Offering guests different ways to pay on Expedia is a wonderful way to secure more bookings, but managing multiple payment methods can sometimes make keeping track of your income feel a bit tricky. Understanding exactly how and when you get paid for these bookings is the best way to avoid confusion at the front desk and make your monthly reconciliation an absolute breeze.
Here is a simple guide to the different payment options you might see when you receive an Expedia booking:
1. Expedia Collect (When the guest pays upfront)
With this option, the guest pays Expedia directly at the exact time of booking. Expedia then passes that money on to you using a 'Virtual Credit Card'. Think of this as a secure, once-off bank card created just for this specific booking.
- How it works:
Your property receives the virtual card details with the reservation. You can then charge this virtual card, which usually activates on the guest's check-in date. - A quick tip on NightsBridge Pay:
If you have a payment gateway linked to NightsBridge, the payment will automatically be processed on the day the card is activated—so you don't even have to think about it! - The benefit:
This option gives you guaranteed payment and beautifully lowers the risk of no-shows or declined cards when the guest arrives.
2. Hotel Collect (When the guest pays you directly)
With Hotel Collect, the guest doesn't pay Expedia upfront. Instead, they simply secure the booking using their own credit card, and your property collects the payment directly from them. Afterwards, you simply pay Expedia their commission.
- How it works:
If you use a connected payment gateway (like NightsBridge Pay), the system will automatically try to deduct your standard required deposit right away. If you don't use an online gateway, you can just manually charge the card through your speedpoint machine. This also gives your guests the flexibility to pay you via EFT or cash! - Just keep in mind:
Because the guest hasn't paid upfront, there is a slightly higher risk of no-shows or invalid cards, so make sure you are able to successfully charge or pre-authorise their card using your machine or gateway.
3. Expedia Traveler Preference (Giving your guests the choice)
This option gives the guest the power to choose whether they want to 'Pay Now' (Expedia Collect) or 'Pay Later' (Hotel Collect). Giving guests this flexibility is a fantastic way to boost your overall conversions!
- What this means for you:
Because you will receive a mix of both virtual cards and direct guest payments, you'll just need to give your reconciliation a little more attention. If you decide you'd like to offer this choice, you will simply need to sign a new contract with Expedia and complete a quick training session with them.
How do I know which payment method a guest chose?
You never have to guess! Simply open up the booking and look at the Booking Notes. The notes will clearly tell you if the booking is 'Expedia Collect' or 'Hotel Collect', so you know exactly which payment procedure applies before the guest even arrives.
If you need more help with Expedia-specific setups, you can always reach out to the Expedia Support Team via your Partner Central