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Customer chooses
The customer selects the service, stay, booking date, accommodation or option they want through your website.
Customer payments through your website
How customer payments work
This page explains how payments made by your customers are handled when your Black Pastel booking system or website uses Stripe for online payments.
In simple terms, your customer pays securely through your website, Stripe processes the payment, and the money is paid into your own Stripe account before being paid out to your business bank account.
Black Pastel builds and connects the payment flow, but customer funds do not pass through Black Pastel.
Customer payments
Stripe setup
Deposits
Balances
Booking payments
Secure checkout
Key information
We want payment setup to feel clear, secure and straightforward for both you and your customers.
When a customer makes a payment through your website, Stripe securely handles the transaction. The money is connected to your own Stripe account, not a Black Pastel account.
This keeps customer payments under your business control, including payouts, refunds, disputes and reporting.
Your Stripe account
You will need your own Stripe account to accept customer payments online through your booking system.
Where customer money goes
Payments go to your Stripe account and are then paid out to your business bank account by Stripe.
Who controls refunds
You remain in control of customer payments, refunds, disputes, cancellations and business policies.
Our role
Black Pastel sets up and connects the payment system to your website, but we do not hold customer funds.
How online payments work
When a booking system is set up with Stripe payments, the process is designed to be simple for the customer and manageable for your business.
1. Creating your Stripe account
To take online payments from customers, you will first need to create a Stripe account for your business.
This is the account that securely processes card payments and sends funds to your bank account. Stripe may ask for standard business details, identification and bank information as part of the setup process.
2. Connecting Stripe to your website
Once your Stripe account is ready, we connect it to your website or booking system so customers can pay securely online.
Your payment flow can be configured around deposits, full payments, balances, booking fees or other payment stages depending on the system.
3. Customer payments
When your customer books through your website and makes a payment, Stripe handles the transaction securely.
The payment is processed through your Stripe account, not ours, which means the funds belong to your business from the point of payment processing.
4. Payouts to your bank
Stripe then pays the funds out to your connected business bank account based on its payout schedule.
You can view transactions, payouts, refunds and reports within your Stripe dashboard.
5. Stripe processing fees
Stripe charges its own transaction fees for processing card payments.
These fees are separate from Black Pastel setup or support fees and are charged by Stripe directly as part of using their payment platform.
6. What customers can pay for
Depending on your business model, your booking system can be configured to take customer payments for:
- deposits
- full payments
- remaining balances
- booking fees
- optional extras
- discounted or promotional rates
7. Refunds, disputes and chargebacks
As the business owner, you remain responsible for your customer payments, refunds, disputes, cancellations and business policies.
Black Pastel is not responsible for customer chargebacks, refund requests, no-shows, cancellation disputes or payment processor decisions.
8. Platform fees
Black Pastel is not currently charging a platform fee on standard service-based booking systems.
In future, certain specialist systems such as accommodation booking platforms may include a platform fee where this has been clearly stated before setup or launch.
9. Security
Card payments are handled securely through Stripe. Your website does not store raw customer card details on your server.
This helps provide a safer payment process for both your business and your customers.
10. Support with setup
We can guide you through connecting Stripe to your website as part of your booking system setup.
This includes making sure the website is ready to take online payments and that the payment flow works correctly with your booking process.
If you have any questions about payment setup, please contact hello@blackpastel.co.uk.
What the customer experiences
From booking to payment confirmation
The payment journey is designed to feel straightforward from the customer’s point of view, while giving your business a clear and secure way to collect payments online.
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Website calculates
The system can calculate the amount due, such as a deposit, full payment, balance or booking fee.
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Stripe processes
The customer pays securely through Stripe using the payment flow connected to your website.
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Business receives
The payment is linked to your Stripe account, with transaction records available in your Stripe dashboard.
Need help deciding?
Payments can be shaped around how your business works
Different businesses need different payment journeys. Some need deposits, some need full payment upfront, some need balances or staged payments. Black Pastel can help plan the right customer payment flow for your booking system or website.