Services
Smart Pricing
Last updated 19 May 2026
Smart Pricing
Create dynamic pricing rules that automatically adjust service prices based on the day of the week, time of day, or a specific date, so you can charge more during peak hours or offer discounts to fill quiet periods.
Where to find it. Web: Sidebar → Settings → Smart Pricing (under Policies). Mobile: Smart Pricing (accessible from settings/more menu).
TL;DR
- Smart Pricing automatically adjusts service prices based on day of week, time of day, or a specific date
- Available on all plans: only Owners and Managers can create or edit rules
- Rules never stack, only one applies per booking slot (specific-date rules beat weekly rules)
- Use the Smart Pricing toggle in each service's Advanced settings to opt individual services in or out
Overview
Smart Pricing lets you:
- Set percentage or fixed-amount surcharges for peak times (e.g. +15% on Saturdays)
- Create off-peak discounts to fill quiet time slots (e.g. -$10 on Tuesday mornings)
- Schedule one-off pricing for special dates (e.g. New Year's Eve premium)
- Control which services are eligible via the per-service Smart Pricing toggle
- Enable or disable rules without deleting them
Smart Pricing is available on all plans. Only venue owners and managers can create, edit, or delete rules.
Creating a pricing rule
On web
- Go to Settings in the sidebar.
- Under Policies, click Smart Pricing.
- Click Add Rule.
- Fill in the rule form:
Rule name
Enter a descriptive name (2 to 50 characters). Examples: "Weekend Surcharge", "Happy Hour Discount", "Christmas Eve Premium".
Schedule
Choose a schedule type:
| Tab | What it does | Fields |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly Recurring | Rule repeats on selected days each week | Day-of-week toggles (Su, Mo, Tu, We, Th, Fr, Sa). Default: Mon-Fri. |
| Specific Date | Rule applies once on a single calendar date | Date picker (YYYY-MM-DD format) |
Optionally check Limit to specific hours to restrict the rule to a time window:
- Start time: default 09:00 (24-hour format)
- End time: default 17:00 (24-hour format)
If you don't limit to specific hours, the rule applies all day (00:00 to 23:59).
Price adjustment
| Setting | Options |
|---|---|
| Action | Increase by (surcharge) or Decrease by (discount) |
| Type | % (percentage) or $ (fixed amount) |
| Value | The amount to adjust (e.g. 10 for 10% or $10) |
- Click Create Rule (mobile) or confirm the dialog (web).
On mobile
- Open Smart Pricing from the settings or more menu.
- Tap Add Pricing Rule.
- Fill in the same fields as web, the mobile form uses button groups for day selection and action/type toggles.
- Tap Create Rule.
Tip
Start with small adjustments (5 to 15%) and monitor for a few weeks before increasing. Customers are more sensitive to visible price differences than you might expect.
How rules are applied
When a customer selects a booking time slot, OpenChair checks all active smart pricing rules to see if any match the slot's date and time.
Matching logic
A rule matches a time slot if:
- The rule is active (
isActive = true) - The slot falls on a matching day of week (for weekly rules) or specific date (for one-off rules)
- The slot falls within the rule's time window (if one is set)
Conflict resolution
If multiple rules match the same time slot, only one rule is applied: rules do not stack.
The winning rule is selected by:
- Priority: specific-date rules (priority 10) beat weekly rules (priority 0)
- Largest adjustment: among equal-priority rules, the one with the biggest absolute adjustment wins
Price calculation
| Type | Calculation |
|---|---|
| Percentage increase | Final price = base price + (base price × value / 100) |
| Percentage decrease | Final price = base price − (base price × value / 100) |
| Fixed increase | Final price = base price + value |
| Fixed decrease | Final price = base price − value |
The final price is never less than $0. Percentage decreases are capped at 100%.
Service opt-in
Each service has a Smart Pricing toggle that controls whether pricing rules apply to it.
- Default: On (new services are eligible for smart pricing)
- Location: Service edit form → Advanced section → Smart Pricing toggle
- Label: "Adjust price based on demand"
When smart pricing is enabled on a service, the form shows:
- If rules exist: "N active rule(s) configured. Manage →" (links to the Smart Pricing settings page)
- If no rules: "No pricing rules configured yet. Set up rules →"
Services with smart pricing toggled off always use their base price, regardless of active rules.
