests expect
In Germany, many guests like to pay online with PayPal, as well as by credit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Some would still rather pay on site. A deposit instead of the full amount is often a good compromise, especially for groups in which everyone later pays their own share.
A better experience for your guests
When guests can reserve their lane online and pay in the same step, the booking is done in a few minutes, even on a Sunday evening. In the centre they no longer have to queue at the till and can start playing straight away.
Security and trust
Reputable payment providers process the payment over an encrypted connection and handle the required strong customer authentication, for example with 3-D Secure. This means card details never even reach your system. Clarify with your adviser which data protection obligations apply to you under the GDPR.
How to introduce online payments
A pragmatic start: at first, ask for a deposit only for group bookings and weekend slots, and watch for a few months how no-shows and queries develop. Then decide whether to extend online payment.
When choosing your booking system, make sure that payment and booking happen in one step, that cancellations and refunds are easy to handle and that your guests' payment methods are integrated.
Which features a booking system with online payment should offer is covered on the page Booking system for bowling centres. One example of a system in which booking and payment come together is Flexybox.
