Common questions about creating, managing, and using packages.
Key Stat: Pre-paid packages make up 45% of dog daycare revenue on average. Understanding how packages work is essential for maximising this revenue stream.
General Questions
Can customers combine multiple packages?
Yes! Customers can purchase multiple packages and their credits are tracked separately. When booking, they can choose which package to use if they have credits available from multiple packages for the same service.
How many services can a package include?
Each package applies to a single service type. For example, a "Dog Walking 5-Pack" can only be used for dog walking appointments.
Can a package cover multiple service types?
No. Each package is linked to a single service type. If you want to offer credits for both grooming and daycare, you need to create two separate packages - one for each service. This keeps credit tracking simple and prevents mix-ups where a customer accidentally uses a grooming credit on a daycare booking.
Workaround for bundled offers: If you want to sell a "complete care bundle", create individual packages for each service type and sell them together as a promotion. For example, offer a "Complete Care Deal" that includes a 10-pack daycare package and a 5-pack grooming package, and communicate the combined savings to the customer.
Do package credits expire?
Package credits do not currently have an automatic expiry date. Once purchased, credits remain available on the customer's account until they are used.
Planning ahead: If your business needs time-limited packages (e.g., "use within 12 months"), you can manage this manually by:
Noting the purchase date on the customer's profile
Reaching out to customers as their informal expiry approaches
Contacting Petboost support to zero out lapsed credits if needed
In Development: Configurable expiry periods (e.g., 3, 6, or 12 months from purchase) are on our roadmap.
Can I edit a package after it has been purchased?
Yes, but with an important distinction:
Editing the package definition (name, price, number of credits, self-service toggle) is possible at any time via Packages > Manage
Changes only affect future purchases. Existing customer balances, pricing, and credit counts are not altered
For example, if you raise the price of your "10-Pack Daycare" from $250 to $280, customers who already purchased at $250 keep their original credits and pricing. Only new purchases use the updated price.
If you need to adjust an individual customer's existing balance, see How do I correct a package credit balance if it's wrong?
Pricing & Discounts
What's a good discount percentage for packages?
Most businesses offer 15-30% off for packages. The discount typically increases with larger pack sizes:
5-pack: 10-15% discount
10-pack: 20-25% discount
20-pack: 25-30% discount
Tip: Make sure the discount is meaningful enough to motivate customers to prepay, but sustainable for your business margins.
How does the value analysis help me price packages?
The value analysis automatically calculates:
Total regular price - What customers would pay booking services individually
Package price per use - Effective cost per session in the package
Total savings - Dollar amount and percentage discount
Per use savings - Discount amount per visit
Use this to test different pricing scenarios and find the sweet spot that incentivizes purchases while maintaining profitability.
How do I set up a package with a discount?
The discount is built into the package pricing itself. Here is how to configure it:
Go to Packages and click "New Package"
Select the service (e.g., Full Groom - $80 per session)
Set Redemptions Included to the number of credits (e.g., 10)
Set the Package Price lower than the total regular price (e.g., $640 instead of $800)
The Value Analysis panel instantly shows the discount breakdown:
Regular price: $800 (10 x $80)
Package price per use: $64
Total savings: $160 (20% discount)
Per use savings: $16
Tip: Start with a 15-20% discount for your first package. You can always adjust the price later, and changes only affect future purchases.
Customer Usage
How do customers know they have package credits?
Customers can see their package balances in:
Customer Portal - Dashboard shows all active packages and remaining credits with visual stamp system
Booking Flow - When booking, they'll see an option to use package credits if they have credits available
Email Receipts - Each package purchase email shows the credits added
The visual stamp system shows:
Purple circle stamps - Available credits ready to use
Green checkmark stamps - Credits that have been used
Can customers use package credits for any appointment?
Customers can only use credits for appointments that match the package's service type. For example, credits from a "Dog Walking 5-Pack" can only be used for dog walking appointments.
Note: Credits cannot be used for different service types.
What happens if a customer cancels an appointment they paid for with a package credit?
When a customer cancels an appointment booked with a package credit:
Within notice period:
Credit is automatically restored to their package balance
No action required from staff
Outside notice period (late cancellation):
Credit can be forfeited (based on your cancellation policy settings)
Or restored at staff discretion with manual override
This transparent handling ensures customers understand the rules, and you maintain policy consistency.
Can family members share package credits?
Yes! Petboost allows credits to be shared between eligible pets in the same household. This is one of the platform's standout features for families with multiple pets.
How it works:
When purchasing a package, select the "Share with family pets" option
Any eligible pet in the household can use credits from the shared pool
Each pet's usage is tracked separately on the stamp card, so you always know which pet used which credit
Perfect for families with multiple dogs using the same service (e.g., daycare, walking)
Example: The Smith family has Max, Bella, and Charlie. They purchase a 20-pack daycare bundle. All three dogs can use credits from this pack, and the stamp card shows which pet used each one.
