Off The Couch
Purchases3 min read

Payment Methods

Last updated April 3, 2026

Overview

This guide covers how to configure and manage the different ways your customers can pay for bookings, from online credit cards to cash on arrival.

Fig. 1 - How our Payment methods look like internally for Off The Couch Games
Fig. 1 - How our Payment methods look like internally for Off The Couch Games

How do I configure my payment methods?

You can enable and manage all payment options in the Payment Settings section:

  1. Navigate to Purchases > Payment Settings.
  2. Select the Payment methods tab.
  3. Here, you can enable specific methods (like Gift Cards) for use on your booking site.

How do I accept credit cards online?

To accept credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex) directly on your website, you must have an active Payment Gateway connected.

  • Go to Purchases > Payment Settings > Payment gateways.
  • You can connect processors like Stripe or Square by entering your API credentials.
  • Note: Without an active gateway, you cannot manually mark a purchase as "Paid" using the Card payment option.

Can I add custom payment options (e.g., Venmo, PayPal)?

Yes. You can create custom payment methods for options like bank transfers, PayPal, Venmo, or CashApp.

  • Go to Purchases > Payment Settings > Payment methods.
  • These options will appear in your internal system under Transaction Details, allowing you to manually mark a booking as "Paid" once you receive the funds externally.

Important: Custom payment requests sent to customers will not have a "Submit" button since the payment is processed outside of the OTC platform.

How does "Pay on Arrival" work?

"Pay on Arrival" allows customers to book a game online without making an immediate payment.

  • This feature is located under Payment Settings > Payment methods.
  • When selected by a customer, it creates a payment record that staff can update later when the customer pays in person.

Can I mark booking site payments as unpaid by default?

Fig. 2 - Creating a custom payment with payments marked as unpaid. This option only appears after turning on the toggle for Activate on booking site.
Fig. 2 - Creating a custom payment with payments marked as unpaid. This option only appears after turning on the toggle for Activate on booking site.

Yes, you can do so in the Payment methods tab. This will allow for greater control of customer payment method workflow.

  1. Navigate to Purchases > Payment Settings.
  2. Select the Payment methods tab.
  3. Enable the toggle for Activate on booking site.
  4. Enable Mark booking site payments as unpaid.

Keep in mind, when this is configured this way:

  • Transactions via this payment method are created as unpaid
  • A payment record is created as pending
  • Confirmation emails reflect pending payment status
  • Operators manually mark as paid once payment is verified

This flow can be especially helpful if your custom payment methods mark transactions as paid by default when your business needs it not to. This allows for manual review before confirming a reservation.

Can I accept deposits or partial payments?

Yes. You can require a deposit during the booking process to reduce no-shows.

  • This is configured in the Game Settings under the Pricing tab.
  • You can set a fixed amount (Per booking) or a per-person amount.
  • If a deposit is paid, the booking status will show as Partially Paid, and you can collect the remaining balance later.

How do I refund a payment?

Refunds are processed directly within the transaction details:

  1. Navigate to Purchases > Transactions and select the specific transaction.
  2. Go to the Payments tab.
  3. Click the three dots next to the payment and select Refund.
  4. You can choose to refund the amount to the original payment method or issue Customer Credit for future use.

Why is a booking "greyed out" on my calendar?

If a booking appears greyed out, it likely has an incomplete or failed payment.

  • This often happens if "Unblock bookings with incomplete payments" is turned off in your General Settings.
  • If enabled, the system holds the slot for the unpaid booking. If you want to free up the slot for others, you can toggle this setting.
Fig. 3 - The "Unblock bookings with incomplete payments" toggle found in Bookings &gt; Bookings Site Settings under Payments and Cart<br>
Fig. 3 - The "Unblock bookings with incomplete payments" toggle found in Bookings > Bookings Site Settings under Payments and Cart

Troubleshooting Common Issues

  • Test Payments Not Working: If testing with Stripe or Square, ensure you are using the correct test credentials and card numbers provided by the processor.
  • Missing "Gift Card" Option: If customers don't see a place to enter a gift card at checkout, go to Payment Settings and ensure Available on Booking Site is enabled for Gift Cards.
  • Amex Errors: If a customer gets an "Invalid card number" error with American Express, verify they are entering the correct 15-digit number and 4-digit CVV on the front of the card.

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