LaMarie Split-Payment Checkout Implementation

Overview

The LaMarie WooCommerce checkout requires a split-payment model: clients pay for products at the time of checkout, while service charges (Bookly appointments) are deferred for later collection. This is implemented via a custom functions.php script rather than a plugin, as no off-the-shelf WooCommerce extension cleanly handles this Bookly-product hybrid cart.

See also: ^[1] for the related appointment-sync problem this checkout flow surfaces.

The Problem

LaMarie's cart can contain two distinct item types simultaneously:

• Bookly appointment services — should not be charged at checkout
• WooCommerce products — should be charged at checkout as normal

Standard WooCommerce treats all cart items identically. Without intervention, the checkout total includes both, which is incorrect for this business model.

Solution: Custom functions.php Hook

Isahaque implemented a custom script added to the active theme's functions.php via the WordPress Theme File Editor. The script hooks into WooCommerce's cart/checkout calculation pipeline to:

1. Exclude service line items from the subtotal at checkout time
2. Charge only the product price when payment is processed
3. Save the service/appointment details for deferred payment handling

Validation

A live test transaction during the team meeting confirmed the solution works as intended:

• A cart containing a Bookly appointment (Nov 19) and a product was submitted through checkout
• WooCommerce charged $26 (product price only)
• The order appeared in Square as Paid / Completed
• The appointment details were preserved for the Nov 19 booking

"In this cart, the prices will not add in subtotal." — Isahaque, confirming the script behaviour during the demo

Cart UI Refinements

Alongside the payment logic, the following visual improvements were agreed upon to make the split-cart legible to customers:

These changes are to be implemented by Isahaque as part of the same checkout pass.

Related: Product Subscription Option

During the meeting, a potential future requirement was raised: offering a one-time vs. subscribe toggle on product pages (similar to Amazon Subscribe & Save). This would appear on the product page itself, not in the cart.

Status: Unconfirmed — Melissa to verify this requirement with the client (Kimberly/Roxanna) before any implementation work begins.

Known Limitation: Bookly-Square Appointment Sync

The split-payment script successfully processes the WooCommerce payment through Square, but does not create a corresponding appointment in the Square calendar. This is a separate gap caused by Bookly's lack of native Square appointments integration.

See ^[1] for the custom Square API bridge being built to address this.

Implementation Notes

• Location: Active theme functions.php (via Appearance → Theme File Editor in WP Admin)
• Approach: WooCommerce action/filter hooks — no plugin dependency
• Square connection: Already active on the staging environment at time of testing
• Test card: Provided by Roxanna (client contact) for staging validation

Action Items (as of 2025-11-06)

Related Articles

• ^[1]
• ^[2]
• ^[3]