RARO: A Multi-Wallet Booking and Payments Platform for Travel

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A multi-wallet booking and payments platform for a travel agency operating across Italy, Greece and the Philippines.

At a glance

What does RARO do?

RARO is a travel agent company that facilitates booking trips and organising tours for travellers in Italy, Greece, and the Philippines. The company offers a comprehensive booking system catering to both individual customers and agents.

The system incorporates various payment methods, including credit cards, wallets containing real and virtual money, and promotional offers. It also supports installment payments and automated recurring payments through integration with Stripe and custom APIs.

How does the customer experience work?

Booking process. Customers can book trips for themselves and multiple guests through RARO's platform. During booking, customers are required to deposit a minimum amount, which must be in real money.

Payment methods. Customers can pay using credit cards, e-wallets holding real money, and promotional offers. Promotions can be site-wide or specific to certain trips, countries, or locations, and can be either visible or invisible to customers.

Wallet types

RARO provides several wallet types, and customers choose between them based on their preferences or on exclusions set by the company.

• E-wallet for real money
• Future-wallet for virtual money
• Promotional wallet for campaign credit
• Service wallet for service-specific balances

Installment options

Customers can pay the remaining balance through installment plans, with options for 2 equal installments, 4 equal installments, or monthly installments. The system automatically notifies customers about upcoming installment payments and deducts the due amount from their accounts.

What can agents do?

Agent booking. Agents can book trips for one or more customers, including customers they create themselves. They go through the same booking process as customers, which keeps the experience consistent and the logic single-sourced.

Payment management. Agents can manage customer balances and make payments on their behalf. They can track payments, installment schedules, and promotional offers through the system.

How does the payment architecture work?

Stripe integration. RARO's payment system is integrated with Stripe, a secure payment gateway, to ensure smooth and secure transactions.

Custom APIs. Custom APIs are used to automate recurring payments and manage the entire payment process.

Automated recurring payments. Installment plans run without manual intervention, with deductions taken on schedule.

Notifications. Agents and customers receive timely alerts about payment due dates, installment schedules, and any changes in booking or payment status. Alerts are sent by email or SMS.

Database management. A robust database stores customer information, booking details, payment history, and wallet balances, ensuring data integrity and reliable retrieval.

What promotion types are supported?

• Site-wide promotions and trip-specific promotions
• Visible and invisible promotions
• Beneficial promotions and flat promotions

Admins control which wallets and promotion types apply where, which turns the promotion engine into a strategic marketing tool rather than a fixed discount table.

What did the platform deliver?

• Convenience. Customers and agents book trips and manage payments in one place.
• Flexibility. Diverse payment options cater to different financial needs.
• Promotions. Customised discounts attract customers and reward loyalty.
• Control. Admins manage wallets and promotion types for strategic marketing.
• Automation. Streamlined payments and notifications reduce manual work.

What made this build difficult?

Stated plainly, because the engineering challenges are the useful part of this case study.

Complexity. Managing multiple wallets, promotions, and payment methods requires robust system design. Every combination of wallet type and promotion type has to resolve to one correct balance.

Security. Integrating with Stripe necessitates strong security measures to protect financial data.

Customisation. Defining wallet rules and promotion limitations requires clear regulations, agreed up front rather than discovered during build.

Overall, RARO's travel booking system offers a comprehensive and flexible solution for customers and agents. By combining diverse payment options, promotions, and automated features, RARO streamlines booking processes, improves user experience, and supports sales.