Nothing kills a rental sale faster than a customer finding the perfect product, adding dates, and discovering it’s unavailable. The availability checker in Rental Products for WooCommerce flips this so your customers select dates first, then browse only products available for their timeframe.
Adding the availability checker
The availability checker is added to your site using a block, shortcode, or widget. You choose where it appears.
Using the block:
- Edit the page where you want the checker (shop page, category template, or custom page)
- Add a new block and search for “Rental Products Availability Checker”
- Position it where customers will see it prominently
- Save the page
Using the shortcode:
Add [rental_products_availability_checker] to any page, post, shortcode block, or widget area.
Configuring behavior
Configure how the availability checker works in Rentals → Settings → Availability Checker:
Min days default: The minimum rental duration customers can select. Set to 1 for daily rentals, 7 if you only rent by the week.
Max days default: The maximum rental duration available in the checker. Prevents customers from selecting unreasonably long date ranges.
Period multiples: When enabled, date selection snaps to period increments. If your rentals are weekly (7-day periods), customers select in 7-day increments: 7 days, 14 days, 21 days. This should match your pricing setup.
Return days threshold: Buffer days between rentals for cleaning and preparation. This affects availability calculations across all products using the checker.
How it works
- Customer visits a page with the availability checker
- Customer selects start and end dates in the checker
- Product listing filters to show only products with availability for those dates
- Customer browses the filtered catalog
- Selected dates carry through to the product page when they click in
This eliminates the frustration of finding the perfect product only to discover it’s unavailable for the needed dates.
Placement recommendations
Common placements for the availability checker:
- Shop page: Above the product grid so customers filter before browsing
- Category pages: At the top of rental-specific categories
- Sidebar: Persistent visibility as customers navigate
- Custom landing page: As part of a dedicated rental portal
The exact appearance depends on your theme. Most themes display it cleanly, but CSS adjustments may be needed for optimal positioning.
Best practices
Prominent placement: Put the checker where customers see it immediately. Above the product grid is ideal. A buried checker defeats the purpose.
Clear labeling: Customize the labels in Rentals → Settings → Labels if the defaults don’t match your terminology. “Select your rental dates” might become “When do you need it?”
Consistent periods: If most of your products use weekly periods, set the checker’s period multiples to match. Mismatched expectations frustrate customers.
Test the experience: Go through the flow as a customer. Select dates, browse products, add to cart. Ensure everything carries through smoothly.
Troubleshooting
Checker not appearing: Verify you’ve added the block, shortcode, or widget to the page. Check that you’re viewing the correct page where it was placed.
No products showing after filtering: The selected dates may have no available inventory. Try a different date range to confirm the filter is working.
Dates not carrying to product page: Some themes or page builders may interfere with the calendar JavaScript. Test with a default theme to isolate the issue.
Next steps
With availability filtering in place, ensure your pricing is configured to match the periods customers select. For equipment kits, learn how rental bundles calculate combined availability across multiple items.
Checker not behaving as expected? Contact support—we can help troubleshoot theme conflicts and configuration issues.