Walk-in and one-click booking pay this week. Packages pay the next six. Timezer service packages are prepaid session bundles: the owner creates the pack, sells it, and the customer redeems credits instead of paying the full price every visit.
This article is for services businesses (salons, clinics, therapists). Sports courts use resource subscriptions (mensalistas), not this pack model — see court booking and replay.
Why packs outperform discount stickers
A 10% off coupon trains people to wait for the next coupon. A 5-session pack:
- Pulls cash forward so rent is not a surprise.
- Creates a streak of visits the client does not want to waste.
- Fills off-peak if you price weekday packs differently from Saturday.
The psychology is loss aversion, not generosity. Unused credits feel like wasted money. That is the point.
Design rules that avoid angry redemptions
- Name the service, not “generic credit.” A colouring pack should not redeem as a 15-minute fringe trim unless you meant that.
- Set expiry. Open-ended packs become a liability. 90 or 180 days is enough for a 5-pack.
- Decide what a no-show does. Best default: a no-show consumes a credit. Pair with cancellation policy so it is not a surprise.
- Do not stack a card deposit on a pack booking unless the pack has not been paid yet. Double charging is how Trustpilot reviews are born.
- Sell in the venue and in Admin. The public booking flow should make “I have a pack” obvious, or staff will keep a paper notebook again.
How Timezer models packages
Admin → service packages: create, edit, sell. Customer portal: My service packages with status Active / Exhausted / Expired / Cancelled.
Selling from Admin is the front-desk path (client already in the chair, pays PIX or card, you attach the pack). The customer then books online and redeems.
Staff need access to see remaining credits. If only the owner knows, the pack dies in a WhatsApp screenshot.
Packs vs subscriptions vs fidelity
- Package — prepaid N sessions, then done. Best for finite treatments (teeth whitening series, physiotherapy block).
- Service subscription — recurring plan (monthly access or included sessions). Best when the relationship is ongoing.
- Fidelity card — visit threshold then a free or %-off voucher. Best as a bonus layer, not as the only retention tool.
Use one primary mechanism per service line. Three overlapping discounts is how your margin disappears.
A simple pack menu
- Starter 3 — 3 sessions. New colour or physio block.
- Habit 5 — 5 sessions. Monthly cut cadence.
- Commitment 10 — 10 sessions. True regulars; longer expiry.
Price so that 3 is slightly better than three singles, 10 is clearly better, and you can still afford a no-show consuming a credit.
FAQ
Should I put packages on the public booking page?
Yes, or they will not sell while you are busy. Admin-only packs become a secret for the clients you remember to mention.
What happens when credits expire?
Expired is a status in Timezer. Communicate the date at sale. Silent expiry is legally and reputationally expensive; written expiry is a product feature.
Can courts sell “hour packs”?
Not with the service-package engine. Courts are resources. Use resource subscription plans for standing weekly slots, or sell hours as prepaid at the desk and book them as ordinary resource bookings — but do not expect the service pack UI to appear on a sports tenant.
How do packages relate to staff calendars?
Credits redeem against a service that still needs a staff member and a slot. Invite staff first or the pack will sell hours nobody can deliver.
Is this loyalty?
It is prepaid inventory. Loyalty (fidelity vouchers) is a separate, lighter hook for people not ready to buy a pack.