A reseller profile tells TripWorks who a partner is, how they pay you, and what commission they earn. Create one for each online travel agency (OTA) or private partner you work with. Bookings made through that reseller are then tracked, priced, and reported under their name.
In this article
Learn how to manage permission groups
Create the reseller
- Select More → Resellers, then Add a Partner....
- In Create a Reseller, choose from the logos shown:
- Private Partner for a local hotel, agency, or other partner. Type their name in Reseller Name.
- An OTA, such as Viator or Expedia, shown with its logo. The name fills in and you can edit it. See Supported OTAs.
- Choose a Payment Method. See Payment methods.
- Enter a Commission Rate. It's required, starts at 20%, and can be up to 60%.
- Select Create.
Payment methods
The payment method decides what happens to payment when a booking is made under this reseller.
- Auto-Apply a payment at the time of booking. The trip is marked paid automatically. It's for OTAs, where the OTA collects from the guest and pays you. It can't be used for a private partner. This is the default for OTAs.
- Invoice + Manually Apply Payments. Nothing is paid at booking. You send the reseller a monthly invoice and record their payment. See Invoice a reseller.
- Payment Required at Booking. Payment is collected when the booking is made. This is the default for private partners.
- No payment required. For partners who pay on arrival, comped bookings, or resellers who handle payment themselves.
Adjust the reseller's settings
Open the reseller and select Settings. The sub-tabs are General, Rates, your activities (named for your activity label), Remittance, Commissions, and Communication. Select Update after each change.
Across the top of the reseller you'll also see Sales, Invoices, Agents, Notes, and History. Private partners also get Cards and Widgets.
General
Edit the Name, Physical Address, Accounting Contact (name, phone, email), and Tax Information. Viator resellers also show an API Information section. See Connect Viator to TripWorks.
For a private partner, a booking your team enters with a customer email that exactly matches the Accounting Contact email (or the CC email on the Communication tab) is attributed to that reseller. It also stops the booking merging into an existing customer record. See Booking methods.
Rates
- Commissionable Items. Choose what earns commission. Tickets always do. You can add products, add-ons, and each tax.
- Rate Sheets. The reseller pays your standard prices unless you tick rate sheets for them.
- Credit Limit. Turn on Apply a Credit Limit and set the Maximum Credit Limit. Once their unpaid invoices exceed it, staff can't book new trips for them from the reseller's screen.
- Hide rates from customer. Hides ticket prices in confirmation emails and when guests reschedule themselves.
Activities
Choose which activities this reseller may sell. A new reseller starts with all your live activities. For Viator, the connection reads this list whenever Viator asks. Reseller and agent portals only show the activities you tick.
Remittance
- Payment Method. The same four options as above.
- Voucher required at checkin. Guests must show a voucher from this reseller before they can be checked in.
Commissions
- Commission Type. Percentage or Fixed.
- Commission Mode. Global Commission Rate uses one rate for every activity. The per-activity option lets you set a rate for each. A percentage can be up to 60%.
- Commission Calculation Method. Shown for fixed commissions. Charge the amount once per activity, or once per person.
- Guest Payment Amount. Retail Amount means the guest pays full price and commission isn't deducted from the total. Wholesale Amount subtracts commission from the trip total. OTAs default to Wholesale and private partners to Retail.
- Auto calculate commission rate. Viator only. It takes the commission from the net amount Viator reports. See Connect Viator to TripWorks.
Changes to a reseller's settings apply to new bookings. Existing trips keep the settings they were booked with.
Communication
- Disable Customer Email Confirmations & Followups. Stops TripWorks emailing guests booked through this reseller, useful when they send their own. It's on by default for OTAs and off for private partners.
- Send a CC: of all booking emails to. Copies the reseller. You can enter several addresses, separated by commas. If Disable is on, the reseller still gets the confirmation but follow-ups are blocked.
Examples
- Add a hotel concierge desk. Create a Private Partner, choose Invoice + Manually Apply Payments, set Retail, and a 15% commission.
- Connect an OTA. Choose its logo, keep Auto-Apply and Wholesale, and leave customer emails off.
- Cap a monthly-billing partner. Turn on Apply a Credit Limit and set the maximum.
- Pay a flat fee per guest. Choose Fixed, then the per-person calculation method.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a private partner and an OTA?
An OTA is an online travel agency like Viator that sells your activities and keeps a commission. A private partner is a local business such as a hotel or agency. OTAs can use Auto-Apply payment and default to Wholesale. Private partners can't use Auto-Apply and default to Retail.
What's the difference between Retail and Wholesale?
With Retail, the guest pays full price and the commission is tracked separately. With Wholesale, the commission is subtracted from the trip total, so the total is what you receive from the reseller.
Why can't I choose Auto-Apply for a private partner?
Auto-Apply is only for OTAs, where the OTA pays you directly. For a private partner choose Invoice, Payment Required at Booking, or No payment required.
Do changes to a reseller change trips already booked?
No. Each trip keeps the settings it was booked with. Changes apply to new bookings.
Why did my guest get no confirmation email?
Check Disable Customer Email Confirmations & Followups on the reseller's Communication tab. It's on by default for OTAs.
How do I limit what a reseller can sell?
On the reseller's Activities tab, tick only the activities they may sell. Their portal and agents see only those.
What happens when a reseller reaches their credit limit?
Once unpaid invoices exceed the Maximum Credit Limit, staff can't book new trips for that reseller from its screen until the invoices are paid.
Can I switch a trip to a different reseller?
Yes, until a payment is applied. See Change the reseller or agent on a booked trip.
Related
- How OTA & reseller bookings connect to TripWorks
- Add a reseller agent
- Invoice a reseller for their bookings
- Report on reseller revenue & commission
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