Skip to main content Skip to navigation

Managing Your Inventory

Add-Ons & Extras - Offer Additional Items to Customers

To create an add-on in RecSystems, go to Account → Addons > Create Add-On, enter the name and price, choose pricing options (per booking or per day), assign it to fleets, and publish.

Add-ons let you offer additional items and services with your rentals. From coolers and life jackets to fuel packages and damage waivers, add-ons are a great way to increase revenue and improve the customer experience.

What Are Add-Ons?

Add-ons are extra items or services customers can include with their rental booking. They appear in the cart after a customer selects a rental, giving them the option to enhance their experience.

Common add-ons: - Equipment — Coolers, tubes, water skis, fishing gear - Convenience — Fuel packages, delivery, captain services - Protection — Damage waivers, insurance, weather protection - Accessories — Life jackets, Bluetooth speakers, umbrellas

Creating an Add-On

Step 1: Navigate to Add-Ons

From the navbar, click Account → Addons. You'll see a list of your existing add-ons.

Step 2: Create New Add-On

Click New Add-On to open the creation form.

Step 3: Enter Basic Information

FieldDescriptionExample
NameDisplay name for the add-on"Premium Cooler with Ice"
DescriptionBrief description of what's included"48-quart cooler stocked with ice, ready for your day on the water"
PriceThe cost of this add-on (in cents)1500 (for $15.00)

Step 4: Configure Billing Settings

Choose how the add-on is charged under Billing Frequency:

OptionDescriptionBest For
One-TimeCharged once per bookingFuel packages, damage waivers
Per DayCharged for each day of the rentalEquipment rentals, tube rentals

Example: - A $15 cooler with One-Time pricing costs $15 whether you rent for 1 day or 7 days - A $15/day tube with Per Day pricing costs $15 × 3 days = $45 for a 3-day rental

Step 4b: Choose Payment Collection Method

This is where you decide how the add-on gets billed — through Stripe or separately by your staff.

OptionWhat HappensBest For
Online with bookingCharged through Stripe at checkout. Included in the booking total, taxes, and receipt automatically.Most add-ons — coolers, tubes, damage waivers
On-site at check-inYour staff collects payment when the customer arrives. Not processed through Stripe.Captain hire, guide services, equipment confirmed in person
On-site at returnYour staff collects payment when the customer returns. Not processed through Stripe.Fuel surcharges assessed after the trip, usage-based charges

Important: On-site add-ons appear on the booking for tracking, but your staff is responsible for collecting payment using their own method — cash, card reader, Venmo, or however your business operates. Tax collection on these items is also your responsibility.

Third-party collection: If someone else collects the payment (like a freelance captain who invoices the customer directly), your staff can mark it as "Third party collected" during check-in or return. This keeps your revenue reporting accurate — the booking value is tracked, but it's not counted as money your business received.

Step 5: Set Usage Quantity Mode

Control how customers interact with the add-on under Usage Quantity Mode:

ModeDescriptionExample Use
FixedCustomer gets exactly 1 (checkbox on/off)Damage waiver, fuel package
Customer SelectsCustomer chooses how manyCoolers, tubes, life jackets
Matches BookingQuantity matches rental quantityInsurance per boat

Customer Selects example: If a customer wants 2 coolers, they can select quantity 2 and pay for both.

Matches Booking example: If someone books 3 jet skis and adds insurance, they automatically get 3 insurance policies.

Step 6: Assign to Fleets

Add-ons are linked to fleets, not individual units. Check the boxes for each fleet where this add-on should be available.

Example: - "Premium Cooler" → Available for Pontoon Boats, Fishing Boats - "Damage Waiver" → Available for all fleets - "Wake Board" → Available only for Wake Boats fleet

Step 7: Add Image (Optional)

Upload an image to help customers visualize the add-on. This displays in the cart alongside the add-on name.

Step 8: Publish

Toggle Published to make the add-on visible to customers. Unpublished add-ons are saved but won't appear in the booking flow.

