Booking an Appointment Online

Book an appointment with your favourite salon or barbershop in just a few taps, choose a service, pick a time, and confirm your booking without needing to call.

TL;DR

• No account needed, provide your name, email, and phone number to book
• Some venues review bookings manually; your booking will show as pending until approved
• Most common mistake: not checking the spam folder for your confirmation email
• The confirmation is sent immediately, check spam if it does not arrive within a few minutes

Overview

Online booking lets you:

• Browse available services with prices, durations, and example photos
• Choose a specific stylist or book with any available professional
• See real-time availability and pick a time that suits you
• Pay a deposit securely by card if the venue requires one
• Receive an instant confirmation (or a request acknowledgement if the venue reviews bookings first)
• Opt in to be notified if an earlier time opens up

No account required

You don't need an OpenChair account to book. Just hit the storefront URL and start booking — name, email, phone, done.

Every booking generates a signed magic-link that goes to your email (and SMS if your venue has a dedicated number). The link is signed with HMAC and bound to your specific booking, so anyone who has the link can:

• See the booking details
• Reschedule (subject to the venue's policy)
• Cancel (subject to the venue's policy)
• Add a saved card on file
• Accept counter-offers
• Opt in to earlier availability

The link doesn't expire — it stays valid for the lifetime of the booking (cancelled / completed bookings naturally retire the link). No password to remember, no account to manage.

See Manage Your Booking for the full management surface.

Before You Begin

To book online, you need:

• The venue's booking link (e.g., openchairpro.com/[venue-name])
• An email address
• A phone number

No account or sign-up is required. You provide your details during the booking process.

Step 1: Choose a Service

When you open the venue's booking page, you will see a list of available services.

1. Use the category buttons at the top to filter by type (e.g., "All", "Cutting", "Colouring", "Treatments")
2. Each service card shows:
   • Service name
   • Description (if provided)
   • Price (or price range, e.g., "$65 to $95")
   • Duration (e.g., "60 min")
   • Deposit notice (if applicable, e.g., "$50 deposit · due now" or "$50 deposit · card held, pay at appointment")
3. Tap or click a service to select it
4. If the service has example photos, a thumbnail strip appears below the card, tap a thumbnail to toggle between the before and after views
5. Tap Continue to proceed

Add-Ons

After selecting your main service, you may see a "Personalise" screen with optional add-ons (e.g., a conditioning treatment or toner). Each add-on shows its price and extra time. Select any you would like, then tap Continue: or tap Skip if you do not want any extras.

Step 2: Pick a Time

Choosing a Staff Member

If the venue has multiple staff members, you will see a row of names at the top of the screen. Tap a name to see only their availability, or tap "Any" to see all available times across the team.

For solo-operator venues (one stylist), this step is skipped automatically.

Choosing a Date

A horizontal date selector shows the next 90 days. Dates with available times are marked with a green dot. Tap a date to see available time slots.

Choosing a Time

Available times appear in a grid (e.g., "9:00 AM", "9:30 AM", "10:00 AM"). Tap the time you want, the booking moves to the next step immediately.

If no times are available on your selected date:

• A message appears: "No availability on this day"
• Tap "Find next available day" to jump to the nearest date with open slots

Fully Booked?

If the venue is fully booked across all dates, you can join the waitlist. A form appears where you provide your name, email, date preferences, and time preference ("Any time", "Morning", "Afternoon", or "Evening"). The venue will notify you when a matching slot opens up.

Step 3: Enter Your Details

You will be asked for three pieces of information:

Field	Required	Example
Full name	Yes	Jane Smith
Email address	Yes	jane@example.com
Phone number	Yes	0400 000 000 (AU) / 07700 900000 (GB) / 021 000 0000 (NZ)

Below the form, an optional checkbox lets you opt in to receive promotional offers and updates by SMS. Appointment-related SMS (confirmations and reminders) are always sent regardless of this setting.

After entering your details, tap:

• "Continue to payment": if a deposit is required
• "Review booking": if no deposit is needed

Step 4: Pay Your Deposit (If Required)

Some venues require a deposit to secure your booking. If a deposit applies, the payment screen shows:

• "Deposit due today: $[amount]": the amount charged now
• "The remaining $[amount] will be due at your appointment": the balance you pay later

Enter your card details using the secure payment form. Apple Pay and Google Pay are also available where supported.

Cancellation Policy

Expand the "Deposit details" section to see the venue's cancellation and refund policy before paying. This may include:

• A free cancellation window (e.g., "Free cancellation up to 48 hours before")
• What happens if you cancel inside the window (deposit kept, partial refund, or store credit)

Gift Cards

If you have a gift card, tap "Have a gift card?" to expand the gift card field. Enter your code and tap "Redeem". The applied amount is deducted from your deposit.

International Card Surcharge

If you are using a card issued outside the venue's country (e.g., a US card at an Australian venue), a surcharge notice may appear:

• "International card detected"
• A breakdown showing the service total, the international fee (e.g., "+2.5%"), and the total you will be charged
• Tap "Confirm and pay" to proceed, or "Use a different card" to enter a local card instead

Step 5: Review and Confirm

Before your booking is finalised, you will see a summary:

• Service name(s) and total duration
• Date and time of your appointment
• Staff member (or "Any Professional" if you chose any available)
• Price and deposit breakdown (if applicable)

Patch Test Notice

If the service requires a patch test (e.g., hair colour), a notice appears asking:

• "Yes. I've had a patch test within the valid period"
• "No / I'm not sure"

If you select "No / I'm not sure", a reminder appears after confirmation: "A patch test is required before your appointment for one or more booked services. Please contact the venue if you haven't completed one yet."

