Why bookto doesn't do refunds
bookto checkout is the checkout layer — it never holds your money. The payment lives with Mollie, and your invoicing lives in your own accounting software. So a refund isn't something bookto can do for you; it's something you handle where the money and the paperwork actually sit.
The recommended way: through your bookkeeping
The easiest and cheapest way to refund a buyer is through your invoicing or accounting software — by issuing a credit note for the order and paying the amount back yourself (for example by bank transfer). Keep the credit note with the original order for your records — the original invoice already lives in your accounting software, so the credit note belongs there too.
Why not refund through Mollie?
You can refund inside Mollie, but it's usually the more expensive and more confusing route:
- Mollie charges costs again. A refund through Mollie isn't free — you pay fees a second time on top of the original payment.
- You need a balance in Mollie to cover it. If there isn't enough money sitting in your Mollie account, the refund can't be processed until you top it up.
- Your payouts get harder to read. When refunds are mixed in with the money Mollie pays out to you, your statements get messier — so your bookkeeping is less clear.
Handling it in your accounting software keeps the money side and the paperwork side clean and in one place.
When a buyer withdraws (herroepingsrecht)
A private buyer can withdraw from a purchase with the button on their confirmation page (see What your buyer sees at checkout). When they do:
- You get an email ("A buyer withdrew from a purchase"), and the order shows Withdrawn by the buyer on … with the date and time.
- The buyer has already received a receipt from bookto with the date and time of their withdrawal.
- Everything after that is up to you: decide whether a refund is due and how much, pay it back — through Mollie or yourself, your choice — cancel any access or appointment, and talk to the buyer. bookto doesn't refund, cancel or decide anything for you.
If you pay money back, issue a credit note for it in your accounting software — in Belgium a credit note is required.
Tax and VAT rules around credit notes depend on your situation and country. If you're unsure how to book a refund correctly, check with your accountant.