A party rental website that turns a browse into a dated hire request
Hire customers browse by item and then ask the only question that matters: is it free on my date? A party rental website should make browsing easy and turn interest into a dated hire request you can check against stock. Anticode builds the catalogue and request form well; it doesn't track how many of each item are out on a given day, so you confirm each hire.
Why stock is the hard part
A party hire business might own four bouncy castles, two hundred chairs and twelve trestle tables. On a sunny Saturday in June, a customer wants one castle and forty chairs. Whether that's possible depends on what's already booked, plus delivery runs and cleaning time between hires. That's stock tracking across dates, and Anticode doesn't do it. Its booking calendar takes one booking per service and slot, which suits a single item but not a quantity.
For most small event hire firms, the practical answer is a request flow: customers send what they want and when, you check your diary or hire software, then confirm. If you already use hire software with live availability, link to it from each item page instead.
The catalogue
Put items in a CMS collection, so each has its own page and you can add or retire stock from the dashboard. Fields worth having:
- Name, category (inflatables, furniture, catering equipment, lighting, games) and price per day or per event.
- Dimensions and the space needed, including access width through gates and doors.
- Indoor or outdoor, surface needed, and power requirements.
- Age range and maximum users at once, for play equipment.
- What's included: blower, mats, stakes, an attendant.
- Your own photos of the actual item, set up.
Group items into packages too ("Garden party for 30", "Kids' party bundle"), because many customers don't know what to order.
The hire request form
A custom form tied to a site function can hold up to 30 plain-text fields, enough for a proper hire request:
| Field | Why you need it |
|---|---|
| Event date and times | Checking stock and planning the delivery run |
| Items and quantities | What to reserve |
| Delivery address and postcode | Whether you cover it and the delivery charge |
| Surface and access | Grass or hard standing, steps, gate width |
| Indoor or outdoor, and power | Inflatables and lighting need it |
| Name, phone, email | Confirming the hire |
A formula can total item prices and a delivery charge based on a numbered distance band the customer enters, and show the estimate on the thank-you page. It can also refuse a request whose band is beyond your range, with a message suggesting collection. Formulas only read numbers, so quantities and bands must be typed as numbers. Nothing is calculated as the customer types, because published pages run no scripts. A connector can send each request to Telegram or a Google Sheet so you see it on the road.
Payment once the hire is confirmed
When you've checked stock and agreed the details, send a payment link from your provider for the deposit or the full hire. Explain the payment terms on the site: when the balance is due, what happens if it rains (many inflatable firms can't set up in high wind or heavy rain), and any refundable damage deposit. The site doesn't hold the payment or know who has paid.
Delivery area and timings
List the towns and postcodes you deliver to, any distance bands and their charges, and your delivery and collection windows. Say whether you set up and take down, how long setup takes, and whether someone needs to be home. Link to a map rather than embedding one.
Safety information
- Inflatables
- Wind limits, anchoring, supervision by an adult, maximum users and height groups, no shoes or sharp objects. Mention any inspection scheme your inflatables are tested under, if you use one.
- Furniture and marquees
- Load limits and whether your team erects them.
- Electrical items
- Testing and safe use outdoors.
- Insurance
- Your public liability cover, which many venues and schools ask about.
The business is responsible for its safety wording and any inspection or insurance requirements; the website should state them clearly where customers will see them, beside the items they apply to.
Design
Playful (Fredoka) with an orange or pink action colour suits children's party hire; Swiss (Inter Tight) suits wedding and corporate furniture hire. Make the "Request this date" button prominent on every item page. Related: photo booth hire and event venues.
Limits
- No stock tracking or live availability by date; requests are confirmed by you.
- No card payments or damage deposits on the site; payment links instead.
- No delivery route planning.
- No embedded maps or availability widgets from hire software.
Questions people ask
Can customers see live availability on my party rental website?
Not with Anticode alone. Customers send a dated hire request and you confirm, or you link each item to hire software that shows availability.
Can the site quote a price for a hire?
Yes. A site function's formula can total items and delivery and show the estimate on the thank-you page.
How do customers pay?
After you confirm, send a payment link from your payment provider for the deposit or the full amount.