Set a deposit that covers the bottle
The deposit should reflect what a replacement bottle actually costs you. Too low and lost bottles eat your margin; too high and customers resist signing up.
Track deposits per customer
Every deposit you take is money you may have to return. Track it per customer alongside the number of bottles they hold so the cash liability and the physical count always match.
Reconcile bottles in the field
Run a regular empties-outstanding report. When a customer's bottle count and deposit don't line up, you catch it in weeks instead of discovering a vague shortage at year-end.
FAQ
- How do I stop losing money on water bottle deposits?
- Track deposits and empties per customer, set the deposit to cover bottle replacement cost, and review an empties-outstanding report regularly so losses surface early.