Optional Extras

Some venues allow you to:

• Upload an inspiration photo: share a photo of the style you would like (tap "Choose a photo" to select from your device)
• Consent to portfolio photography: agree to let the venue photograph your results for their gallery

Tap "Confirm booking" to complete your appointment.

What Happens After Booking

Instant Confirmation

Most venues confirm bookings instantly. You will see:

• A green checkmark and the heading "Booked: [Service] with [Staff], [Day] [Time]"
• "A confirmation email has been sent to [your email]"
• Payment summary (if a deposit was paid): "Your deposit of $[amount] has been received. The remaining $[amount] is due at your appointment."
• If no deposit: "Nothing is due today. You'll pay at your appointment."
• A booking reference code (e.g., "A1B2C3D4")

Request Pending Approval

Some venues review bookings before confirming. In this case, you will see:

• A clock icon and the heading "Request sent: [Service] with [Staff], [Day] [Time]"
• "Your request has been sent to [venue] for review. You'll receive an email at [your email] once it's confirmed or if the venue suggests an alternative time."
• "If you don't hear back within [X] hours, your request will expire and any deposit will be refunded automatically."

The venue may approve your request, suggest alternative times, or decline it. You will be notified by email and/or SMS in each case.

After Confirmation

From the confirmation screen you can:

• Add to Calendar: downloads an .ics calendar file with the appointment details
• Done: closes the booking panel

If your card was saved during payment, a notice confirms: "Card saved for future appointments" with your card type and last four digits.

Earlier Availability Notifications

If your booking is 14 or more days away, you may see a prompt after confirmation:

"Want us to let you know if an earlier spot opens up?"

You can set your preferences:

• Staff preference: your booked stylist only, or any available staff member
• Time preference: "Any time", "Morning", "Afternoon", or "Evening"

Tap "Notify me" to opt in. If an earlier slot opens up, the venue will contact you. Your original booking remains confirmed either way.

You can also opt in later using the link in your confirmation email.

Managing Your Booking

After booking, you will receive an email and/or SMS with a link to manage your appointment. From this link you can:

• View your booking details
• Reschedule to a different time (subject to the venue's notice period policy)
• Cancel your booking (subject to the venue's cancellation policy)
• Accept or decline counter-offers if the venue suggests alternative times

No login is required, the manage link is unique and secure.

Counter-Offers

If your booking requires approval and the venue cannot accommodate your requested time, they may suggest up to 3 alternative time slots. You will receive an email and SMS with the offered times. Each slot shows the date, time, and staff member, with an "Accept This Time" button.

• Tap "Accept This Time" on your preferred slot, the booking is confirmed at the new time
• Tap "No Thanks, Cancel Request" to decline all offers and cancel your request
• If you do not respond before the deadline (typically 24 hours), the offer expires and any deposit is refunded

Reconfirmation Messages

Some venues send a "Can you still make it?" message before your appointment (typically 24 to 72 hours before). This is a reminder to confirm your attendance, tap the confirmation link in the message to let the venue know you will be there.

Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
No time slots available on any date	The venue may be fully booked. Join the waitlist to be notified when a slot opens, or try selecting a different staff member or "Any".
"That time was just taken" error	Another customer booked the same slot. The calendar reloads, pick a different available time.
Deposit payment failed	Check your card details and try again. If using an international card, a small surcharge may apply. Try a locally issued card if the surcharge is unexpected.
Did not receive confirmation email	Check your spam or junk folder. The email is sent from the venue's booking system immediately after confirmation.
Cannot reschedule or cancel	The venue's cancellation policy may restrict self-service changes inside a notice window (e.g., within 24 hours of the appointment). Contact the venue directly.
Counter-offer expired	The offer had a time limit (usually 24 hours). Contact the venue directly to rebook.
Patch test warning after booking	Some services (e.g., hair colour) require a skin patch test beforehand. Contact the venue to arrange one before your appointment.
Gift card code not accepted	Check the code is entered correctly and has a remaining balance. Gift cards are venue-specific and cannot be used at other locations.

FAQ

How do I book an appointment online?

Open the venue's booking link, choose a service, pick a date and time, enter your name, email, and phone number, pay any required deposit, and tap Confirm booking. You will receive a confirmation email immediately.

Do I need an account to book online?

No. No account or sign-up is required. You provide your name, email, and phone number during the booking process. These details are used to send you a confirmation and reminders.

What happens if the venue is fully booked?

You can join the waitlist. Enter your name, email, service preference, and time preference (Any time, Morning, Afternoon, or Evening). The venue will contact you when a matching slot opens up. Your original waitlist request remains until you book or cancel.

What is a counter-offer?

If a venue reviews bookings manually and cannot do your requested time, they may suggest up to 3 alternative slots. You receive an email and SMS, each offered slot has an Accept This Time button. If you do not respond within 24 hours, the offer expires and any deposit is refunded.

Related Articles

• Your Public Storefront
• Rescheduling & Cancelling Bookings
• Counter-Offers
• Smart Waitlist & Gap Filling