For Instagram-based hire businesses
Move your Instagram dress hire business to Shopify
Taking bookings through DMs works, until you're juggling screenshots, bank transfers and a spreadsheet at midnight. A Shopify store with The Dress Rental App lets customers check dates, pay and book on their own.
The challenge
DMs don't scale
Instagram is a great place to find customers, but a hard place to run bookings.
Endless back-and-forth
"Is this available on the 14th?" gets asked again and again, often after hours.
Manual payments
Chasing bank transfers and bonds takes time and is easy to lose track of.
Spreadsheet calendars
One missed update and the same dress is promised to two people.
No record
Terms, IDs and customer details end up scattered across chats.
How the app helps
From DMs to self-serve bookings
Customers check dates themselves
A booking calendar on every dress shows exactly what's available, 24/7. Add the calendar
Paid at checkout
Rental price, bond, cleaning fee and delivery are paid through Shopify checkout, with no chasing transfers. Rental settings
Keep your Instagram handle
Collect each customer's Instagram handle with their booking, so you still know who they are. Booking form fields
Still take DM bookings
Record bookings that come in through DMs as manual bookings, so they block the calendar too. Manual bookings
Bring existing bookings
Import bookings you've already taken so those dates are blocked from day one. Import orders
Automatic emails
Customers get booking confirmations and reminders automatically. Email notifications
Your move from Instagram to Shopify
- Set up ShopifyCreate your store, or let us build it with the website package.
- Add your dressesCreate products from your Instagram posts and import them as rentals.
- Record existing bookingsAdd upcoming DM bookings manually or import them, so nothing is double booked.
- Share your linkPut your store link in your bio and send customers there instead of DMing dates.
FAQ
Moving from Instagram questions
Do I need a Shopify store?
Yes. The Dress Rental App is a Shopify app. You can start a free Shopify trial, or have our team build your store with the website package.
What about bookings I've already taken through DMs?
Add them as manual bookings in the app, or import them from a spreadsheet export with order, product, start and end dates. Either way those dates are blocked on your new calendar.
Can someone move my dresses and listings for me?
Yes. The website package includes a full Shopify website, bulk dress upload and importing listings from Instagram and other platforms.
Can I keep taking bookings on Instagram?
Of course. Many businesses keep Instagram for discovery and send customers to the store to book, while still recording the odd DM booking manually.
Take rental bookings on Shopify
Install The Dress Rental App and start on the free plan, or let us build your whole rental website.