Payments, Deposits and Gift Card Rules
These rules are part of the Terms of Service. They help salons follow card network rules and state laws. The salon is the seller, the merchant of record and the issuer of its gift cards.
Card payments
- Payments are processed by Stripe in the salon’s own Stripe account, under Stripe’s terms. Bell LLC never holds or moves the salon’s money.
- The salon handles refunds, chargebacks and disputes, and pays Stripe’s fees.
- Use a statement name clients recognize. Unrecognized charges cause disputes.
Deposits and no-show fees
- State the amount, when it is charged, and how to cancel without a charge clearly before the client books. BellProNails shows the salon’s cancellation policy and asks the client to agree to it.
- Charge only what the posted policy says. Refund deposits as the policy promises.
Gift cards
- Federal law (Credit CARD Act of 2009 and Regulation E, 12 C.F.R. § 1005.20): gift cards must be valid for at least 5 years, and dormancy or inactivity fees are heavily restricted. BellProNails gift cards have no fees.
- Massachusetts (M.G.L. c. 200A, § 5D): gift certificates must be valid for at least 7 years, and once 90% of a non-reloadable card’s value has been used, the holder may choose to receive the rest in cash.
- Other states have their own rules (for example, California generally bans expiration dates and requires cash back for balances under $10). The salon must follow the law of the state where it does business. BellProNails sets no expiration date on gift cards by default, which meets every state’s rule.
- Unredeemed balances may be subject to state unclaimed property laws. The salon is responsible for these, and for sales tax on any taxable sales.