Prepaid packages vs. individual sessions
Photo: Avila Ops Tecnologia
A prepaid package sells a set of sessions (10 classes, four consultations, six cleanings) for one amount paid in advance. An individual session is sold one at a time, paid at the appointment. Packages provide cash predictability and reduce no-shows because customers have already paid. Individual sessions give customers flexibility and let you charge more per session. Most service businesses need both, with a higher individual-session price so the package makes sense.
In May, many clinics and salons sell Mother’s Day gift certificates. A gift certificate is a prepaid package in disguise. Without written rules, June becomes a month of arguments.
When does each work?
| Criterion | Prepaid package | Individual session |
|---|---|---|
| Ongoing service (Pilates, physical therapy, classes, treatment) | Works. Results depend on frequency, and the package ensures it. | Works for trying before buying a package. |
| One-time service (haircut, single consultation, repair) | Does not work. Nobody buys 10 haircuts in advance. | Works. |
| New customer unfamiliar with you | Not for the first visit. They do not trust you yet. | Works. It is the entry point. |
| Customer who misses many appointments | Works. People who paid show up. | Does not work. Every no-show is a lost hour without payment. |
| Tight cash at the start of the month | Works. Money arrives before the service. | Does not work. Money arrives as you serve customers. |
| Full schedule | Does not work. You sell hours you do not have. | Works, at a higher price. |
The practical rule: the individual session is the door; the package is the room. Customers enter through an individual session, like it, and buy a package. If the individual session costs the same as a session within a package, nobody has a reason to buy the package. The cost of no-shows is covered in What a no-show is and how much it costs.
How do you price both?
Start with the individual session, your full price. It needs to cover cost, time, and margin in one session. Then the package:
- A session within a package should be 10% to 20% cheaper than an individual session. Less is unconvincing; more exchanges margin for upfront cash.
- Package size should match the service’s natural cycle. Physical therapy, 10 sessions. Weekly class, four per month. A 30-session package is tied-up money and a customer who disappears halfway through.
- Written expiration. “10 sessions, valid for 90 days.” Without expiration, you have an eternal liability: someone shows up in 2029 wanting to use the four remaining sessions.
- Written no-show policy. “Sessions canceled with less than 24 hours’ notice count as used.” Without it, the package does not reduce no-shows; it only postpones them.
Example of a Pilates studio: individual class R$ 90. Eight-class monthly package: R$ 600 (R$ 75 per class, 17% less). Validity: 30 days. Less than 24 hours’ cancellation notice: counts as used. People attending twice a week pay for the package; those coming “when they can” pay individually.
How do you write the rules to avoid arguments?
A package is a contract. It must be written and accepted before first use, even if it is just one page:
- What is included: number of sessions, length of each, exclusions.
- Expiration, with a date or number of days from purchase.
- No-show and rescheduling rules.
- Whether it is transferable (gift certificates say yes; personal packages generally do not).
- What happens if a customer stops midway: proportional refund with or without a penalty, or credit. Brazil’s Consumer Protection Code grants a 7-day withdrawal period for purchases outside the store (article 49); afterward, the written terms apply, provided they do not retain the entire value of unused sessions, which may be considered abusive.
Acceptance can use a simple electronic signature: customers read the page and click “I accept” or reply “agreed” on WhatsApp with the text in the conversation. Its validity is covered in What an electronic signature is and when it is valid. For recurring monthly packages, automatic Pix billing solves “I forgot to pay”: avilaops.com/guias/como-usar-pix-automatico-para-cobranca-recorrente.
What to do now
Write your individual-session price and, beside it, the per-session price within a package. If the difference is less than 10%, the package has no reason to exist. Then write the five rules above on one page. Describe your business and we will assess pricing, packages, and billing: avilaops.com/jornada or contact us on WhatsApp: wa.me/5517997811471.
Frequently asked questions
Can a package be paid in installments?
Yes, by card. What does not work is monthly Pix installments without automatic billing: the customer forgets, you chase payment, and the relationship sours.
Does a Mother’s Day gift certificate follow the same rules?
Yes, with one difference: the user is not the buyer. The expiration and no-show policy need to reach the mother. Put the rules on the certificate itself.
A customer bought a package and wants a refund after 7 days. Must I provide one?
If bought in-store, there is no withdrawal period; if bought online, it is 7 days. Afterward, the contract applies, provided it does not retain the full value of unused sessions. If it says nothing, the argument is yours. That is why the rule must be written and accepted beforehand.
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