Booking deposit
Record whether it is taken online, keyed by staff or charged from a stored credential. Each route can carry different network qualification and risk considerations.
A protected appointment should not be priced like one simple swipe.
Deposits, stored credentials and chair-side balances change the number and type of transactions behind a salon's book. The processing statement should acknowledge that workflow instead of pretending every service is one card-present sale.
Target pricing is never a promise or guarantee · The processor's underwriting department decides final terms
The booking protects the chair, but it changes the transaction
A stored card or online deposit is generally card-not-present even when the client later arrives in person. That underlying network cost is distinct from the account's markup.
A deposit followed by a balance also creates more than one payment event. The policy may still be worth it: an empty appointment can cost far more than another transaction. The useful comparison is the cost of the workflow, not the price of one isolated swipe.
Use the payment ticket in the calculator. If a service is routinely split between a deposit and a final balance, the average payment is lower than the menu price and the transaction count is higher.
A stored-card month for a busy appointment book
This deliberately uses card-not-present mode: $20,000.00 in monthly volume at a $80.00 average payment, producing 250 transactions.
$22.50
Target monthly markup and fees for this account
$57.50
Dharma: $0/mo + 15 bps + 11¢/txn
$35.00
Difference for the modeled month
$420.00
Annualized difference at the same activity
The target result is not a quote and is never a promise or guarantee. The processor's underwriting department evaluates the applying business and sets final pricing.
This compares processor markup and monthly fees only. Interchange and card-brand assessments are set by the card networks, apply equally to all providers, and are not included.
Map the appointment before comparing providers
Balance at the chair
A tap or chip payment after the service is card-present. Keep it distinct from the earlier deposit so the statement reflects how each amount was accepted.
No-show charge
Use clear client consent and a written cancellation policy. A disputed stored-card charge is a chargeback issue, not merely a fee question.
Mobile checkout
Choose equipment around the floor plan and staff workflow. A month-to-month account leaves room to change that setup as the business changes.
When flat rate is actually better
An independent booth renter with a light book and occasional card use may prefer a basic phone reader. The reduced setup can be worth the blended rate while volume remains very low.
Revisit the decision when deposits, recurring clients or additional chairs make transaction volume predictable. At that point, the fixed charge attached to every payment deserves its own line in the comparison.
Questions about stored cards and support
Can a disputed no-show charge cause a hold?
It can contribute to a risk review. The processor and acquiring bank manage disputes, reserves and holds. Pcnaid is a referral partner and cannot promise that funds will never be held.
Does each stylist receive the target markup?
The merchant account belongs to the applying legal entity. Its target pricing is never a promise or guarantee, and final terms are determined by the processor’s underwriting department.
How are terminal problems handled?
The support front line is an AI voice agent that gathers details and routes the issue. Questions involving funding or account balances must be handled by the processor.
Count payments, not appointments.
Use the average amount of each deposit or balance that is actually charged. That gives the calculator the transaction count your booking policy creates.
Applying carries no obligation. Underwriting, approval and final rates are determined by the processor.
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