Take Online Payment Immediately!

TakeABreak®'s Online Payment System makes it easy for operators of small and medium accommodations to take credit card deposit payments. This will dramatically improve your booking rate and conversion rate, especially for overseas customers, and you don't need a special bank account.

· You set the deposit amount

· You set the how long to hold the tentative booking (1 - 14 days). So if the deposit isn’t paid you can put the property/room back on the market

· It's easy for guests to pay

· Its secure (we use the ANZ online banking system and secure transaction facility)

· Its easy for you to administer – no need to send invoices or chase payments

· You don’t need to set up an expensive credit card facility

· We immediately advise you by SMS and email when the guest pays the deposit

How does it work?
Once you have signed up for our Online Payment System, you will have an additional response option when you receive an email enquiry.

This Request Deposit option allows you to set the deposit amount and how long you will hold the availability. If you need to apply additional conditions, you can add these as an attachment to the deposit request. You can use the Request Deposit response as your initial response to customers when you have availability, or as a follow up response after you've confirmed they are interested.

You then send the response to the enquirer who will be able to click on a link in the email and pay the deposit online. You can also access this option if you log in to your TakeABreak property and click on the enquiry number under 'Calendar & Enquiries'.

We invoice the customer for their payment on your behalf and provide this invoice to you. We then collect the deposit payment using our secure ecommerce system, and hold the amount over our fee in our trust fund. This amount is then transferred to your bank account within 10 days of the commencement of the guest's stay.

Standard booking conditions apply so please read these carefully. You can also add your own conditions if appropriate.

To make a refund you must inform us so we can reverse the credit card charge - you must not pay a refund to the customer direct.

How to sign up
Go to, http://www.takeabreak.com.au/Ecommerce/contract.pdf.

Please read the Online Payment System contract carefully. If you agree to these terms, print out the contract, and complete and sign the final page (you'll understand that for this system we do need a signed contract). Then fax the final page only to 02 6166 0274.

Frequently asked questions
What if I'm not registered for GST or do not need to charge GST on my accommodation?
No problems - but you do need to have an Australian Business Number (ABN). It is up to you to state your correct tax status.

Will this enquiry show on my monthly Confirmation of Stays form?
These enquiries will show on your Confirmation of Stays form and will be marked 'deposit paid' so it’s clear you have already paid our fee.

Do I have to pay the per-night fee in addition to a percentage of the booking amount?
No. If you take a booking where the deposit is paid using the Online Payment System then our only fee is 10% of the full booking amount. There is no additional 'per night' fee, nor is there any additional card processing fee. So if the booking amount is $200.00, our fee is $20.00.

If you take a booking where the guest pays the deposit directly to you (not using the Online Payment System) then our normal per-night fee applies. So you might sometimes pay one fee or the other, but never both.

Do I need a 'credit card merchant account' with my bank
No, all you need is a bank account we can pay your deposits into.

When will I get the deposit payment?
The deposit is held in our audited trust account. It will be paid into your bank account within 10 days of the commencement of the stay, and you will get a remittance advice when this is done. It is appropriate to hold all deposits securely in a trust account until the stay has been completed so that the money is available should it need to be refunded.

If you have any more questions don't hesitate to contact our friendly Support Team on (02) 6100 7709 (Canberra), (07) 3102 3759 (Brisbane), (08) 9467 4392 (Perth) Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5.30pm AEST. You can also email us at support at takeabreak.com.au (replace 'at' with '@').

Online Payment System Case Study

Online Payment System increases conversion

The TakeABreak® Online Payment System is unique in the online accommodation industry, and recent research has shown that among its many benefits for operators is an increase in conversion rates when using the system.

We surveyed operators using it and one thing that was consistently mentioned is how using the Online Payment System secures the booking and leads to increased conversion.  Scott McClymont of Alton Victoria in Ballarat says that he uses the TakeABreak ™ Online Payment System for managing payments for all his enquiries, even those from other sites. “It finalises the booking – all too often I was taking bookings only to have no shows or last minute cancellations.  I now direct all enquiries to TakeABreak ™ so that I can ensure the management of the enquiry and its payment,” said Scott.

Like many operators, Scott says his operation is too small to justify having his own credit card facilities, but using the Online Payment System to manage all his enquiries means that he no longer needs a merchant account, with its associated fees.  “I ask for full payment via the Online Payment System, and I have found that it really does help prevent last minute cancellations.  Of course if someone needs to cancel for a legitimate reason, then it is no problem to have the payment returned.  I don’t like giving out my bank account details for payment, and now I don’t have to.  I just wish I had started using the Online Payment System earlier,” Scott continued.

Another benefit of using the Online Payment System is that it makes payment easier for people booking from overseas.  Josephine Biggs of Josephine’s Bed & Breakfast in Carnegie says “Using the Online Payment System is a security blanket for those who book from overseas.  They know that their booking is confirmed and won’t arrive to find that the accommodation they lined up is no longer available.  This is good for them and good for us, as it promotes trust within our industry.”

Josephine is – like many listed with TakeABreak ™ - a small operator, and says that she could not afford to offer credit card facilities on her own.  Like Scott, she has found that using the Online Payment System increases her conversion and decreases last minute cancellations and no shows.  “Other sites don’t offer this facility, and I am finding that my conversion is well up since I started using the Online Payment System.  Also the support staff at TakeABreak ™ are terrific and are always quick with an answer if I have any queries,” finished Josephine.

Donna Honor has two properties listed with TakeABreak ™, Stoneliegh 1 and Stoneliegh 2 in Angaston.  “I am new to the whole accommodation business, but I do know that the Online Payment System is very easy to understand and quick to use.  It is the only payment method I have ever offered and I can’t imagine finding any other way of paying to offer so much, with so little hassle.”

If you have been thinking of using the Online Payment System, but haven’t got around to it, why not click on the following link to download the Online Payment System contract and sign up now?  It is quick, easy and free – all this and increased conversion too!  If you have any questions, just contact our support staff who will be pleased to help you start enjoying the benefits of the TakeABreak ™ Online Payment System.