Blog · 3 min read

How to take payments on a small business website without building a store

Keith L. Founder, simple a site.

Most service businesses don't need a full online store. They need a way for a customer to pay a deposit, a fixed-price service or an invoice from their phone. Payment links do exactly that.

What a payment link is

A payment link is a checkout page hosted by your payment company. You create it in their dashboard (no code), give it a name and a price, and get a web address. Anyone who opens the address can pay. Stripe describes Payment Links as a way to "accept payments online without writing code" and lets you share them by link, QR code or a button on your website. Square and PayPal offer their own payment links too.

Good uses for a service business

A booking deposit ("Reserve your date: $50 deposit")
A fixed-price service ("Gutter cleaning, single-story home: $149")
Gift cards or prepaid packages
A simple product or two, such as a care kit

Where a store is the better choice

If you sell many products with stock levels, sizes and shipping, a dedicated store platform will serve you better. Payment links are for a handful of clear, fixed prices.

On a simple a site. website

Paste a payment link next to any service on the Services tab and that service shows a "Pay online" button. The payment happens on your payment company's secure page; the money goes straight to your account, and fees are whatever your payment company charges.

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