Online Bookings for Barbershops: The Definitive Guide
By Marai ·
Barbershops have a rhythm all their own. They blend clients who book in advance with walk-ins who show up unannounced. Services are quick (a haircut takes 20–30 minutes), turnover is high, and loyalty is everything: a regular client comes back every 3–4 weeks for years.
Managing all of this with a notebook or from memory has a ceiling. This guide explains how to implement online bookings at your barbershop without losing what makes it unique.
Why a Barbershop Needs Online Bookings
Clients Don’t Want to Call Anymore
The reality is that fewer and fewer people pick up the phone to make a booking. They prefer to do it from their mobile, at whatever time suits them, without waiting for someone to answer. If your barbershop only accepts bookings by phone or in person, you’re losing clients who would book at 11 p.m. on a Sunday.
Walk-Ins + Bookings: Finding the Balance
The most common fear among barbers is that online bookings will eliminate walk-ins. It doesn’t have to be that way. A good system allows you to block slots for walk-ins (for example, not allowing online bookings during the first hours of the morning) while opening up the rest of the schedule for planned appointments.
With Marai’s schedule exceptions and availability templates, you can configure exactly which hours are open to online bookings and which are reserved for walk-in clients.
Multiple Barbers, One Shared Schedule
If your barbershop has 2, 3, or 5 barbers, each with their own hours and skills, you need a schedule that reflects that. A client may prefer a specific barber, and the system should only show that barber’s availability.
In Marai, each professional has their own schedule, their own services, and their own pricing. The client chooses a barber when booking (or lets the system assign the next available one).
How to Set Up Online Bookings at Your Barbershop
Step 1: Define Your Services
In a barbershop, services tend to be clear and straightforward:
- Haircut — 25 min — €15
- Haircut + beard — 40 min — €22
- Classic shave — 20 min — €12
- Hair treatment — 30 min — €20
Each service needs a name, a duration, and a price. If you offer add-ons (wax, beard oil, hot towel), you can add them as extras that clients select when booking.
Step 2: Configure Availability
Define the weekly schedule for your barbershop and for each barber. If you’re closed on Tuesdays, if you open half-days on Saturdays, if a barber only works afternoons — all of this is reflected in the schedule templates.
For special days (bank holidays, local fiestas, holidays), use schedule exceptions: you can mark an entire day as unavailable or modify the hours for just that date.
Step 3: Activate Your Booking Channels
This is where barbershops have an advantage over other businesses: your clients already follow you on Instagram and already message you on WhatsApp.
Booking link on Instagram. Share your booking link in your Instagram bio and Stories. Every time you post a haircut, add a direct link to book. No technical integration needed — it’s simply a link to your booking portal.
WhatsApp bot. If clients already message you on WhatsApp to request appointments, Marai’s bot can respond automatically with your availability. The client messages, picks a slot, and confirms. You don’t have to touch your phone. Available from the Starter plan.
Step 4: Set Up Reminders
A 24-hour reminder via WhatsApp is enough for most barbershops. Services are quick and affordable, so an aggressive reminder schedule (2 hours, 1 hour) can feel excessive.
Marai lets you choose when and how reminders are sent: email (free on all plans) or WhatsApp (from Starter).
Loyalty: The Foundation of the Business
In a barbershop, loyalty is everything. A client who comes every 3 weeks spends more than €250 per year. Multiplied across 100 loyal clients, that’s over €25,000 in predictable, recurring revenue.
Points Programme
With Marai’s loyalty programme, every visit earns points. You define the rules: 1 point per euro, 10 points per visit, or whatever formula you prefer. Points are redeemed for rewards you configure: a fixed discount, a percentage off, or a free service.
For example: “every 10 haircuts, the next one is free.” This translates into a points programme where clients accumulate points per visit and the reward is a complimentary service when they hit the target.
Memberships
Another option is to offer memberships: a fixed monthly fee that includes a set number of services. For example, “Monthly Plan: 2 haircuts per month for €25” (instead of €30 when paying separately).
Marai supports recurring memberships (automatic monthly billing) and session packs (the client buys a bundle and uses it session by session). Available from the Starter plan.
Product Sales
Many barbershops sell products: waxes, oils, shampoos, aftershave. With Marai’s inventory and POS module, you can manage stock and record product sales alongside services. When a client comes in for a haircut and picks up a tin of wax, everything is recorded in the same transaction.
Review Management
Reviews are gold for a barbershop. After every visit, Marai can automatically request a review from the client. This helps you collect genuine opinions and catch problems before they turn into lost clients.
Review collection is available on all plans, including Free.
Waiting List
If a Saturday morning is fully booked and a client wants an appointment, they’re automatically added to the waiting list. If someone cancels, the system notifies the first person on the list and offers them the slot. Works on all plans.
Deposits: Necessary at a Barbershop?
For affordable services (a €15 haircut), probably not. But if you offer premium treatments or multi-session packages, a deposit reduces last-minute cancellations. You decide which services require one and which don’t.
Marai accepts online payments by card, Bizum, bank transfer, and cash.
How Much Does It Cost?
| Situation | Plan | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Solo barber, want to try | Free | €0/month |
| 1–2 barbers, WhatsApp + loyalty | Starter | €29/month |
| 3–5 barbers, check-in and analytics | Pro | €59/month |
| Barbershop chain | Business | €99/month |
The Free plan includes 1 professional, 50 appointments per month, visual calendar, waiting list, and reviews.
Get Started Today
Your barbershop already has the hardest part: loyal clients who keep coming back. All you need is a tool that makes it easier for them to return and easier for you to manage them.
Marai lets you get everything set up in under an hour. Try it for free and see for yourself.
More details on how Marai fits barbershops on the barbershops page.