150 meters is the default; adjust it based on your surroundings, not a fixed rule
A salon should start with Waya's default geofence radius of 150 meters and adjust from there based on what's physically around the branch — Waya supports anywhere from 50 to 500 meters. A salon inside a mall, surrounded by dozens of other shops within a tight radius, should generally go smaller (closer to 50–100 m) so the alert fires when a client is genuinely near the salon's own storefront, not just somewhere in a large building. A standalone street-front salon with fewer nearby distractions can reasonably use a wider radius, closer to 300–500 m, to catch a client while she's still a short walk or a quick U-turn away.
The plain-language mechanic: what geofence actually does
Geofence puts your message on a client's lock screen the moment her phone's location comes within the radius you've set around your branch. It's Apple Wallet only, covers up to 10 branch locations per card, and costs zero message quota, since it isn't counted as a wallet-message send the way a broadcast or trigger is. It's set specifically from the Branches screen in the dashboard — a common mix-up is assuming the card's address text field creates it, which it doesn't.
For a salon, this is most useful for catching passive proximity — someone shopping nearby, someone driving past on a regular route — rather than someone who already has an appointment booked and is heading there on purpose.
| Location type | Suggested radius | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Mall salon | 50–100 m | Many nearby shops compete for attention within a tight space |
| Standalone street-front salon | 300–500 m | Fewer distractions; catch a client further out |
| Salon in a small commercial strip | 150 m (default) | Balanced — enough distance without over-triggering |
The limitation, stated honestly
Geofence is Apple Wallet only — Google Wallet decides its own proximity trigger, and Waya doesn't guarantee the same radius or behavior for Android clients. If a large share of your clientele carries Android phones, don't plan your entire proximity strategy around geofence reach, since it simply won't extend to that portion of your list the same way.
It's also worth remembering that a wider radius doesn't automatically mean more effective messaging — a 500 m radius in a dense area might fire while a client is genuinely too far away to act on a same-day message, which can make the notification feel irrelevant rather than timely.
- Geofence works on Apple Wallet only, not Google Wallet
- A tighter radius (50–100 m) suits dense areas like malls; a wider one (300–500 m) suits standalone locations
- The radius is set from the Branches screen, not the card's address field
- A radius too wide for the surroundings can make messages feel poorly timed rather than helpful
A worked example: same message, two radii, two outcomes
Consider a short message like "Passing by? A chair's open right now" sent at two different radii. At 500 m in a busy mall, that message might reach a client who's still ten minutes and two floors away — by the time she reads it, the chair may no longer be open, and the message reads as generic rather than timely. At 100 m in the same mall, the same message reaches someone who's genuinely close enough to act on it within a minute or two, which is where the feature earns its value.
Next step: set the radius from the Branches screen, and only for Growth or above
Geofence settings live on the Branches screen and are available on Growth or above — Free doesn't include this configuration screen. Once you're on Growth, set your branch's address correctly first, then set the radius separately in the geofence settings, keeping in mind the guidance above for your specific location type. The platform pillar guide covers geofence alongside the other notification triggers if you're setting up the full notification strategy at once.
Set the right radius for your salon in a few steps
This is a quick, one-time setup once you've decided which radius fits your location, not something that needs revisiting often unless the salon moves or its surroundings genuinely change.
- Step 1: identify your location type
Note whether you're in a mall, a commercial strip, or a standalone street-front location.
- Step 2: set your branch address correctly
Confirm the branch address in the dashboard is accurate before touching geofence settings.
- Step 3: set the radius from the Branches screen
Choose 50–100 m for dense areas, 150 m as a balanced default, or up to 500 m for standalone locations.
- Step 4: write a message suited to the radius
Keep the message specific and actionable, since geofence works best when a client can respond quickly.
Frequently asked questions
What geofence radius should a salon use around its location?
Start with Waya's 150 meter default, then narrow it to 50–100 m for a mall salon surrounded by other shops, or widen it toward 300–500 m for a standalone street-front salon with fewer nearby distractions.
Does a wider geofence radius always work better?
No — a radius too wide for the area can trigger a message while the client is still too far to act on it, especially in a dense mall setting. The best radius is the one where a client can realistically respond within a minute or two.
Is geofence available on every Waya plan?
The geofence settings screen is available on Growth or above; the Free plan doesn't include this configuration. It's also Apple Wallet only, regardless of plan.
Where is the geofence radius actually set?
From the Branches screen in the dashboard, not from the card's address text field — that's a common point of confusion. The radius applies per branch, up to 10 branch locations per card.
Does geofence work for Android (Google Wallet) clients?
No, not reliably — geofence is an Apple Wallet feature. Google Wallet has its own proximity behavior that Waya doesn't control or guarantee the same way.