Payments and POS for your new Fort Lauderdale salon or spa

Before your first client sits down, you will want booking, deposits, tips, and retail sales working together. Here is what to plan for, what to have ready, and what to ask any processor before you sign.

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What to get right

Booking, deposits, and card on file

Most salons and spas run on appointments, so your POS should connect to your booking calendar. Plan for taking deposits on longer or higher-value services and storing a card on file with the client's permission. If you intend to charge for no-shows or late cancellations, write the policy down, show it at booking, and have clients agree to it, so you can apply it consistently and explain it if a charge is questioned.

Tips and staff payouts that add up

Clients often tip on the card, sometimes for more than one provider in a single visit. Look for a system that lets the client add a tip at checkout, assigns tips to the right stylist or therapist, and produces reports you can use for payroll. If you have booth renters alongside employees, decide early how their sales will be handled, since that affects how you set up accounts and reporting.

Retail products, packages, and gift cards

Shampoo, skincare, and other retail add inventory to track, along with the occasional return or exchange. Spas commonly sell packages, memberships, and gift cards as well. Choose a POS that tracks product stock, records service packages and remaining balances, and handles gift cards without a separate system. In a city like Fort Lauderdale that sees visitors as well as regulars, gift cards and prepaid packages can be a practical way to bring people back.

Clear pricing and terms you understand

With interchange-plus pricing, you pay the card networks' actual cost plus a fixed margin, so you can see what each part of a transaction costs. TouchSuite is month-to-month, cancel anytime, no fees. A cash discount program is available if you want to eliminate processing cost. Whatever you choose, make sure you can read your statement and know what each line means.

How it works

Get your business paperwork in order. Before applying for a merchant account, have your business entity formed, your EIN from the IRS, a business bank account, and a government-issued ID for each owner. Salon and spa licensing, local business tax receipts, and zoning or inspection requirements depend on the state, city, and county, so check with the State of Florida licensing authority and the City of Fort Lauderdale and Broward County offices for what applies to you and how long each step takes.
Talk through how your salon or spa will run. Tell us how many chairs or treatment rooms you have, whether you take deposits, how tips are split, whether you sell retail or packages, and whether you also want to sell online. That shapes which terminals, POS setup, and integrations make sense. Our ERP, CRM, and e-commerce integrations are included at no monthly fee with a TouchSuite merchant account, and qualifying merchants receive free terminals and POS hardware, no upfront cost.
Apply and get approved. You submit the merchant application with your business and banking details. If you already process cards at another location, send us your most recent processing statement and we will show you, line by line, what you are paying and beat it, or tell you honestly that we cannot. Starting the application a few weeks before opening day leaves room for any follow-up questions.
Set up, test, and open. Most merchants are processing within 24 to 48 hours of approval. Use that window to load your services, prices, staff, and products, connect your booking calendar, and run a few test transactions, including a tip, a deposit, a gift card sale, and a refund, so your front desk is comfortable before clients arrive.

Questions to ask a processor

How will I be charged for processing, and can I see the breakdown?

Ask any processor to explain their pricing model in writing and show you a sample statement. TouchSuite offers interchange-plus pricing, where you pay the card networks' actual cost plus a fixed margin, so each part of the cost is visible. If you already process cards, send us your most recent processing statement and we will walk through it line by line.

Can I take deposits and keep cards on file for no-shows?

Ask whether the system supports deposits at booking and stored cards, and how client consent is captured. Practically, you will want a written cancellation policy that clients see and agree to before you rely on a card on file. Confirm with your processor how these charges should be handled so they hold up if a client disputes one.

How are tips handled when a client sees more than one provider?

Ask to see the checkout flow and the tip reports before you sign. You want clients to be able to tip at the terminal, tips assigned to the right people, and end-of-day reports your payroll process can use without manual recalculation.

What contract terms am I agreeing to?

Ask how long the agreement runs and what happens if you want to leave. TouchSuite is month-to-month, cancel anytime, no fees. With any provider, get the terms in writing and read them before signing.

Will the POS work with my booking, client records, and online store?

Ask which booking, CRM, and e-commerce tools connect and whether integrations cost extra. With a TouchSuite merchant account, our ERP, CRM, and e-commerce integrations are included at no monthly fee. Bring a list of the tools you already plan to use so you can confirm each one.

Is a cash discount program right for a salon or spa?

It can be, if you want to eliminate processing cost, but think about how your clients will experience it at checkout and how it will be disclosed. Ask the processor exactly how the program works and what signage and receipts are needed, and check that it fits current rules and the feel you want for your business.

Get your Fort Lauderdale salon or spa ready to take payments

Tell us how your salon or spa will run, from bookings and deposits to tips and retail, and we will help you plan the right setup. If you already process cards, send your most recent statement and we will review it line by line.

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TouchSuite · 800-793-3250 · Month-to-month, cancel anytime, no fees.