Managing existing rules
Toggling a rule on or off
Each rule card has an Active/Inactive toggle. Tap or click the toggle to enable or disable the rule immediately. This is useful for:
- Seasonal adjustments (disable summer rules in winter)
- Testing the impact of a pricing change
- Temporarily pausing a rule without losing the configuration
Deleting a rule
On mobile, tap the trash icon on the rule card and confirm. On web, use the delete action on the rule.
Rule card display
Each rule card shows:
| Element | Example |
|---|---|
| Name | "Weekend Surcharge" |
| Badge | "Weekly" (grey) or "One-off" (blue) |
| Summary | "Increases price by 15%" or "Decreases price by $10" |
| Schedule tags | Day abbreviations (M T W T F) or date (2026-03-28) |
| Time tag | "09:00 - 17:00" (if time-limited) |
| Status badge | "Disabled" (if inactive) |
| Toggle | Active/Inactive switch |
Empty state
When no rules have been created:
- Web: The settings page shows "No pricing rules configured." with the Add Rule button and a "How it works" section explaining increases (green dot) and decreases (red dot).
- Mobile: A DollarSign icon with "No pricing rules yet" and "Create rules to adjust prices by time, day, or date" with an Add Pricing Rule button.
Platform differences
| Feature | Web | Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Navigation | Settings → Smart Pricing (sidebar) | Smart Pricing (settings/more menu) |
| Create rule | Dialog (modal overlay) | Full-screen form |
| Day selection | 7 toggle buttons in dialog | 7 circular day buttons |
| Date picker | HTML date input | Native DateTimePicker (iOS inline, Android modal) |
| Time picker | HTML time input | Native DateTimePicker |
| Delete rule | Delete action on rule | Trash icon with confirmation alert |
| Active toggle | Toggle switch on rule card | Toggle switch on rule card |
| Empty state | Text + How it works section | Icon + text + CTA button |
| Edit rule | Update via dialog | Not available, delete and recreate |
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Rule is not affecting prices | Check that the rule is Active (toggle on). Verify the day/date and time window match the booking slot. Also check the service has Smart Pricing enabled in its settings. |
| Prices seem wrong | Only one rule applies per time slot, rules do not stack. If you have multiple matching rules, the one with the highest priority (specific date beats weekly) and largest adjustment wins. |
| Cannot create or edit rules | Only venue owners and managers can manage smart pricing rules. If you are a team member, ask the venue owner. |
| Discount reduced price to $0 | Percentage decreases are capped at 100%. Fixed-amount decreases can reduce the price to $0 but never below. Check the adjustment value isn't too large for the service price. |
| Customer does not see the adjusted price | The adjustment is applied when the booking slot is selected. If the customer is viewing the service list (not a specific slot), they see the base price. |
| Want to apply different rules to different services | Individual services can opt out of smart pricing via the Smart Pricing toggle in the service edit form. However, you cannot target a rule to specific services, rules apply to all eligible services. |
FAQ
What is Smart Pricing?
Smart Pricing lets you create rules that automatically increase or decrease service prices based on the day of the week, time of day, or a specific date.
Do Smart Pricing rules stack?
No, only one rule applies per time slot. If multiple rules match, the one with the highest priority (specific-date beats weekly) and largest adjustment wins.
How do I stop a rule from applying to a specific service?
Turn off the Smart Pricing toggle on the service in its Advanced settings. That service will always use its base price regardless of active rules.
Can I temporarily disable a rule without deleting it?
Yes, each rule card has an Active/Inactive toggle. Disable the toggle to pause the rule without losing its configuration.
Proficiency-linked pricing
Settings → Smart Pricing also hosts the Proficiency-linked pricing toggle (PRO). When on, each service can carry tier prices (junior / senior / master / expert) and each staff member has a proficiency level on each service. The price the customer sees auto-resolves based on the stylist they pick.
The two systems compose — proficiency pricing resolves the base price; Smart Pricing dynamic rules adjust on top. See Staff Services & Proficiency for full setup.