Making Add-Ons Required

Some add-ons should be mandatory for all rentals. To make an add-on required:

  1. Edit the add-on
  2. Toggle Required to ON
  3. Save

What happens with required add-ons: - Automatically added to every booking for the assigned fleets - Customers cannot remove them from their cart - Displayed with a note indicating they're required - Always charged, no customer decision needed

Common required add-ons: - Damage waivers - Mandatory safety equipment - Fuel charges - Cleaning fees

Pricing Examples

One-Time Pricing

Add-OnPrice1-Day Rental3-Day Rental
Fuel Package$50$50$50
Damage Waiver$25$25$25
Delivery$75$75$75

Per-Day Pricing

Add-OnPrice/Day1-Day Rental3-Day Rental
Tube Rental$20/day$20$60
Extra Cooler$10/day$10$30
Wake Board$35/day$35$105

Quantity Examples

Add-OnPriceQuantityRental DaysTotal
Life Jacket$5/day42$40
Cooler$15 (one-time)23$30
Insurance$25 (per boat)3 boats1$75

Managing Add-Ons

Editing Add-Ons

Click on any add-on to edit its details. Changes apply to future bookings—existing bookings keep their original pricing.

Archiving Add-Ons

To remove an add-on without deleting it: 1. Edit the add-on 2. Toggle Archived to ON 3. Save

Archived add-ons don't appear to customers but remain in your records for historical bookings.

Viewing Add-On Performance

In your dashboard, the Add-Ons list shows: - How many times each add-on was purchased - Revenue generated by each add-on - Attachment rate (% of bookings that include it)

Best Practices

Pricing Strategy

  • Don't underprice — Add-ons provide real value; charge accordingly
  • Bundle when possible — "Deluxe Package" with multiple items
  • Consider per-day vs. one-time — Equipment usually per-day, services usually one-time

Naming and Descriptions

  • Use clear, descriptive names
  • Explain what's included
  • Highlight the benefit to the customer

Good name: "Premium Cooler with Ice (48 qt)" Vague name: "Cooler"

Which Add-Ons to Offer

High-value add-ons: - Damage waivers (peace of mind) - Fuel packages (convenience) - Equipment bundles (value) - Delivery/pickup (time savings)

Consider your customers: - Families → Kids' equipment, extra life jackets - Fishing charters → Tackle, bait, coolers - Party groups → Speakers, extra tubes, coolers

Required vs. Optional

Make required: - Anything operationally necessary - Damage waivers you want on every rental - Mandatory fees (cleaning, fuel surcharge)

Keep optional: - Nice-to-have equipment - Upgraded accessories - Premium services

Collecting On-Site Add-Ons

When you have add-ons set to "On-site at check-in" or "On-site at return", your staff will see collection prompts at the right moment in the rental lifecycle.

During Check-In

1. Complete the normal check-in wizard (verify ID, select bookings, waivers, payment) 2. In Step 5 (Final Details), any on-site add-ons due at check-in will appear 3. For each add-on, choose: - Collected — select who collected (your staff or a third party) and the payment method - Waived — you chose not to charge (optionally note why) - Collect at return — defer to when the customer brings the rental back 4. Complete check-in normally — recording collection is optional, not required

During Return/Final Inspection

  1. Process the return as normal (photos, damage, fuel, misc charges)
  2. On-site add-ons due at return will appear alongside your other charges
  3. Any add-ons deferred from check-in will also reappear here
  4. Record collection the same way as check-in

Viewing Collection Status

On the booking detail page, each on-site add-on shows its collection status: - Collected (Cash) — green badge showing payment method - Third party collected — blue badge (e.g., captain collected directly) - Waived — yellow badge - Deferred to return — pending, will appear at return - On-site — not yet recorded

In Your Reports

The KPI dashboard shows your add-on revenue broken down by billing method: - Online (Stripe) — processed through your Stripe account - On-site (your staff) — real revenue your team collected - Third party — revenue collected by external partners (captains, guides)

This helps you understand your true add-on revenue vs. booking value you facilitated for partners.

Customer Experience

Here's what customers see:

  1. In Cart — Add-ons appear below their rental with checkboxes
  2. Selection — Customers check boxes or adjust quantities
  3. Pricing — Total updates in real-time as they select
  4. Required items — Pre-selected and cannot be unchecked
  5. At Checkout — Full breakdown shows add-on costs

Troubleshooting

Add-on not appearing for a unit?

- Check that the add-on is assigned to the unit's fleet

- Verify the add-on is published (not archived)

Wrong pricing showing?

- Confirm one-time vs. per-day setting

- Check the quantity mode setting

- Verify the base price is correct

Customers can't select quantity?

- Change the quantity mode from "Fixed" to "Customer Selects"

---

Related Articles: - Understanding Fleets - Understanding Pricing - Booking Basics

Need more? Search the live help desk or email wecare@recsystems.com.