Yes — a balance card matches how a prepaid bundle actually works
A barbershop selling prepaid bundles — say, 5 haircuts paid for upfront at a bundle discount — should use a balance card rather than a stamp card, because a balance card deducts a SAR amount at each visit, which is exactly what a prepaid bundle is: money already paid, drawn down visit by visit. A stamp card counts visits toward a future free reward, which is a fundamentally different transaction than a bundle a client has already paid for in full.
Using the wrong mechanic here isn't just a minor mismatch — a stamp card would imply the client is working toward something free, when in reality they've already paid for all five visits and are simply using what they bought.
The two mechanics compared for this specific case
Stamps and points both track toward a future reward; a balance card, by contrast, tracks money already spent — the closest fit for a prepaid bundle.
| Card type | What it tracks | Fits a prepaid bundle? |
|---|---|---|
| Stamp card | Visit count toward a future free reward | No — implies a reward not yet earned |
| Points card | Riyals spent toward a future reward | No — same mismatch, reward-oriented |
| Balance card | A prepaid SAR amount, deducted per visit | Yes — matches how the bundle already works |
A worked example: a 5-haircut bundle
Take a shop selling a bundle of 5 haircuts for 140 SAR, against a normal single-visit price of 35 SAR — a bundle discount of roughly 20% (175 SAR of individual-price value for 140 SAR paid). A balance card loaded with 140 SAR deducts 28 SAR per visit (140 ÷ 5), which a barber records at each scan just like a normal stamp scan, except the card's balance counts down instead of a stamp count going up.
This keeps the bundle's accounting entirely inside the wallet card — no separate paper receipt or spreadsheet needed to track how many visits a client has left, since the balance itself is the running record.
- 140 SAR bundle ÷ 5 haircuts = 28 SAR deducted per visit
- Bundle discount here: roughly 20% off the normal 35 SAR single-visit price
- Balance shown on the card itself — no separate tracking needed
- A barber scans and deducts the same way regardless of how much balance remains
Running a loyalty reward on top of the bundle
A balance card and a loyalty reward aren't mutually exclusive — a shop can still run a separate stamp or points card alongside the balance card for clients who want a longer-term reward beyond the bundle itself, since Growth (up to 10 cards) and Premium (unlimited) both allow more than one card.
The cleanest split: the balance card handles the prepaid bundle transaction, and a separate stamp card tracks visits toward a genuinely free reward once a client has worked through several bundles — treating bundle purchases as loyalty-worthy events in their own right, distinct from the balance deduction itself.
Setting up a balance card for bundles
The setup differs slightly from a stamp or points card, since it starts with a prepaid amount rather than a threshold.
- Step 1: decide the bundle size and price
Set the bundle discount (commonly 15-20% off single-visit pricing) before building the card.
- Step 2: build the balance card
Set it up in the dashboard as a balance card type, distinct from stamp or points.
- Step 3: load the balance on enrollment
Add the full bundle amount to the card at the point of purchase.
- Step 4: brief barbers on deducting, not stamping
Each scan should deduct the per-visit SAR amount from the balance, not add a stamp.
- Step 5: add a low-balance win-back trigger
Message clients as their balance runs low, encouraging a bundle renewal before it hits zero.
The limits that still apply
Balance cards require Growth or Premium (85 SAR/mo or 149 SAR/mo) — they aren't part of the Free plan, which supports one stamp card only. And as with every card type, Waya has no POS or till integration, so a barber deducts the balance by hand on each visit rather than the till doing it automatically, and there's no SMS channel for balance or win-back reminders — all of it goes to the wallet lock screen.
Frequently asked questions
Should a barbershop that sells prepaid haircut bundles use a balance card?
Yes. A balance card deducts a SAR amount per visit, matching how a prepaid bundle already works — a client has paid upfront and is drawing down what they bought, unlike a stamp or points card, which tracks toward a future reward.
How does the per-visit deduction get calculated?
Divide the bundle price by the number of included visits — a 140 SAR, 5-haircut bundle deducts 28 SAR per visit, recorded by the barber at each scan.
Can a shop run a loyalty reward alongside the balance card?
Yes — a separate stamp or points card can track visits toward a genuinely free reward, kept distinct from the balance card that handles the prepaid bundle itself. Growth and Premium both support more than one card.
Is a balance card available on the Free plan?
No. Free supports one stamp card only. Balance cards, like points and discount cards, require Growth (85 SAR/mo) or Premium (149 SAR/mo).
Does the balance card automatically deduct when a client pays at the till?
No — Waya has no POS or till integration, so a barber deducts the balance by scanning the card by hand at each visit, the same manual step used for stamp and points cards.