Welcome Providers to Surfkin

Get Started as a Provider

Surfkin is the global surfing marketplace where coaches, schools, retreat organizers, videographers, and wellness professionals connect with surfers looking for authentic experiences.

By joining Surfkin as a provider, you can:

Share your services with a worldwide surfing community.
Get discovered by travelers searching for lessons, rentals, surf trips, and wellness support.
Manage bookings, schedules, and payments all in one place.

Whether you’re a surf coach offering private lessons, a retreat organizer hosting surf camps, a videographer capturing surf sessions, or a rental shop with boards and gear — Surfkin gives you the platform to reach surfers who are ready to book.

1. Who Can Join as a Provider?

Surfkin is designed to support every aspect of the surfing lifestyle. You can list your services if you are:

Surf Coaches & Schools – offering private lessons, group sessions, or multi-day surf programs.
Surf Travel Organizers – hosting surf camps, retreats, day trips, or adventure tours.
Equipment Rental Providers – offering surfboards, wetsuits, fins, or other gear.
Health & Recovery Professionals – providing yoga, physiotherapy, massage, or fitness coaching.
Videographers & Photographers – capturing surf sessions, drone shots, or creating surf edits.

If your service helps surfers learn, travel, recover, or capture their journey — you belong here.

2. Signing Up as a Provider

Create your Surfkin account – click Sign up and register as a provider.
Complete your profile:
- Upload a profile photo or logo.
- Add a short bio about who you are and what you offer.
- Include links (website, socials) if relevant.
Verify your account (email + payment setup).
- Surfkin works with secure payment providers.
- You’ll need to add payout details (bank or PayPal) to receive earnings.

3. Creating Your First Listing

When you click Create Listing, you’ll walk through these steps:

a) Choose a Category

Select the main type of service you offer:

Surf Coaching & Programs
Surf Travel
Equipment Rentals
Health, Fitness & Recovery
Videography

This choice is important — categories decide where your listing shows up in customer search filters.

b) Pick a Subcategory (if available)

Examples:

Surf Coaching → Private Lessons, Group Lessons, Programs.
Travel → Surf Camps, Day Trips, Retreats.
Rentals → Surfboards, Wetsuits, Accessories.

c) Add Listing Details

Title → Be specific (“Beginner Surf Lesson – Byron Bay” is better than “Surf Class”).
Description → Include:
- What’s included (equipment, instruction, extras).
- Who it’s for (beginners, advanced, families).
- What to bring (towel, sunscreen, water).
- Any important policies (cancellations, weather).
Photos → Upload high-quality, action-focused images. Listings with strong visuals get booked more often.

d) Pricing

Choose how your service is charged:
- Per session / hourly – great for lessons.
- Per day – ideal for rentals or coaching blocks.
- Per seat – for group activities with limited spots.
- Per package – for retreats or multi-day programs.

e) Availability

Mark when you’re available.
Choose between:
- Daily availability → single or multi-day sessions.
- Nightly availability → surf camps or accommodation-style packages.
If group-based, set the number of seats available.

f) Location

Add the location where your service is offered.
For rentals or coaching, this should be the pickup/meeting point.
For travel/retreats, include the destination.

g) Publish

Once published, your listing appears in the Surfkin search engine.
Customers can filter by category, location, date, price, and seats.

4. How Customers Search

Surfers use Surfkin in a simple way:

Location first → “Bali” or “Byron Bay.”
Category second → Coaching, Travel, Rentals, etc.
Dates third → When they’re available.
Filters (optional) → Price range, seats, or keyword (“beginner”).

Your listing appears whenever it matches their filters.

5. Bookings & Payments

Customers book directly on Surfkin.
Payment is secured at the time of booking.
You’ll be notified instantly by email/dashboard.
After the service is confirmed/delivered, your payout is sent automatically to your bank account.

How payouts work

Surfkin uses Stripe (a secure global payments provider) to handle all transactions.

When you sign up as a provider, you’ll complete a quick Stripe Connect setup.
This creates a connected account so Stripe can verify your identity and transfer your earnings straight to your bank.
You don’t need a separate Stripe account or dashboard — everything is managed through Surfkin.

Fees & Commission

Surfkin charges a 3.8% commission on each booking.
Out of this commission, Surfkin covers all Stripe processing fees — so there are no extra charges on your payout.
The remainder of your earnings go directly into your bank account after each booking.

In short: You connect your bank account once, and Surfkin takes care of payments, fees, and transfers.

6. Managing Your Listings

You can edit your listing anytime (title, price, description, photos).
Keep your availability calendar updated to avoid double bookings.
Respond to booking requests quickly — faster replies = more trust.
Add new listings anytime if you offer multiple services.

7. Reschedules & Refunds

Rescheduling a Booking

Customers may request to change the date or time of their booking.
As a provider, you can:
- Approve the change if you’re available on the new date.
- Decline the change if you’re not available — in this case, the original booking stands unless the customer cancels.
It’s always best to communicate quickly with the customer through Surfkin’s messaging system to find a solution.

Refunds & Cancellations

Refunds depend on your cancellation policy, which you choose when creating your listing:

Flexible Policy – Full refund if cancelled within a short period (e.g., 24–48 hours before).
Moderate Policy – Partial refund if cancelled within a set timeframe.
Strict Policy – Refund only if cancelled well in advance.

Surfkin automatically enforces your chosen policy.

Who Processes Refunds?

All refunds are processed securely by Surfkin’s payment partner (e.g., Stripe or PayPal).

Refunds are automatically issued back to the customer’s original payment method.
Providers do not need to manually handle or send money.
Provider payouts are adjusted if a refund applies, before funds are transferred.
Refunds typically appear in the customer’s account within 5–10 business days.

Note: Refunds can only be issued through Surfkin. Providers should never issue direct cash or private refunds outside the platform.

🌪 Force Majeure (Weather & Unforeseen Events)

Sometimes, events outside of anyone’s control may affect a booking. These may include:

Severe weather or unsafe surf conditions
Natural disasters (storms, floods, bushfires, earthquakes, etc.)
Public health emergencies (pandemics, government restrictions)
Travel restrictions or other unforeseen disruptions

In these cases:

Providers are expected to notify customers as early as possible.
Providers should first offer a reschedule at a mutually suitable time.
If rescheduling is not possible, Surfkin may process a full or partial refund depending on the situation and the provider’s chosen cancellation policy.
Surfkin reserves the right to override cancellation policies in extreme circumstances to ensure safety and fairness for all parties.

Note: Force Majeure events are rare but must be handled with flexibility and communication. Providers who respond quickly and professionally help maintain trust with customers.

8. Best Practices for Success

Clear Titles – tell customers exactly what they’re booking.
High-Quality Photos – action shots and lifestyle images sell.
Competitive Pricing – start attractively, then adjust as you grow.
Updated Calendar – don’t frustrate customers with wrong availability.
Quick Responses – confirm or answer messages promptly.
Great Reviews – happy surfers leave feedback that boosts your ranking.

Get Started Today

Sign up as a Provider
Create your first listing
Manage your listings & bookings

Frequently Asked Questions