Booksy Raises $70 Million To Expand Beauty Booking App

As the global pandemic has forced stores to shut down, and then reopen under strict social distancing and health guidelines, one service that has profited throughout is appointment-booking apps.

One of those is Booksy, which on Wednesday (Jan. 27) announced that it had raised $70 million in a Series C funding round to expand its beauty booking app across North America, according to TechCrunch. The firm will also use the funding to expand into new verticals and acquire businesses that can complement its mission.

The funding round was led by Cat Rock Capital, and also included investors OpenOcean, Piton Capital, VNV Global, Enern, Kai Hansen, Zach Coelius and Manta Ray Ventures. The firm has now raised a total of $119 million.

Using Booksy, customers can book and pay for appointments with local hair and nail salons, as well as barbershops. The businesses use the business app, Booksy Biz, to manage their customer base and their bookings and payments. And with Booksy’s eCommerce feature, businesses can sell their products and customers can discover new local beauticians.

Stefan Batory, CEO and co-founder of Booksy, said in a statement: “Like so many sectors negatively hit by the pandemic, it’s been a turbulent time for the beauty and wellness industry, but we’re confident in its ability to come back from this.”

Booksy, which has 13 million consumers globally, claims that by allowing customers to schedule their own appointments, the frequency of their visits increases by 20 percent.

PYMNTS reported back in May that the ongoing pandemic, and its accompanying health guidelines for businesses, brought with it the end of the “walk-in.” And not just for beauty salons — gyms, restaurants and even ice-cream parlors began requiring appointments, reservations and pre-orders. Mobile order-ahead has surged amid the pandemic, as consumers sought a new normal where they could get what they needed while adhering to social distancing guidelines.

POS firm Square recently launched its own beauty bookings tool, Square Appointments, signaling a greater push for online appointment management.