7:30 Monday morning. A 2014 Silverado rolls in on a flatbed with a slipping transmission. The rebuild kit, the torque converter and the fluid come to about $1,100 in parts before anyone picks up a wrench. You have been here before: you ordered the parts, did the teardown, and the owner decided the truck was not worth it. The parts are non-returnable, the truck sat in your lot for six weeks, and you ate the bill.
That is what a parts deposit is for. Here is how to take it with Cash App at the service counter, and how to take the full repair bill the same way when the keys go back.
The parts deposit at drop-off
Once the customer okays the estimate, take the parts deposit at the counter before you place the order.
- Your service writer types the deposit amount on a phone or the counter tablet.
- A QR code for that amount appears. The customer scans it with Cash App and pays.
- The deposit is paid to you and final the moment it lands.
A Cash App payment through riverArk cannot be charged back. The parts money stays paid whether the customer comes back for the truck or not.
Put the deposit on the repair order in writing with the words "non-refundable parts deposit," and have the customer sign next to it, the same way you get the signature on the estimate.
The big ticket at pickup
Thursday afternoon. The truck is road-tested and parked out front. The customer is at the counter, the repair order says $2,480 and the deposit already came off. Type the balance, they scan, you hand over the keys.
Big tickets are where card fees hurt most. Most small businesses pay 1.5% to 3.5% to take cards. On that $2,480 job, 3% is $74.40. Through riverArk you pay 1% on the first $5,000 a month that moves through it: $24.80. Above $5,000 a month the rate drops to 0.85%, and above $25,000 it is 0.75%.
And when a customer disputes a repair weeks later, saying the noise came back, a card payment can be pulled while you argue it out. A Cash App payment through riverArk is final. Handle a comeback under your warranty the way you always have.
Who pays the fee
With Dynamic Pricing at +1%, the customer covers the fee. Set it below zero and paying with Cash App earns a discount. On a big repair, a customer who hears "save on the bill if you pay with Cash App" usually takes it.
The counter and the bays
Every register can have its own counter QR code. Most shops need one at the service counter. If you run a second location or a tire and lube bay with its own window, give it a code too, and each reports its own sales. The free plan covers a limited number of counter QR codes. Paid plans add more.
No hardware to buy. The tablet your service writer already uses runs it.
Set it up in three steps
- Open a Strike business account and link the shop's bank. Payments land there. With complete documents, approval usually takes a day or two. Here is the Strike setup guide.
- Sign up at ark.riverark.io, free to start, and enter your Strike username.
- Set up a counter QR code at the service counter, then run a test payment from your own Cash App.
The full setup guide has every step with video.
Put the counter card on the service desk where the customer signs, and the door sticker on the customer entrance. Teach the service writers one line: "You can pay with Cash App right here."
Pay the live demo from your phone at ark.riverark.io/demo, then sign up at riverark.io.
FAQ
Can I take a parts deposit with Cash App before I order parts?
Yes. Type the deposit amount, the customer scans the QR code with Cash App, and the deposit is paid to you and final.
What if the customer never comes back for the car?
The deposit stays paid. A Cash App payment through riverArk cannot be charged back.
Can a customer pay a big repair this way?
Yes. Type the amount, they scan and pay. On a very large ticket, take the parts deposit at drop-off and the balance at pickup, so each payment stays smaller. You pay 1% on the first $5,000 a month that moves through riverArk.
When do I get the money?
You are paid instantly. It lands in your Strike business account, and you move it to your bank whenever you want.
A customer disputes the repair. Can they take the money back?
No. Payments are final, like cash. Handle a comeback under your warranty, and handle money back the way you handle a cash return.
Do I need a new card terminal?
No. A phone or tablet you already have runs it.