If you’re someone who manages a salon, gym consultancy or even a tour business then you probably already know how hard it can be to keep track of bookings without a system in place. That’s where a WooCommerce bookings plugin comes into play and honestly it’s something worth thinking about.

This blog right here is for store owners or site runners who feel like their booking setup is kinda all over the place. Or maybe they’re just starting out and don’t know which plugin to go for. We’ll walk you through everything from picking the right plugin to actually setting it up the way it should be in 2025. No overcomplicated jargon, no unnecessary plugins, just what works and what doesn’t.

We’ll also talk a little about what to look for when choosing a booking plugin. Things like how flexible it is with your calendar, how you can manage time slots or if it sends reminders. Some stuff sounds small but makes a big difference in how your customers book and how smooth things go on your end.

By the end of this read you’ll know why this plugin matters, what kind of features are worth your time and how having a proper setup can make booking easier for both you and your customers. Let’s get into it and figure out how to get bookings working for your WooCommerce store.

Setting up a WooCommerce Bookings Plugin Step by Step

Alright so if you’re ready to let folks book stuff straight from your WooCommerce store, you’ll wanna get the WooCommerce Bookings plugin up and running first. It ain’t hard to set up but it does need you to follow a few steps. Just take your time with it and you’ll be good.

Here’s how you do it, nice and simple:

1. Install and Activate the Plugin

The first step is to simply pick and buy a WooCommerce Bookings plugin from WooCommerce.
After that, you will have to go to your WordPress dashboard, go to the Plugins section and then click on “Add New”.
Next, you have to upload the ZP file, click on install now and activate it once that is done.
And this is it for step one!

2. Set Up a Booking Product

Go to Products and click Add New like you usually do when adding a product.
Give it a name like “Haircut Appointment” or “Room Booking” or whatever fits.
Scroll down to the Product data section and change the type to “Bookable product”.
You’ll see new options show up right there.

3. Set General Booking Settings

Now you’re looking at stuff like how long a booking lasts, if folks can book multiple spots at once, and how far in advance they can book.
You get to decide if it’s for one person at a time or group bookings.
Also set the time slots here, like half an hour or two hours, whatever fits your biz.
Take your time with this one since it really affects how people will book with you.

4. Add Availability Rules

Click the Availability tab and set the days and hours when bookings are open.
Maybe you only take bookings on weekdays or during certain hours, this is where you set that.
You can block out certain dates too, like holidays or personal days off.
This step helps you keep control of your calendar.

5. Price It Right

Head to the Costs tab and decide how much your service costs.
You can implement charges per booking, per person, or even based on the time of day or day of the week.You can charge more if you want to for the weekends as well.
Don’t forget to hit Save once you’ve added your price rules.

6. Publish and Test

Once everything looks alright, hit Publish.
Now visit your site like a customer and try to book the service yourself.
This’ll show you if the calendar is showing up and working like it should.
If something feels off, go back and adjust it in the product settings.

Dozens of WooCommerce Booking Plugins? Here’s What to Pick

Now typically a WooCommerce Bookings Plugin by Extendons pretty much covers all the basics and then some. You can set up bookings by the hour or day. Let customers choose from different time slots. Limit how many folks can book something at once. You can even charge extra for weekends or certain hours. If you’re offering appointments or rentals or classes, this plugin sorts you out just fine.

But maybe you’re looking for more. Like if you need Google Calendar syncing so your bookings show up on your calendar right away, then yeah, this plugin won’t offer that right now. Or maybe you’re running a bigger setup where multiple staff members need to manage their own availability. That kinda advanced user role stuff isn’t built-in either. And if you’re working with group bookings or want folks to book recurring appointments like weekly sessions, then some third-party plugins might be better for that specific need.

Here’s what you wanna think about when picking your WooCommerce bookings plugin:

• Can you set custom time slots and availability?
  
• Does it let you charge differently on certain days?
  
• What about buffer time between appointments?
  
• Can staff or multiple vendors manage their own bookings?
  
• Do you need calendar sync with external tools?
  
• Is mobile booking smooth and simple for your visitors?
  

If you’re running a standard booking setup for a solo service or product though, Extendons got you covered. It’s lightweight, easy to get running, and fits right into your WooCommerce site without asking for too much tech stuff. For folks who want to keep things under control and not deal with too many moving parts, it’s a solid pick.

Summary

Not every bookings plugin fits every kind of business. A plugin that may fit well with one store might not be able to keep up with the requirements of another. So before you get excited and smash that install button, you need to know what features YOUR store needs. So let’s break it down one by one:

For those of you that run a clinic or a salon should look for a plugin that lets your customers pick the exact time slow for appointments. For that you will also require email and SMS notifications or reminders so no one misses their appointment. This is how you will be able to save a lot of time and keep things moving forward.

But let’s say you’re into tour booking or rentals. Then you’re gonna want features like group booking or multi-day reservations. And maybe even calendar views for visitors to check out open dates without asking.

Running classes or events? Look for plugins that can handle repeat sessions or allow bulk booking. Payment flexibility helps too since people might wanna pay upfront or on-site.

The point is, don’t just install a WooCommerce bookings plugin because it looks good. You just need to have a keen eye on what fits your business best. Always keep in mind every feature that makes a plugin what it is and makes things more easy for you.