This time, we will introduce "How to accept a reservation for a store visit with Shopify".
We would like to show you why the Shopify reservation app "Sakurabook" developed by our company is recommended, by comparing it with existing Shopify reservation apps and comparing it with other methods.
If you are thinking of introducing a visit reservation function to your Shopify site, please use it as a reference.
XNUMX ways to accept store visit appointments on your Shopify site
First of all, let's check some general policies on how to accept store visit reservations on the Shopify site.As a policy, there are mainly the following four patterns.
XNUMX: Use a form function such as Google Form or Jotform to have the customer enter the reservation information and accept the reservation.
2:List your phone number and email address on your Shopify site, and receive communications from customers who wish to book a store visit
3:Prepare a separate reservation site and guide customers with a link from your own Shopify site
XNUMX: Install a Shopify reservation app such as Sakurabook
Let's do a quick comparison of these four methods.
XNUMX: Set up a form on the Shopify site and accept reservations for visiting the store
The first method is to set up a form such as Google Form on the Shopify site and have the customer enter the reservation information and accept the reservation.
The advantage of this method is that you only need to embed the form, and the implementation is simple.There are many form systems that have automatic reply emails, and in many cases it is possible to implement them without much budget or effort.
On the other hand, the disadvantage is that customers cannot check the vacancies and apply.In addition, the limited number of form systems that can be linked with online payments tends to be a bottleneck.
For example, if it is a one-time event, it would not be difficult to accept reservations using Google Forms.However, for example, accommodation facilities, medical clinics, reservation-only restaurants, rental offices, rental conference rooms, event spaces, hair salons, beauty salons, etc. "Always accept reservations" and "Reservations are required to visit the store." In the case of the business form of ", the calendar function is almost essential, so it is not realistic to accept visit reservations by form.
XNUMX: Enter your phone number and email address on the Shopify site and accept contact for reservation
The next step is to enter your phone number and email address so that we can contact you regarding your reservation.In this case, the first big advantage is that the implementation is very simple.All you have to do is write your e-mail address and phone number in an easy-to-understand place, and post it with the phrase "Please make a reservation from here".Since it does not require a special system, it is very easy to implement with almost no budget.
On the other hand, it takes a lot of time and effort to operate the system, as it is necessary to respond to each customer's request.It cannot be said that the business flow is efficient.Problems such as double bookings tend to occur due to miscommunication and misalignment of reservation information within the company.
Cost performance may be superior in cases where the number of reservations is extremely small, such as a few cases per month, but it is not recommended for business forms that constantly receive reservations.
XNUMX: Prepare a separate reservation site and guide customers with a link from the Shopify site
For example, registering for a reservation marketplace such as "Jalan", "Hot Paper Beauty", "Space Market", etc., a pattern is to prepare a separate website that accepts reservations, and link it from the Shopify site to guide it.
In this case, if you use the marketplace, the advantage is that you do not need to prepare your own reservation site.On the other hand, since it is necessary to design the mutual link with the Shopify site and the customer's online flow line firmly, some ingenuity will be necessary to make it work sufficiently.In addition, the profitability of the marketplace is also reduced because the closing fee of the marketplace is required.
Also, for customers, there are disadvantages such as "it is difficult to understand whether the reservation page is the same store" or "convenience is poor", so we cannot recommend it unless there are special circumstances. It can be said that the direction is slightly different from the original purpose of “accepting store visit reservations on the Shopify site”.
4:Install a Shopify booking app such as Sakurabook
If you want to accept a visit reservation on the Shopify site, the most recommended method is this "Introducing a reservation app on Shopify" method.In particular, if you have a Shopify app with a calendar reservation function, you can check the available slots on the Shopify site, specify the desired date and time, make a reservation, and make an online payment with Shopify's payment function. Become.It can be said that this form is the most realistic, cost-effective, and most likely to lead to sales.
