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Payment at Checkout

5 min read Beginner For Owner, Manager Updated about 2 months ago
Quick Answer
At checkout, customers enter their credit card, review the total, and complete payment. If deposits are enabled, they pay a portion now with the balance due at check-in.

Payment at Checkout

After entering their information, customers complete payment. This page explains what they see and how payment works.

The Payment Page

Customers see:

Order Summary

  • All items in cart with details
  • Rental dates and times
  • Selected add-ons
  • Fees and taxes itemized
  • Total amount due

Payment Form

  • Credit/debit card entry
  • Gift card field (if enabled)
  • Pay button with amount

Cart Timer

  • Remaining time to complete checkout
  • Cart expires if time runs out

Payment Methods

Credit & Debit Cards

Accepted cards:

  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • American Express
  • Discover

Customers enter:

  • Card number
  • Expiration date
  • CVC (security code)
  • Billing ZIP (for verification)

Gift Cards

If you've enabled gift cards:

  1. Customer enters gift card code
  2. System validates the code
  3. Balance is applied to order
  4. Remaining amount (if any) charged to card

Gift cards can cover:

  • Full payment (no card needed)
  • Partial payment (difference to card)

Deposits vs Full Payment

Full Payment

By default, customers pay the full amount at checkout.

Deposit Payment

If you've configured deposits:

What Customer Pays When
Deposit amount At checkout
Remaining balance At check-in

Example with 20% deposit:

  • Total: $500
  • Deposit (20%): $100 paid at checkout
  • Balance: $400 due at check-in

Configure deposits →

Payment Processing

When customer clicks Pay:

  1. Card validated — Details checked with payment processor
  2. Funds authorized — Bank confirms availability
  3. Payment captured — Charge is completed
  4. Confirmation sent — Success page and email

This typically takes 2-5 seconds.

After Successful Payment

Immediate Actions

  • Booking status → Reserved
  • Confirmation email sent
  • Receipt displayed on screen

What Customer Receives

Confirmation Page:

  • Success message
  • Booking summary
  • QR code for check-in
  • Print/save options

Confirmation Email:

  • Same booking details
  • Link to view booking
  • Your cancellation policy
  • Check-in instructions

Card is Saved

The customer's card is saved (securely tokenized) for:

  • Balance payments at check-in
  • Potential additional charges
  • Future bookings (convenience)

Payment Errors

Card Declined

Common reasons:

  • Insufficient funds
  • Card limit reached
  • Bank flagged the transaction
  • Incorrect card details

Customer sees:

  • Clear error message
  • Option to try another card
  • Cart remains held (timer continues)

3D Secure / Verification

Some cards require additional verification:

  1. Bank verification popup appears
  2. Customer completes verification (password, SMS code, etc.)
  3. Returns to checkout to complete payment

This is an extra security step, not an error.

Technical Errors

If something goes wrong:

  • Generic error message shown
  • Customer can retry
  • Contact support option provided

Security Features

Card Security

  • Card details never touch RecSystems servers
  • Processed directly by payment processor
  • PCI-DSS compliant processing

Fraud Prevention

  • CVV verification required
  • ZIP code verification
  • Velocity checks (multiple attempts)

Cart Locking

During payment:

  • Cart is locked to this customer
  • Prevents double-charging
  • Prevents inventory conflicts

What Staff See

When payment completes:

  1. New booking notification in dashboard
  2. Payment recorded in cart/booking details
  3. Customer info available for check-in prep

Payment details show:

  • Amount charged
  • Card type and last 4 digits
  • Transaction timestamp
  • Payment processor reference

Gift Card at Checkout

Applying a Gift Card

  1. Customer clicks Have a gift card?
  2. Enters the gift card code
  3. System validates and applies balance
  4. Order total updates

Full Coverage

If gift card covers the entire order:

  • No credit card required
  • Payment completes with gift card only
  • Customer still provides contact info

Partial Coverage

If gift card doesn't cover full amount:

  • Gift card balance applied first
  • Remaining amount charged to card
  • Both transactions recorded

Troubleshooting

Payment failed after 3D Secure

  • Card may have been declined after verification
  • Customer should try a different card

Customer charged but no confirmation

  • Payment may have succeeded
  • Check your dashboard for the booking
  • Payment processor may have delayed confirmation

Cart expired during payment

  • Customer took too long
  • Must start new booking
  • Previous payment (if any) will be refunded

Frequently Asked Questions

What payment methods are accepted?
Customers can pay with credit or debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover). Gift cards can be applied if you've enabled them.
Is payment information secure?
Yes. Card details are processed securely by our payment processor. RecSystems never stores actual card numbers.
Can customers split payment between card and gift card?
Yes. Gift cards are applied first, and the remaining balance is charged to the card.