A Simple Pricing and Deposit System for Taxidermy Jobs
Inconsistent deposits and vague pricing cause more disputes than almost anything else in a taxidermy shop. Here's a straightforward structure you can copy.
Why a written deposit policy matters
Verbal deposit agreements are hard to enforce and easy to misremember months later when the mount is finally ready. A written, consistent deposit policy protects both the shop and the customer.
A structure that works for most shops
Many shops use a percentage-based deposit (commonly a third to half of the estimated total) collected at intake, with the balance due on pickup. The exact split matters less than applying it consistently to every job.
Whatever structure you choose, write it down, post it where customers can see it, and record it the same way for every job — not just the ones where you remember to ask.
Track balances somewhere both you and the customer can see
Disputes over "how much do I still owe" are far more common when payment records live only in a paper ledger. A shared, always-current balance — visible in the customer's own portal — heads off that conversation before it starts.
Make the policy part of your intake process, not an afterthought
Bake deposit terms into the same form where you record species, mount type, and due date, so it's never skipped for a rushed job.
Taxidermy Pro tracks deposits and balances per job automatically as part of payment tracking, so the number a customer sees always matches what's in your records. See pricing for plan details.