Safety

skarsga said:

What is the cancelation rate with agencies?
I suspect pretty low because most John's would not want to be black listed by the agency.
Possible for the indies to organize a similar system?
Deposits are bad for business. It's a deterrent to all customers. It weeds out time wasters, but also many legitimate customers as well.
Not to mention how much deposit fraud is abound.

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Deposits used to just be a uniquely American practice. No where else in the world is it a common practice even in places like the UK. Any attempt to normalize it is just straight up disingenuous.

Most providers won't even tell clients their first name or actual age but somehow you are supposed to send them money electronically that's tied back to your financial institution? JFL.

So what if clients cancel? People cancel appointments with their dentist, landscaper, or whoever all the time. Just ban them as a future client and move on.

Lunaseraphim said:

If you don't want to send deposits that's your prerogative. But that doesn't mean you should spread the fear that it's bad business practice to ask for them. Not everyone is on Merb.

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I feel that if it is someone well reviewed like you, then the risk is acceptable to leave a deposit. However in my case, there were no Merb reviews for this person, therefore seems too risky.

skarsga said:

I am allowed to have my own opinion here. I have not asked you to alter yours nor have i asked you to be silent.
Agree to disagree. Thanks for your opinion.

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But "Deposits are a deterrent to all clients" is not an opinion. It's a fact and a wrong one at that. Deposits are a deterrent to you. And to many other people. But definitely not to all. I regularly get introduction messages where they offer to send a deposit before I even say anything. I also have clients who specifically expressed a deposit or full payment via etransfer being their preference for various reasons (don't want to cross the border with a ton of cash, don't want to carry all this cash even if not crossing a border since it's illegal to carry over 2k, want to avoid a trip to the bank because they're disabled are some examples).

HDarrow0 said:

So what if clients cancel? People cancel appointments with their dentist, landscaper, or whoever all the time. Just ban them as a future client and move on.

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Several businesses have deposits and/or cancelation fees, this isn't just an escort thing.

Also, clients might not have our names, but they have our reviews. If anyone is stupid enough to send a deposit to someone who doesn't have a review history and an online presence, they honestly are to blame for whatever happens with said deposit. In the same vein, I would happily send a deposit to a well known spa for a reservation (recently went to Balnea and paid the whole thing in advance), but I wouldn't send a deposit to some random Facebook marketplace person selling access to their home spa nobody knows about.

I don’t see the point of arguing about deposits.
Nobody is forced to pay them, you don’t like deposits, use an agency or pick an SP that accepts references instead of deposits or doesn’t require one.

I have often skipped adds of some gorgeous Indy because I didn’t want to bother with deposits but I don’t gripe about it.
It is their business they conduct it in whatever way they like and if deposits work for them so be it.

Fradi said:

I don’t see the point of arguing about deposits.

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This is the lobby, passing time with spirited discussion and expression of opinion is the point.

Julia Sky said:

But "Deposits are a deterrent to all clients" is not an opinion. It's a fact and a wrong one at that.

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Let's just agree to disagree. Thank you for your opinion.

skarsga said:

Let's just agree to disagree. Thank you for your opinion.

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Do you struggle with understanding the difference between an opinion and a fact lol? Do you think I'm lying about my experience with being an escort for a decade now? Do you think I've paid my bills with wishes, dreams and lies for a decade?

You can't "disagree" about facts. Deposits are a deterrent to many clients, no one is disputing that. But to claim that they're a deterrent to every client is just not true

Julia Sky said:

Do you struggle with understanding the difference between an opinion and a fact lol? Do you think I'm lying about my experience with being an escort for a decade now? Do you think I've paid my bills with wishes, dreams and lies for a decade?

You can't "disagree" about facts. Deposits are a deterrent to many clients, no one is disputing that. But to claim that they're a deterrent to every client is just not true

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It is a statement of opinion. This is a discussion forum. The subtext of imho is implied. No disrespect was intended but it seems like some may have been taken. This is becoming uncivil and I don't like it.
I have no appetite for arguing. I'm out.

I will repeat nobody is forcing you to pay a deposit and nobody can force an SP to see a client if she is insisting on a deposit and he is not willing to pay it.
You move on simple solution.

I recently had an issue with my heating having a heating duct in my ceiling and called a heating repair service.
They wanted $350 which would cover the inspection and one hour of work and take a look at it plus $50 for transportation with no guarantee they would be able to fix it.
I laughed !!!

Luckily shutting off and turning back the switch a few times and doing the same with the breaker fixed the issue.
Don’t know how this company stays in business but it is not my worry, nobody was forcing me to use them.