Important notes:
The package must be for a service that all sharing pets are eligible for
Usage history clearly attributes each credit to the specific pet that used it
The family sees a single credit balance but with per-pet tracking underneath
Booking & Appointments
How do I apply package credits at the time of booking?
When creating an appointment for a customer with available package credits:
Go to Appointments and create a new appointment
Select the customer and pet
Choose the service that matches their package
Petboost automatically detects available credits and shows a purple "Package Credit Available" badge next to the service dropdown
Click the badge to view all available packages with their balances
Select the package to use - the appointment price changes to $0 (credit applied)
Complete the booking as normal
The credit is deducted automatically. No manual price adjustments needed.
If the badge does not appear, check that:
The service type matches the package exactly
The customer has remaining credits
The package is still active
How do I add a package to an existing appointment?
If an appointment has already been created and you want to apply a package credit after the fact:
Go to Appointments
Find and open the existing appointment
Click "Edit" on the appointment
In the service section, look for the purple "Package Credit Available" badge
Click the badge and select the package to apply
The appointment price updates to $0 and a credit is deducted
If no badge appears, the appointment's service type may not match any of the customer's active packages. Double-check that the service is an exact match.
Alternative approach: If editing the appointment does not show the package option, you can cancel the existing appointment (which does not use a credit) and rebook it fresh, selecting the package credit during the new booking flow.
What happens to package credits if a customer cancels an appointment?
This depends on your cancellation policy settings:
Cancellation within notice period:
The package credit is automatically restored to the customer's balance
No staff action required
The stamp card updates to show the credit as available again
Late cancellation (outside notice period):
By default, the credit is forfeited in line with your cancellation policy
Staff can override this and manually restore the credit if they choose
The decision is logged in the package transaction history for transparency
No-show:
Treated the same as a late cancellation - credit is forfeited by default
Staff override is available if you want to make a goodwill exception
To configure your cancellation notice period, go to Settings > Cancellation Policy.
Self-Service & Staff-Only
When should I enable self-service purchase?
Enable self-service for:
Standard packages you want all customers to access
Packages that generate recurring revenue
Services you actively promote
Packages with straightforward pricing
Keep staff-only for:
Introductory or promotional offers
VIP/premium packages for select customers
Packages requiring consultation before purchase
Seasonal or limited-time offers you want to control
Can I switch a package from staff-only to self-service later?
Yes! You can toggle the self-service setting on any package at any time. Changes take effect immediately:
Enabling self-service makes the package visible in the customer portal
Disabling self-service removes it from public view (but existing credits remain valid)
Staff Operations
How do staff purchase packages for customers?
Staff can purchase packages through the customer's profile:
Go to Customers & Pets
Open the customer's profile
Go to "Packages" tab
Click "Purchase Package" button
Select the package
Choose payment method (Card Reader, Saved Card, Cash, or Bank Transfer)
Click "Purchase"
Credits are added immediately to the customer's account.
How do I track which customers have purchased packages?
Go to Customers & Pets and open individual customer profiles. Click the "Packages" tab to see:
All active packages with remaining credits
Visual stamp system showing used and available credits
Purchase dates and package details
Complete usage history
Can I see which customers have active packages?
Yes. You can check package status through individual customer profiles:
Go to Customers & Pets
Open any customer's profile
Click the "Packages" tab - the tab badge shows the number of active packages (e.g., "Packages 3")
Active packages with remaining credits are displayed expanded at the top, while fully used packages are collapsed at the bottom
Quick indicators to look for:
Tab badge number - Tells you at a glance how many active packages the customer has
"X of Y remaining" - Shows exact credit count per package
Purple circle stamps - Visual indicator of available credits
Green checkmark stamps - Credits already redeemed
Tip: When a customer calls to book, open their profile first and check the Packages tab. This lets you proactively mention their available credits and provide a better experience.
How do I track package usage and remaining credits?
Petboost provides several ways to monitor package usage:
Per-customer view:
Go to Customers & Pets > customer profile > "Packages" tab
Each package card shows the stamp tracker with used (green) and available (purple) credits
Click "History" on any package card to see a detailed transaction log of every purchase, redemption, and cancellation credit return
Per-package view:
The stamp card on each purchase shows the exact count (e.g., "7 of 10 remaining")
Toggle "Show dates" to see when each credit was used
Click any green checkmark stamp to jump directly to the corresponding appointment
Identifying low-balance customers:
Check the "remaining" count on each package card
Customers with auto top-up enabled will replenish automatically
For others, use the low balance as a prompt to suggest repurchase
Do packages work with online booking?
