Home → Arctic Reservations → Guest-Facing Site → Controlling the Checkout Process
30.13. Controlling the Checkout Process
Arctic gives you the opportunity to control the checkout process for your online store, which effects reservations, rentals and e-commerce purchases. All of the settings for the checkout process are found on the "Settings" page under "Store" as shown here:
Each of the settings are detailed below.
Use Two Step Checkout: This setting allows you to decide to have a streamlined checkout process where guest information is not collected until the guest checks out or to have a multi-step checkout process where guest information is collected before they can see their final total and make a payment. Enabling the two step checkout form will allow you to use the guest information collected prior to checkout to follow up with the guests who have abandoned their online booking, but can reduce conversion due to the longer checkout experience.
By default, Arctic is set to "No, use the faster single step checkout form" as this yields a higher conversion rate for completed online bookings. To alter the default selection, click the "Pencil" icon next to "Use Two Step Checkout". Then select "Yes, use the two step checkout form" and click "Save Setting" to save your changes.
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Note: Arctic will provide abandoned cart notices, even if you do not turn on the "Two Step Checkout" as long as a guest has entered their contact information. While rare to get this information from a guest in the single step process without them completing their order, it is still possible and will give you the opprotunity to follow up with these guests about their abandoned order.
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Create Inquiry If Cart Abandoned: This setting allows you to tell Arctic to convert abandoned carts into inquiries if a guest has entered their contact information. This setting works well in conjunction with the two step checkout form since this form collects guest information before the actual checkout step. However, this feature will also work with the single step checkout as long as the guest entered their contact information before they abandon their cart.
By default, Arctic is set to "No, do not create inquiries for abandoned carts." To alter the default selection, click the "Pencil" icon next to "Create Inquiry If Cart Abandoned and select "Yes, create inquiries for abandoned carts". Then click "Save Setting" to save your changes.
Run Credit Card Hold On Checkout (instead of payment): This setting allows you to tell Arctic you only want to process credit card holds for online reservations instead of payments. This allows you to collect validated credit card information from the guest but to not actually charge them. This setting can come in handy if you need to confirm your online bookings before finalizing them.
By default, Arctic is set to collect payments for online bookings. To alter the default selection, click the "Pencil" icon next to "Run Credit Card Hold on Checkout" and select "Yes, just place a hold on the card". Then click "Save Setting" to save your changes. Note: if you choose to process credit card holds instead of payments, the holds must be converted to payments manually via the back end after you have confirmed the online booking.
Show Continue Browsing Option on Checkout: This setting allows you to offer your guests the opportunity to keep shopping once they reach the checkout page. Enabling this feature makes it easier for your guests to book multiple activities in a single transaction online.
By default, Arctic is set to "No, just show checkout form". To alter the default selection, click the "Pencil" icon next to "Show Continue Browsing Option on Checkout" and select "Yes, show a link to keep browsing". Then click "Save Setting" to save your changes.
Require Payment: This setting allows you to choose whether or not your guests must pay when making an online booking. You can choose from "Never, guest can checkout without paying", "If payment is due with X days" or "Always, guests must pay deposit on checkout".
By default, Arctic is set to "Always, guests must pay deposit on checkout". The amount the guest will have to pay with this option is determined by the payment plan associated with the activity they are booking. If, for instance, they are booking an activity that requires a deposit of $400 per person at the time of booking and the guest is booking a reservation for 5 guests, Arctic will require the guest to pay a $2000.00 deposit during checkout. If the payment plan associated with the activity requires payment in full at the time of booking, Arctic will require the guest to pay the full balance due during checkout.
If you choose "If payment is due within X days", Arctic will only require payment if the first payment due according to the payment plan for the activity being booked is due within the window of time you set. For instance, if set the number of days to 5, Arctic will only collect a payment if the first payment due is within 5 days of when the guest is making their online booking. Also, the amount collected by Arctic will again be determined by the payment plan associated with the activity being booked. If the payment plan requires a deposit of $200 that is due 60 days prior to the date the activity starts, Arctic will require the guest to pay $200 during checkout if the guest is making their booking within 60 to 65 days of the date the activity they are booking starts. If payment in full is required 30 days prior to the date the activity starts, Arctic will require the guest to pay the full balance during checkout if they are making their booking within 0 to 35 days of the date the activity starts.
Note: For either the "Always, guests must pay deposit on checkout" or the "If payment is due within X days", Arctic will require payment in full if the guest is booking past the date the final payments were due. For instance if the payment plan associated with the activity being booked denotes the final payment is due 60 days from the date the activity starts, and your guest is booking at 59 days out from the date the activity starts, Arctic will require the guest to pay the full balance during checkout.
To alter the default selection for the "Require Payment" setting, click the "Pencil" icon next to "Require Payment" and choose the option your prefer either "Never, guest can checkout without paying" or "If payment is due within X days". Then click "Save Setting" to save your changes.