A deposit only works if the customer saw it before they confirmed, and if you apply it the same way on a Tuesday night as on a Saturday peak. Timezer’s appointment policy is that contract: percent to charge, when to capture, how many hours before a free cancel, and how much you keep if they miss the window.
This is the operator’s reference. Pair it with why no-shows happen and PIX Direct.
What a good policy actually says
Write four numbers, not a speech:
- Deposit percent — 0% (honor system), 30–50% (typical chair), 100% (courts, peak, new clients).
- When money moves — at booking vs closer to the slot (capture timing).
- Free-cancel horizon — e.g. 12 or 24 hours. Shorter than that, the slot is rarely refilled.
- Retain percent if they cancel late or no-show — often 100% of the deposit, not of the full service, unless you prepaid the hour.
If any of those is “we’ll see,” you do not have a policy. You have a negotiation.
Psychology that makes deposits feel fair
Customers accept a hold when three conditions are true:
- The hour is scarce. Saturday 10:00 at a busy barber is scarce. A random Tuesday gap may not need 100%.
- They can still move. A deposit with no self-service reschedule feels like a trap. Timezer’s customer portal exists so moving is cheaper than disappearing.
- The rule is symmetric. You publish it on the booking flow. You do not invent a new percent at the door.
Fairness is not “never charge.” Fairness is predictable.
Chairs vs courts
Services businesses (salons, dentists, therapists, consultants): the scarce unit is a person-hour. A partial deposit usually outperforms full prepay for first-time clients who are still comparing you to WhatsApp-only shops.
Sports resources (courts): the scarce unit is a floodlit rectangle plus wear. Empty peak hours do not come back. Full prepay or a large hold is normal. Recurring mensalista slots should be even stricter — a standing weekly booking without payment is a donated prime-time.
Do not copy a marketplace default. Copy the cost of the empty slot.
How Timezer implements the contract
In Admin → appointment / deposit policy you configure the same ideas the software already enforces at checkout:
- Do not charge (or do not retain) if cancelled more than X hours before.
- Charge Y% of the booking.
- Retain Z% when the window is missed.
Connect Stripe, Mercado Pago, or Direct PIX before you raise Y. A policy with no rail is theatre. The first-week checklist puts payments before you advertise deposits on Instagram.
Refunds and partial retains still need a human for edge cases (medical emergency, venue flood). The policy is the default. Exceptions are logged, not the culture.
A 14-day rollout
- Days 1–2 — pick the four numbers. Write them in one paragraph on your booking page (layout / mini-site copy).
- Days 3–4 — connect a payment rail. Test one real booking with a colleague.
- Days 5–7 — enable the policy for new bookings only. Honour existing WhatsApp promises you already made.
- Week 2 — count late cancels vs no-shows. If people still ghost, the percent is too low or reschedule is still hidden.
Do not start at 100% on a clientele that never paid online unless you are a court. You can raise Y after two weeks of data.
Packages, subscriptions, and deposits
Prepaid packages already paid for sessions. Charging another deposit on a package redemption usually feels like double-dipping. Prefer: package session consumes a credit; no-show consumes the credit.
Resource subscriptions (weekly court slots) are the opposite: the standing slot is the deposit. Missed weeks without a block/release rule will rot your peak grid.
FAQ
What deposit percent should I start with?
Chairs: 30% if you are new to charging, 50% if no-shows already hurt. Courts: 100% on peak, or PIX in full. Raise only after a week of numbers, not after one bad Saturday.
Will deposits scare new clients?
They scare comparison shoppers who never intended to show up. Clients who want you accept a hold the way they accept a restaurant reservation with a card. Publish the rule in the flow, not as a surprise WhatsApp.
How is this different from a marketplace fee?
A Timezer deposit is money toward your service, minus the payment provider’s processing cost. A marketplace often charges the business a booking fee and still leaves no-show risk on you. See branded page vs marketplace.
Can I use PIX instead of a card deposit?
Yes, in Brazil. Direct PIX sends the customer to your key; you confirm receipt. It is slower than an automatic card hold and needs an owner (or secretary) to approve. It avoids extra gateway fees. Combine with a clear “unpaid bookings expire” habit.
Where do I set this in Timezer?
Admin appointment policy, after payments are connected. Secretaries can run the calendar; owners should own the four numbers so staff are not improvising at the front desk.