Paying a project deposit
Your deposit is the first payment of the schedule you approved with the proposal. This article shows where to pay it, when it is due, and what happens once it is paid.
What a deposit is on Tailore
When a studio sends you a proposal, it includes a payment schedule of one to four payments. The deposit is the first payment of that schedule - there is no separate deposit product or extra charge on top. The amount is whatever you saw and approved in the proposal; see Reviewing a proposal.
The moment you approve the proposal, the first payment request is created automatically, so the deposit is ready to pay right away on your project page.
How to pay your deposit
Open your project page
After approving the proposal, your project page shows a payment card headed Deposit due (later payments show Payment due).
Review the amount
The card shows the deposit against the full quote: "Pay $200 (of $1,000 total) to move your project forward. You'll pay right here, securely through Stripe. Each later payment appears here once your studio requests it." The button shows the exact amount, for example Pay deposit $200.
Pay by card
Selecting the button opens the Pay your deposit dialog - an embedded Stripe checkout inside the project page. You pay by card; your card details go to Stripe, not to the studio.
Look for the confirmation
When the payment goes through you'll see Deposit received and You're all set. The schedule row flips to Paid.
If confirmation is slow
Occasionally confirmation lags behind the charge. The page will tell you: "We haven't been able to confirm this payment yet. If it went through, it will apply on its own - you won't be charged twice."
When it is due, and what paying unlocks
The proposal sets a due window for the deposit, ranging from within 24 hours to within 7 days of approval; the default is Within 3 days after proposal approval. The payment card spells out the deadline: "Your deposit is due by [date]. Paying it reserves the project and lets the studio begin work. If it isn't paid, the studio may release the project."
Paying the deposit is what lets production start - the studio cannot begin work on your piece until it is paid. Once it is, you can watch the project move in Following project progress.
An unpaid deposit can release the project
If the deposit is not paid by its due date, the studio may release the project and offer the slot to someone else. If you need more time, message the studio before the deadline.
Is my deposit refundable?
That depends on the deposit terms the studio chose, which are shown in the proposal before you approve it - in plain sentences such as "Your deposit is fully refundable until the studio starts work on your piece.", "Your deposit is refundable until the studio buys materials for your piece.", or "Your deposit stops being refundable once work or material buying begins, subject to law and Tailore policy." A studio can also set custom terms, shown as "The studio set custom deposit terms for this project."
If a project ends early, those terms are one of the ways it can be settled - see Cancellations and refunds and the Payment Policy.
Card, through the embedded Stripe checkout on the project page. Payment happens inside Tailore - never send money to a studio outside the project page.
You'll see: "Your studio hasn't set the amount yet. You'll be able to pay here as soon as they do - message them if you're not sure what's outstanding." Nothing is required from you until the amount appears.
If the studio has not finished setting up payments, the card reads: "This studio can't accept payments yet. You'll be able to pay once they finish payment setup." Ask the studio to complete their setup.
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