An empty chair or an unused van is expensive. Many owners lose that slot to someone who simply did not show up. A deposit taken at the time of booking is a common way to protect the time you set aside, and it is easier than chasing people afterward.
How a deposit fits into booking
A deposit is not a separate system. It is a setting inside your booking or payment tool: when a customer picks a time, the tool asks for a card and charges an amount you chose. Our job is to connect that flow to your site so the Book Now button leads straight to it.
If you already use a tool with deposits, we link or embed it. If you do not, we can help set up Square for booking and deposits. Either way, the account and the money flow belong to you, and the processor handles the card details.
Decisions only you can make
- ✓The deposit amount — a flat figure or a share of the service
- ✓Refundable or not — and under what conditions
- ✓The cancellation window — how many hours before the appointment
- ✓What happens on a late cancel — forfeited, credited or rescheduled
Say it on the page before the customer pays
Surprises create disputes. We write a short, plain terms block next to the booking button: the deposit amount, when it is returned and how to reschedule. You approve the wording, because the policy is yours.
We do not write legal terms or guarantee how any payment rules apply to your business. If you need formal language, have your own adviser review it, and we will place it on the page.
What to prepare
- ✓A written policy — even three sentences is a good start
- ✓Your service prices — so the deposit makes sense
- ✓Your payment account — already open, or we guide the Square setup
- ✓A reschedule process — how a customer changes their time
What to expect, honestly
- ✓Processor fees are the provider’s — they bill you, not us
- ✓We do not guarantee compliance — payment rules are between you and your processor
- ✓You set the cancellation terms — we only display them clearly
One example of what your site could look like
This is one sample we designed. Yours is built around your business, your photos and your words, and we have more examples if you want to compare directions.
What it costs
Websites are priced one-time by size, plus Website Care at $30/month for hosting, HTTPS, backups, weekly checks and A/B testing. Every package includes a consultation, mobile-friendly design, copy we write for you, a contact form, essential search setup and 10 revision rounds. Monthly SEO is an optional add-on when you are ready for it.
Optional add-ons, billed separately
The prices above are for your website. These two are separate monthly products you can add now or later. Neither is part of the website price.
Monthly SEO, from $50/month: new pages published on your site every month. See Monthly SEO →
Business Spotlight, from $30/month: articles about your business, labeled as paid, published on The Company Chronicle. See Business Spotlight →
How it works
1. Consultation
We learn your services, customers and goals, in English or Spanish.
2. We write and design
We draft the words and build the site around your business.
3. 10 revision rounds
You review and request changes until it is right.
4. Launch and care
We launch, then Website Care keeps it hosted, backed up, checked weekly and A/B tested.
