How to take deposits for salon bookings in Australia

When a deposit makes sense

A deposit is most useful where a missed appointment costs you the most. That usually means:

• Long appointments. Colour, extensions, a full set, a 90-minute facial or massage.
• New clients. You don’t know them yet, and they don’t know your policy yet.
• Peak times. Saturday mornings and late nights, where another client would have taken the slot.
• Services with preparation. Anything where you order product in or block extra time.

A quick trim for a client of ten years may not need one. A deposit is a tool, not a rule for every booking.

How much to ask

Pick an amount that covers the time you would lose, not a penalty. Two approaches are common: a fixed amount for shorter services, and a percentage of the price for long ones, so the deposit grows with the booking.

Example only: a three-hour colour at $300 with a 20% deposit means $60 is paid at booking and comes off the final bill. Your numbers will differ.

Deposit, prepayment or card on file

• Deposit. Part of the price is paid at booking and taken off the final bill.
• Prepayment. The whole service is paid when the client books.
• Card on file. No money moves at booking. The card is saved and charged only if your policy applies, for example after a no-show.

A card on file feels lighter to clients. A deposit gives the client a reason to turn up or give notice, because they already have money in the booking.

Say it clearly, before they book

Under Australian Consumer Law, terms should be clear and fair. In practice that means the client sees the policy before they commit, in plain words:

• how much the deposit is, and that it comes off the final price
• how much notice they need to give to get it back or move it
• what happens after a late cancellation or a no-show
• that you refund it in full if you cancel

A fee far larger than what you actually lose risks being an unfair term, and since November 2023 unfair terms in standard contracts can attract penalties. The ACCC explains the rules. Our cancellation policy template has wording you can adapt.

Taking deposits in Preen

Take deposits and charge no-show and late-cancellation fees on a saved card. Set a fixed amount, a percentage of the service price, or full prepayment, for the whole business, for a service, or for one client. Your booking page shows clients your cancellation window, in hours, before they book.

Card payments go through your own Stripe account. Preen adds nothing on top of Stripe’s rate. Stripe’s fees apply. See stripe.com/au/pricing.

Questions people ask

Can hairdressers ask for a deposit?

Yes. A business can ask for a deposit, as long as the terms are clear before the client books and are fair. Tell clients the amount, when it is refunded and how much notice you need.

Is a salon deposit refundable?

It depends on the policy you show before booking. A common approach: refund or move the deposit when the client gives enough notice, keep it for a late cancellation or a no-show, and refund it in full if you cancel.

Should regular clients pay a deposit too?

That is your call. Many businesses ask every new client for a deposit and then drop it for regulars who always turn up, keeping it for long or peak-time appointments.