Start where empty time costs the most
You don't need a deposit on a 20-minute trim. Start with your longest, most valuable or most-missed services: colour, extensions, consultations, first visits. That's where one no-show really hurts, and where clients expect to commit.
Once you see the difference, you can always add more.
How Slotkite helps: Deposits are set per service, so each one can ask for nothing upfront, a deposit, or the full price.
Pick an amount that feels fair
A deposit should be big enough to make a booking feel real, and small enough that nobody hesitates. A round, simple number reads better than an odd one, and it's easy to remember.
For your most expensive or longest services, taking the full price upfront can make sense too: the client has nothing left to pay on the day.
How Slotkite helps: Set a fixed deposit amount for each service, or ask for the full price. Clients see exactly what's due before they confirm.
Say why, before they ask
Clients rarely mind a deposit; they mind surprises. Mention it where they choose the service and explain it in one friendly line: it holds their time just for them, and comes off the price on the day.
How Slotkite helps: The booking page shows what's due today before the client pays, and your website's FAQ section is the perfect place for your policy.
Decide what happens when plans change
Be clear and consistent: if a client cancels in good time, do they get it back? Most businesses refund within their cancellation window and keep the deposit for late cancellations and no-shows. Whatever you choose, write it down and stick to it.
How Slotkite helps: Choose whether clients who cancel online get their deposit back. If you cancel a booking yourself, it's always refunded automatically.
Get paid properly
Taking payments by bank transfer or messaging app gets messy fast. A proper online payment is instant for the client, lands in your account, and is easy to refund when you need to.
How Slotkite helps: Deposits are paid through Stripe's secure checkout, straight into your own Stripe account. Slotkite takes no fee on top of Stripe's usual card fees.
The checklist
- Deposits on your longest or most valuable services first
- A round, simple amount, or the full price for big services
- One friendly line explaining why
- A clear rule for cancellations, written down
- Online payment instead of transfers and screenshots
