How can I use Webflow's e-commerce features to create a booking system for a retreat/event website, where accommodations depend on specific event dates?

To build a booking system for events/retreats using Webflow’s e-commerce, you'll need to combine native features with some custom logic or third-party tools since Webflow doesn't directly support complex booking systems with date-dependent inventory out of the box.

1. Define Event Products as Ecommerce Items

• In Webflow Ecommerce, create each event or retreat date as a separate Product.
• Use Product Variants if offering options like room type (e.g., Shared, Private).
• Set inventory stock limits to prevent overbookings for each variant.

2. Use Product Fields to Indicate Dates and Options

• Include custom fields (like multiline Text or Date fields) in your product templates to show:
• Event start and end dates.
• Accommodation details tied to that event.
• You can display these in the Product Template Page or a custom Event Details layout.

3. Manage Availability with Inventory Controls

• In the Ecommerce settings, use inventory tracking to limit the number of available spots per accommodation type per event date.
• For example:
• "Yoga Retreat: June 20–23" might have 5 Shared Rooms and 3 Private Rooms as separate product variants with associated inventory counts.

4. Customize the Checkout Flow

• Add extra fields using Custom Checkout Fields for participant details (e.g., name, dietary requirements).
• Note: You cannot conditionally change product availability based on user-selected dates. Instead, dates must be defined in advance as fixed product offerings.

5. Use Forms + Ecommerce for More Complex Data

• If you need more control (like selecting from a calendar), embed a Webflow Form before checkout for date and accommodation preferences.
• After form completion, redirect users to the matching product page to complete checkout.
• Use tools like Zapier, Make (Integromat), or Memberstack + Airtable to match selections with availability.

6. Embed Calendars or Date Pickers for UX

• Use a tool like Calendly, Tockify, or a jQuery Date Picker for date selection, embedded as part of the booking UX.
• These can’t dynamically affect Webflow products but can serve as a user-friendly layer before standard checkout.

7. Consider External Booking Tools if Needed

• If you require real-time date filtering, dynamic accommodation linking, or partial payments, consider integrating an external booking tool like:
• Acuity Scheduling
• Checkfront
• SimplyBook.me
• You can embed their booking widgets directly in Webflow (via their embed code).

Summary

To build a retreat booking system in Webflow Ecommerce, treat each event date as a product with inventory-limited variants, capture additional guest data using custom checkout fields or forms, and optionally enhance functionality with third-party tools for calendars or booking workflows. For more flexible date-driven logic, you’ll likely need to integrate tools outside Webflow.