Tattoo studio booking with a deposit, and the waitlist that replaces a cancellation instantly
A four-hour slot that falls through in the morning is lost without a system. TerminJet takes the deposit at the moment of booking, confirms with documented consent, and refills open appointments automatically from your waitlist via WhatsApp or SMS. On your own domain, not in a portal.
The most expensive cancellation in the entire appointment industry
A missed one-hour appointment hurts. A missed full-day appointment is a lost working day. Realistic ranges, no made-up figures.
- 3-6 hrs
- length of a larger tattoo slot that can fall through
- 150-600 EUR
- daily revenue lost on a no-show with no replacement
- 5-15%
- typical no-show and last-minute cancellation rate without a deposit
- <60 sec
- until the waitlist is asked automatically after a cancellation
A tattoo deposit as a no-show brake, not a barrier
People who pay a deposit show up. The effect really is that simple. TerminJet asks for the amount right in the booking step, before the appointment lands in the calendar. You set the amount, as a flat fee or as a share of the estimated session price. Customers see the terms before they confirm, and consent is documented.
When an appointment falls through, the next person is already asked
A full-day appointment cannot be replaced by walk-ins on the same day. That is why TerminJet works with a consented waitlist. If someone cancels or does not show, the request goes out automatically and in order to suitable people on the waitlist, via WhatsApp or SMS. Whoever says yes first gets the slot. You do not have to chase anyone by phone.
A cancellation on the morning of the appointment
The customer booked for the six-hour back piece cancels two hours before the start. Here is how the day goes with and without TerminJet.
- The artist hears about it by phone, the day is open
- No one to step in, the chair sits empty for six hours
- No deposit, the cancellation hits revenue in full
- Manually phoning through regulars between tasks
- The cancellation instantly triggers a refill from the waitlist
- Suitable waitlisters are asked in stages via WhatsApp
- The no-show's deposit is kept once the deadline passes
- The first yes confirms the slot, the chair stays booked
From booking to refill
- Schritt 01
Book online with a deposit
The customer picks an artist, design type and length through the embedded form on your site. The deposit is due before confirmation, and the cancellation terms are visible.
- Schritt 02
Confirmation and reminder
Automatic confirmation plus a reminder before the appointment, via WhatsApp or SMS. That alone noticeably lowers last-minute cancellations.
- Schritt 03
Cancellation or no-show detected
When the appointment falls through, the system marks the slot free and checks the waitlist for candidates that match the length and artist.
- Schritt 04
Automatic refill
Waitlisters are asked in order. The first yes gets the appointment, deposit step included. You only step in if you want to.
Your own domain instead of a portal
Booking portals bring reach, but they take a commission and own your customer relationship. TerminJet runs as your own instance on your domain.
| TerminJet | Booking portal | Manual by DM and phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Runs on your own domain | |||
| Deposit taken right at booking | Partly | Hard | |
| Automatic refill from the waitlist | |||
| Commission per booking | None | Yes, per appointment | None |
| Your customer data stays with you | |||
| EU hosting, GDPR compliant | Depends on provider | Inconsistent |
GDPR compliant, hosted in the EU
Your instance and all customer data sit on servers in Germany, not outside the EU.
Every consent to WhatsApp or SMS notifications is recorded and can be revoked at any time.
Sensitive data is stored encrypted with AES-256, kept separate per instance.
Frequently asked questions
How high should the deposit for a tattoo appointment be?
You decide. A flat fee is common for small designs and a percentage of the estimated session price for larger slots. TerminJet credits the deposit toward the final session, so it does not come on top.
What happens to the deposit on a no-show?
On a no-show or a cancellation after your deadline has passed, the deposit is kept. With a timely reschedule it is preserved and carried over to the new appointment. The customer sees the terms before confirming.
How does the refill from the waitlist actually work?
When an appointment falls through, the system checks the waitlist for candidates that match the length and artist, and asks them in stages via WhatsApp or SMS. The first yes gets the slot. You do not have to make the calls yourself.
Do we need a booking portal like Treatwell for this?
No. TerminJet runs as your own instance on your domain, with no commission per booking and without your customer data belonging to a portal. The embedded form blends into your existing website.
Is all of this GDPR compliant?
Yes. The instance is hosted in the EU on Hetzner, sensitive data is AES-256 encrypted, and every consent for notifications is documented and revocable.
How much effort is the setup for the studio?
TerminJet ships with a done-for-you setup. Depending on the plan, the agency sets up branding, booking rules, deposit logic and the waitlist for you. You start with a fully configured system.
How a customer books with a deposit
This form is the same one that runs on your domain and feeds the engine. Booking, deposit and waitlist hang directly off it.