Why deposits work
Most no-shows aren't bad customers. They're people who double-booked, forgot, or didn't want to call and cancel. A small deposit fixes most of it because pulling out a card makes the appointment feel real — skipping turns from a default into a decision.
Shops that switch from no-deposit to a $20 deposit usually see no-show rates drop by half within a month. The amount matters less than the fact that money changed hands.
Pick an amount that won't scare anyone
Aim for roughly 20% of the service price, with a $20 floor and a $50 ceiling for most appointment-based businesses. A $20 deposit on a $90 haircut is enough to change behavior without making someone think twice about booking.
Higher-ticket services (bridal, multi-hour color, tattoos) can take a 30–50% deposit. New-client services warrant more than repeat services, since the relationship hasn't been built yet.
When to skip them
Regulars who show up every two weeks don't need to put down a deposit. Pay-at-appointment is fine for them. The customers who no-show are almost always first-timers and intermittent bookers — that's where the deposit earns its keep.
Free consultations are the other obvious skip. Charging $20 to talk to you for 15 minutes is the kind of friction that loses you the next regular customer.
Write the policy in one line
On your booking page: "A small deposit holds your time and is applied to your service." That's it. No apology, no fine print. If a customer reads that before they enter their card and books anyway, they're not going to complain about it later.
Pair it with a one-line cancellation policy under the same heading: "Cancellations within 24 hours forfeit the deposit." Customers respect a rule they can see. They get angry about a rule they discover after the fact.