Bookly-WooCommerce-Square Integration Block — 2026-01-05

Overview

The LaMarie booking site is blocked on a critical payment integration issue: WooCommerce (via Bookly) successfully captures credit card information on the front end but fails to transmit it to Square for processing. As of this date, Ishak's custom code attempts have not resolved the issue, and an external consultant has been engaged to assess the problem and propose a solution. A significant budget increase is expected.

Discussed in the ^[1].

The Technical Problem

WooCommerce captures the card at checkout but the data is not being relayed to Square's API for actual payment processing. Ishak spent significant time working with API tokens and custom code to bridge the gap, but the relay is not functioning correctly.

Root Cause: Square API Inflexibility

Square's API is not designed for customization. Unlike Stripe — which Mark described as "like a programming language" where you can make it do almost anything — Square is a closed, opinionated system. When modifications are requested, Square's own support confirms they are not possible. This makes complex third-party integrations difficult or impossible without significant custom engineering.

"When somebody comes to us and says, oh, we have Square — say, okay, well, we can connect it, but we can't make any modifications to how it works." — Mark Hope

Current Status

• Ishak's custom fix: Attempted and unsuccessful. He wrote up a technical document detailing the problem and what was tried.
• Consultant engaged: Ishak brought in a trusted contact (external consultant/developer) to review his documentation and assess what a viable solution would require.
• Consultant's next step: Reviewing Ishak's write-up and will provide a cost estimate for moving forward with a Bookly-based solution.
• Client contact: Kim (standing in for Katie, who is on maternity leave for Lisa) has been informed the team is at a standstill.

Budget & Scope Situation

The original project budget was $5,000. Over the course of the year, the client's (Lisa's) vision for the site's user experience has expanded significantly beyond what that budget could support — even setting aside the integration problem.

The path forward will require:

1. Reviewing the consultant's proposal — Melissa to review with Mark before presenting to Kim.
2. New proposal to client — Estimated at $10,000+, depending on the consultant's findings.
3. Platform decision — The expanded scope may require moving away from a standard WordPress/WooCommerce setup. Options discussed:
   - Framer — more design flexibility than WooCommerce
   - Custom React/HTML — maximum flexibility, but higher ongoing maintenance burden

"If she wants it to be evolved to this different user experience, it's going to cost $10,000 or whatever — and it's going to be a unique website." — Melissa Cusumano

Action Items

• [ ] Melissa — Review Ishak's LaMarie Bookly–WooCommerce–Square documentation once consultant's assessment is complete
• [ ] Melissa + Mark — Align on pricing and platform options before client conversation
• [ ] Melissa — Brief Kim on current status and present new proposal with revised budget

Key Contacts

Related

• ^[2]
• ^[1]
• ^[3]