Yes! If self-service is enabled, customers can:
Purchase packages through the customer portal
View their package balances in their account
Use package credits when booking appointments online
Everything is automated - no manual intervention required. Customers can buy a 10-pack at 2am and book their first appointment immediately.
Can package credits be shared between pets in the same family?
Yes! Petboost allows credits to be shared between eligible pets in the same household.
How it works:
When purchasing, select the "Share with family pets" option
Any eligible pet in the household can use credits from the shared pool
Each pet's usage is tracked separately on the stamp card
Perfect for families with multiple dogs using the same service
Example: A family with Max and Bella buys a 20-pack daycare bundle. Both dogs can use credits, and the transaction history shows which pet used each one.
Is there an auto top-up feature?
Yes! For customers who use packages regularly, you can enable automatic replenishment:
Set a threshold (e.g., "when 2 credits remaining")
When credits fall below threshold, automatically purchase a new package
Uses customer's saved card on file
Customer receives notification of auto-purchase
This ensures regular customers never run out of credits and keeps their booking experience seamless.
How are package credits applied during booking?
When creating an appointment for a customer who has package credits:
Select the service that matches their package
Petboost automatically detects available package credits
A purple "Package Credit Available" badge appears next to the service dropdown
Click the badge to see all available packages and balances
The appointment price shows as $0 when using a credit
One credit is automatically deducted from their package balance
Petboost prevents using package credits for services that don't match the package type.
How do I correct a package credit balance if it's wrong?
You can fix most balance issues directly in the app:
Accidental charge or double purchase: Use the Refund Package button (see How do I handle a customer wanting a refund?) to refund the payment and optionally remove the credits in one step.
Accidental usage: Cancel the appointment (credit is restored if within notice period).
Promotional credits: Purchase a new small package as a goodwill gesture.
For other adjustments (e.g. system errors, manual balance corrections), contact [email protected] with:
Customer name and email
Package name
Current balance and what it should be
Reason for adjustment
Credit Management & Adjustments
My customer has old package credits from when we first started - how do I zero them?
If a customer has legacy credits that are no longer valid (e.g., from a trial period, an old promotion, or credits that were added in error during initial setup), you need to contact Petboost support to have the balance adjusted.
Steps to zero out old credits:
Go to the customer's profile > "Packages" tab and note down:
The package name
Current credit balance (e.g., "8 of 10 remaining")
Purchase date (to confirm it is the legacy purchase)
Email [email protected] with:
Customer name and email
Package name and purchase date
Current balance and that it should be set to 0
Reason: "Legacy credits from initial setup - no longer valid"
Our team will zero the balance and confirm
Tip: Before zeroing credits, communicate with the customer first. If they purchased the package legitimately, consider honouring the remaining credits or offering a partial refund to maintain goodwill.
In Development: Self-service balance adjustment is on the roadmap, which will allow staff to adjust credit balances directly from the dashboard.
How do I handle a customer wanting a refund on unused package credits?
Petboost has a built-in Refund Package feature that handles the Stripe refund and credit adjustment in one step. No need to go to Stripe Dashboard or contact support.
To refund a package purchase:
Go to Customers & Pets
Open the customer's profile > "Packages" tab
Find the package card for the purchase you want to refund. If the customer has bought the same package multiple times, each purchase shows as a separate card.
Click the "Refund Package" button (red text at the bottom of the card)
In the refund dialog:
Review the breakdown showing purchase amount, consumed credits, remaining credits, and the maximum refundable amount
Enter the refund amount (defaults to the maximum refundable)
Choose whether to keep or remove the remaining credits
Optionally add a reason (e.g. "Accidental double purchase", "Customer request")
Click "Confirm Refund"
What happens automatically:
If the customer paid by card (card on file, card reader, or payment link), the refund is issued directly to their original payment method via Stripe. Application fees are reversed automatically.
If the customer paid by cash or bank transfer, no Stripe refund is issued. The ledger is updated so the credit balance is correct, and you arrange the cash/bank refund separately.
The package balance is updated immediately. No need to contact support.
Common scenarios:
Accidental double purchase: Refund the second purchase in full and remove the extra credits.
Partial refund for unused credits: Enter a custom amount (e.g. refund only the unused portion) and remove the remaining credits.
Full refund, keep credits as goodwill: Refund the full amount but choose "Keep remaining credits" as a customer retention gesture.
Important considerations:
Check your terms and conditions for your refund policy on packages
If the customer paid by cash or bank transfer, arrange the refund through the same channel after processing the ledger update in Petboost
Having a clear package refund policy in your terms and conditions prevents disputes
Related FAQs from Other Sections
These FAQs from other user guides may also be helpful:
Related Articles
Getting Started with Packages - Create and configure packages
Customer Package Balances - Track customer credits
Using Packages in Appointments - Apply credits when booking
Need help? Contact support or click the "Get Help" button in your dashboard to chat with our team.