Security Bonds

This article explains how to take security bonds using BookThatApp.

A bond allows you to add an additional product to the cart with a predefined fee. Depending on your store’s policy, this bond can be refunded after the booking ends. Bonds are commonly used to cover potential damages, late returns, or additional usage costs. 🛡️💰

Availability

• Bonds are supported only with booking widgets
• Available on Premium and higher app subscriptions

Bond vs Deposit ⚖️

It’s important to understand the difference:

• Bond: Adds an additional refundable charge to the cart as a separate product.
• Deposit: Charges a partial amount upfront, with the remaining balance collected later.

If you need to create a deposit instead of a bond, refer to this guide : 👉 https://support.bookthatapp.com/hc/en-us/articles/4514738224271-Deposits-Setup-Guide

Enabling a Security Bond

This section walks through how to enable and configure security bonds.

Important Notes

• Available to Premium and higher subscribers only
• Compatible only with booking widgets (classic booking forms are not supported)
• The bonded product must be visible in the Online Store

Step-by-Step Configuration

1. In the app, navigate to Settings → Deposits & Bonds.
2. In the Security Bond section, select Enable.
3. Configure the bond details:
   • Bond name (this becomes the product name in Shopify)
   • Bond type:
     • Fixed bond – a set dollar amount
     • Percentage-based (dynamic) bond – calculated as a percentage of the product price
   • Enter the amount or percentage depending on the bond type selected
4. Choose how the bond is applied:
   • Apply to all products, or
   • Apply to specific products only
5. Select Save to apply your changes.
   
   
   

Fixed vs Percentage-Based (Dynamic) Bonds

You can choose between two bond calculation methods:

• Fixed Bonds
  Charge a flat amount regardless of the product price (for example, $200).
• Percentage-Based (Dynamic) Bonds
  Automatically calculate the bond as a percentage of the booking product price (for example, 20%). This is ideal when booking prices vary, as the bond scales with the product cost.

What Happens Next?

Once enabled:

• When a booking product is added to the cart, the bond product is automatically added as a separate line item.
• The bond is charged at checkout along with the booking.
• After the booking ends, you can refund the bond directly from the Shopify order, either partially or in full, according to your store’s policy.

This provides flexibility while keeping bond handling simple and transparent for both you and your customers.