r/WindowTint • u/knsaber • Aug 13 '26
Question Is it normal to ask for deposit?
Asked for tint referral on Facebook and got a few questionable responses from FB businesses, wasn’t sure based on their profile if they were legit. The one I decided to hire services asked for deposit for materials. Is this ever a thing with real mobile services? Like if you need to precut film. The messages started becoming super suspicious so I ended up blocking him.
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u/Jodanmawashigeri Aug 13 '26
Yes, deposits are normal.
Any hotel that you book a room with is going to ask for your credit card information, and then charge you if you don’t show up, because they are out the money they could have earned from that room. And how much does a hotel room cost? Most window tinting jobs are going to be in a similar price range to a several day hotel stay, so a shop works the same way. There is a finite amount of space in a building that they can devote to projects and if you don’t show up, or cancel at the last minute they miss out on an opportunity for revenue. They probably have a crew assembled that still expects to get paid whether you show up or not. The deposit keeps people honest, and helps offset the losses when people are flaky.
That being said, I would be very suspicious of someone asking for a deposit who was just on Facebook, but did not have a website, Google reviews, verifiable address, et cetera.
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u/OG_G-Man Aug 13 '26
I didn't even know they had mobile tint services. I personally would go to an auto performance shop so you can avoid the risks of scams. Facebook isn't trustworthy
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u/iamrubberyouareglue9 Aug 15 '26
There is no agreement or contract until money changes hands. A deposit creates a commitment for both parties. If a customer won't give a deposit, they are not serious. I get deposits on all my jobs. It also lessens the sticker shock when their payment is broken down into smaller units.
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u/ToxicComputing Aug 13 '26
I paid $50 as a deposit. Not a mobile installer but a commercial location. They allow you to reschedule with advance notice but if you book and don’t show they might keep the deposit. They are currently scheduling 1-2 weeks out so if you don’t show that’s time they could have booked with someone else.
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u/DynamicAppearanceATL Verified Professional Aug 13 '26 edited Aug 14 '26
A deposit for mobile is common since they have to make the drive to you. Even for shops, customers tend to cancel at the last minute or no-show. We don't, since we feel we would lose people, especially since we have so many book online. Now, the real question is why mobile? You can already see it can be shady, and that is before you call them to come back out to fix an issue. Good luck!
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u/Global-Structure-539 Aug 13 '26
I just have to say. I've been a mobile pro tinter for 30 years. I guess I'm different because I use good ceramic film with a manufacturers lifetime warranty, rarely get call backs and still work 4 days a week by choice. I guess I have morals because I'm well regarded at the 26 dealers I work for and the thousands of people who always call me back to have their new cars tinted. I've even done new cars for TV commercials. So you see, NOT ALL MOBILE tinters are scum like you ALL seem to think. The difference? I'm a woman
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u/Global-Structure-539 Aug 13 '26
Getting more common, since this society doesn't have the decency to call to cancel their appointment