Start with what the visitor should be able to complete.
An enquiry means your business needs to read, assess and reply. A confirmed booking means time and capacity must be reserved. A purchase needs a working journey from product to payment and delivery. Choose the action you need today and specify the confirmation the visitor should receive.
These are planning examples, not claims about Nolera’s client results: a tradesperson may need a detailed brief before quoting; a consultant may need an initial meeting; a salon may already use a service that manages available appointments. They do not automatically need the same technology.
- The visitor should be able to: read / enquire / book / buy / use a signed-in tool.
- After the action, the customer should receive: ____.
- The person handling the next step in the business is: ____.
1. Information website: explain the offer and receive the right enquiry.
An information website suits services, ways of working, pricing and contact details that need to be clearly explained. Visitors can call, email or send a standard enquiry. For example, a tradesperson’s customer can describe the job, area and preferred timing without receiving a fixed price or guaranteed booking.
Nolera’s website package costs €29 per month, excluding VAT, for 1–5 information pages within the agreed scope. It does not include a complete online store, a custom booking system or unlimited integrations. Domain and external service costs are disclosed before ordering. This may be enough for a clear information need; list special features separately.
2. External booking link: use the system you already have.
If your business already has a working booking service, the website can explain the services and link to the right booking screen. The provider then handles appointment selection under its own setup. A standard link does not create a calendar integration or reserve appointments on your website.
Choose a destination that matches the button text. Is the visitor booking a particular treatment, finding a meeting or choosing a service first? Check the mobile journey and who updates the link when your offer changes. The booking service’s subscription, terms and any fees are separate costs to include in the comparison.
- The correct service and business appear when the link opens.
- The visitor understands that appointment selection continues with the booking provider.
- Your business can manage appointments, confirmations and cancellations there.
3. Embedded booking: the same provider within your website.
An embed displays an external service inside your website, for example through a provider script or iframe. It can keep the journey together, but does not turn the booking service into a custom-developed feature. The provider’s rules for accessibility, appointments and accounts still apply.
Ask to test the whole journey before choosing this option. Check height and scrolling on mobile, keyboard access, loading, error messages and what happens when the service cannot open. Find out which data and cookies the embed uses. Agree on a working booking link as a fallback and who maintains the connection.
- What does the provider actually offer for embedding, and what are the limitations?
- Who tests, updates and handles errors when the provider changes its service?
- What extra costs apply for installation, ongoing work and external subscriptions?
4. Online store: the purchase journey is a separate delivery scope.
An online store needs product information, prices, checkout, payment and a way to manage orders. Add whatever your range requires: variants, stock, shipping, collection, customer questions and relevant terms. Who will look after these each week? Clear store design does not replace those operations.
Shopify can be used for goods and some services. Booking may require an app and settings for appointments and capacity; platform support does not mean a feature is already included in a particular service. We scope Shopify and other e-commerce separately, quoting against your products, features and way of working.
5. Custom web app: start with what standard services cannot do.
A custom solution may need investigation when the business has specific rules, permissions or information flows. Examples include calculating quotes using your own rules or transferring information to an internal system. First describe the exact task an existing service cannot handle and whether a simpler connection would be enough.
This is a separate project to assess before promising delivery or price. The brief should describe data, access, user roles, error handling and ongoing maintenance. Wanting an integration does not establish that the system’s API or contract permits it. Ask for a small, scoped first step with clear acceptance criteria.
Copy the decision sheet into your quote brief.
Write one sentence per line and mark unknown answers as unknown. Do not share customer databases, passwords or payment details in the initial brief. Take the sheet to the provider and ask about responsibilities, costs and boundaries for each feature. Compare the same task with everyone you speak to.
- The visitor’s task and what completing it means: ____.
- Systems already used and what currently works: ____.
- Chosen level: information page / booking link / embed / store / dedicated web app.
- Features needed now and those that can wait: ____.
- Content, products, appointments and rules we are responsible for: ____.
- Build cost, monthly fees, external apps and any transaction fees: ____.
- Accounts, access and materials the business should be able to manage: ____.
- Test that demonstrates the delivery works, responsible person and fallback if it fails: ____.
Check the whole journey before launch.
Test the actual action with the person receiving it. An enquiry needs to reach the right place and show a clear receipt confirmation. A booking needs to reach the correct calendar with the agreed confirmation and cancellation route. An online store needs tests including checkout, order management and the delivery options you use.
Shopify describes specific test modes for test orders. Follow the provider’s instructions and schedule the tests; a store in payment test mode cannot accept normal purchases. An automated website analysis does not submit your forms or make a real booking or payment. It provides different, complementary evidence.
Frequently asked questions
Does a website with a booking button need a new booking system?
Not if a working external service already handles the task. A clear link may be enough. Check the destination, responsibilities and full booking journey before deciding an embed or custom feature is needed.
Are a booking system and online store included for €29 per month?
No. Nolera’s website package covers 1–5 information pages for €29 per month, excluding VAT, within the agreed scope. Booking systems, e-commerce, integrations and special features are scoped and quoted separately. External fees are disclosed before ordering.
What is the difference between a booking link and an integration?
A link takes the visitor to another service. An integration connects systems or data and may require an API, permissions, error handling and ongoing maintenance. An embed often displays an external screen without creating that kind of data connection.
Can one business have information, bookings and a store?
Yes, but give each part a clear purpose and owner. Describe which products or services should be booked, bought or requested as an enquiry. Ask for a joined-up approach with clearly scoped features and costs.
Can the Website Check confirm that our bookings or checkout work?
No. It examines public signals on the website. A page opening does not prove that the calendar, confirmation or payment works. Verify those features separately with the responsible provider.