Why Sakurabook is recommended for Shopify visit booking apps
Let's consider accepting reservations for visiting stores on Shopify in the direction of "introducing the Shopify reservation application".At the time of writing this article (February 2023), there are 02 apps that allow store visit reservations on Shopify.
But all but Sakurabook are English-language booking apps.
Many reservation apps are functionally sufficient, but the language barrier is a problem
For example, take a look at the highly rated Appointment Booking ‑ Appointo booking calendar app on the Shopify app store.
In this way, it is basically made on the assumption that it will be used in English, and it is difficult to fully support Japanese.
Problems when introducing the English-speaking Shopfiy reservation app on a Japanese Shopify site
Although it is not limited to reservation apps, there are various problems when introducing an English-speaking Shopify app on a Japanese Shopify site.
For example, it may happen that "all of the notation cannot be customized to Japanese notation, and some English notation remains".It is not good to be surprised when English notation suddenly appears, or to think that it is a suspicious site made overseas.
Also, even if the part visible to the customer can be translated into Japanese, there are many cases where the management screen cannot be translated into Japanese, making it difficult to operate the application.
In addition, for example, when you enter your name in the form or automatically write your name in the automatic reply email, it is written in the order of "first name, last name", which is the English-speaking family name notation. , there are cases where it is not possible to change to the Japanese-style "family name and first name". It is a pattern where you want to write "Taro Tanaka", but it is written as "Taro Tanaka".
in this way,English-speaking Shopify reservation apps all have difficulties for Japanese customers to use them without any discomfort.This is one of the major reasons why we decided to develop a fully Japanese-ready reservation application "Sakurabook" among Shopify applications, which already have more than 30 reservation applications.
With Sakurabook, you can use it without any discomfort with full Japanese support
Sakurabook is Shopify's first fully Japanese-ready booking app. With Sakurabook, it is possible for Japanese companies and customers to install a reservation calendar function that does not feel out of place on their Shopify site.
Strictly speaking, it is compatible with both Japanese and English, so some parts are written in English in the initial state, but it is possible to set it to Japanese.
Full support in Japanese
In addition, it is developed and provided by our company, which is a Japanese company, and it is fully compatible with Japanese in terms of support.In the case of overseas-made apps, even if the app itself can be translated into Japanese, the support is only available in English, and it is a little difficult to use, such as the need to consider the language barrier when communicating.However, since Sakurabook is also responsible for support, there is no language barrier.
High functionality on par with major foreign-made reservation apps
Sakurabook is developed from the viewpoint of the business operators who actually use it, with a thorough attention to functionality.The biggest feature is the reservation wizard with unprecedented flexible reservation time specification.
In many conventional reservation systems, although you can check and specify the available days from the calendar, you can select the reservation time from the pre-specified time frame such as XNUMX hour increments, and reservations outside the time frame It is normal for the system to not be able to do this.
たとえば、13時～14時、14時～15時、15時～16時…といったような、一時間刻みの枠があらかじめ指定されており、15時30分～16時30分、といったような枠から外れた予約はできないのが通常です。
However, Sakurabook adopts a pay-as-you-go reservation system according to the usage time,Realization of a reservation system that is not bound by conventional frameworksDid.For example, if you set the usage time to 14 hour, you can make a reservation for 10:15 to 10:14 and 40:15 to 40:XNUMX.
In this way, the greatest feature of Sakruabook is that it can respond to the detailed requests of each customer's usage time as it is.
In addition to this, it is possible to accept staff appointment reservations and reservations for online services linked to ZOOM meetings.Multiple reservation menus, staff appointment reservations, and space reservations can be handled on one site, and each calendar is managed independently.
It is equipped with the functions necessary for full-scale operation of such a reservation site, and realizes functions that are comparable to expensive reservation apps made overseas.
Choose Sakurabook if you accept appointments with Shopify
We can confidently recommend Sakurabook as one of the best options for Japanese-speaking users if they want to accept store visit reservations on Shopify.
There is also a 30-day free trial period.First of all, please download it from the Shopify App Store and give it a try.
▼Sakurabook-Shopify App Store▼
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