Credits FAQ
Answers to common questions about the flexible payment system.
Basics
What are credits?
Credits are a virtual currency in Bookicorn. Customers buy credits in advance and can use them to book courses. This enables flexible pricing and packages.
Why credits instead of direct payment?
| Advantage | Description |
|---|---|
| Flexibility | Customers freely choose from the course offering |
| Advance payment | Predictable revenue for the studio |
| Packages | Attractive volume discounts possible |
| Simplicity | No payment required at each booking |
Can I also offer direct payment?
Yes. For each course you can choose:
- Credits only
- Direct payment only
- Both (customers choose)
FIFO System
What does FIFO mean?
FIFO = "First In, First Out". Credits are consumed in the order they were purchased. Older credits are used first.
Why FIFO?
- Prevents old credits from expiring unused
- Fairness for customers
- Automatic optimization
FIFO Example
Customer buys:
January: 10 credits (valid until March)
February: 10 credits (valid until May)
Customer books in February:
→ System uses credits from package 1 (older first)
Validity & Expiry
When do credits expire?
Credits have an expiry date based on:
- Package setting (e.g. "valid for 6 months")
- Starting point (from purchase or from first use)
What happens when credits expire?
- Credits automatically become invalid
- No automatic refund
- Customers are warned in advance
Can I restore expired credits?
Yes, as an admin you can:
- Open customer profile
- Add credits manually
- Set a new expiry date
Are customers warned before expiry?
Yes, automatically:
- Email 7 days before expiry
- Display in dashboard
Packages
How many packages should I create?
Recommendation: 3–5 packages
| Package | Example |
|---|---|
| Starter | 5 credits, short validity |
| Standard | 10 credits, medium validity |
| Premium | 20+ credits, long validity |
Should I offer volume discounts?
Yes, typically:
- Small packages: no/little discount
- Medium packages: 5–10% discount
- Large packages: 10–20% discount
Can I change packages later?
Yes, but:
- Changes apply to new purchases
- Already purchased packages remain unchanged
- Customers with active packages are not affected
Can I delete a package?
Packages can be deactivated:
- No longer purchasable
- Already purchased packages remain valid
- Customer credits are retained
Trainer-Bound Credits
What are trainer-bound credits?
Credits that only apply to courses by a specific trainer. Useful for:
- Personal training packages
- Specialist trainers
- Self-employed trainers
How do I create trainer-bound packages?
- Create new package
- Enable "Trainer-bound"
- Select trainer
- Save
What if the trainer leaves?
Options:
- Transfer credits to another trainer
- Manually refund credits
- Extend validity until used
Subscriptions
Can I offer credit subscriptions?
Yes. Subscriptions are recurring packages:
- Monthly charge
- Automatic credit top-up
- Customers can cancel at the end of the billing period
How does a credit subscription work?
- Customer selects subscription package
- First payment + credits immediately
- Every month: charge + new credits
- Cancellation: Runs until end of period
Do subscription credits accumulate?
Yes, unused credits remain (until expiry date). This can lead to large balances.
Tip: Set shorter validity periods for subscriptions.
Vouchers
Can I create vouchers for credits?
Yes, various types:
- Discount on packages (% or €)
- Free credits
- Free package
How do I create a voucher?
- Payments → Vouchers
- "New voucher"
- Set type and value
- Generate code or choose your own
- Optional: Set usage limit
Can I limit vouchers?
Yes:
- Maximum total redemptions
- Once per customer
- Validity period
- Only for specific packages
Cancellation & Refund
What happens when a booking is cancelled?
Within the cancellation period:
- Credits are automatically refunded
- Same package (not a new package)
- Expiry date remains the same
Can I manually refund credits?
Yes:
- Open customer profile
- View credit history
- "Add credits"
- Provide reason
Can I refund money instead of credits?
Stripe refunds are possible:
- Payments → Transactions
- Find payment
- Click "Refund"
Pricing
How do I calculate credit prices?
Sample calculation:
Average course price: €15
→ 1 credit = €15
10-class card with 10% discount:
10 x €15 = €150
- 10% = €135
Can a course cost multiple credits?
Yes. Typical scale:
- Standard course: 1 credit
- Specialty course: 2 credits
- Workshop: 3–5 credits
- Personal training: 5–10 credits
Can I change prices later?
Yes, but:
- New prices apply to new bookings
- Existing bookings remain unchanged
- Already purchased credits retain their value
Reporting
How do I view credit statistics?
Dashboard → Credits or Reports:
- Credits sold
- Credits used
- Credits expired
- Active balances
Can I export credit data?
Yes:
- Reports → Credits
- Select time period
- "Export" → CSV
Common Issues
Customer cannot book even though they have credits
Check:
- Are credits active (not paused)?
- Are credits valid for this course?
- For trainer-bound: Is it the right trainer?
- Expiry date not yet reached?
Credits were deducted twice
Should not happen. If it does:
- Check booking history
- Check credit history
- Correct manually if needed
- Contact support
Customer sees a different credit count
Possible causes:
- Browser cache (reload page)
- Multiple packages (sum vs. individual packages)
- Recent booking not yet updated