So I took my Janome 6600 and an older Kenmore to my dealer for service..... I almost had to laugh, they asked for $25.00 Deposit on the work. Really? I leave over $1500.00 worth of machines there and have to pay 25 bucks???? Do they think I won't pick them up??
I'm more amused than anything, BUT is this normal to do for a shop?

I take my machines to 2 different places for servicing. One requires a deposit, the other doesn't. Don't know the rhyme or reason either way but yes, I think it's normal for a shop to ask for a deposit.

not where I have mine serviced...I go to a Singer/Viking dealer and a bernina dealer...

I go to the bernina dealer and no deposit I would be insulted if someone asked me to leave a deposit and would take my business elsewhere

That is just funny...

some do , some don't depends on the shop, what difference does it make in the long run, it will go to the cost of servicing your machine so you are not losing money

Agreed. One shop I like asks for a deposit and the other doesn't. No skin off my nose, it's their business and they have their reasons.

They aren't trying to cheat us, Sandra.

Our Bernina shop doesn't ask for a deposit. But, yeah, they have the machine so there's not a risk of me not paying, since I want my baby back!

I'm pretty sure the OP was simply asking a question and not saying there was something wrong with the practice. In fact she said she was amused.

An older shop in my town has started requesting down payments for service. When I asked why, the owner told me that they have benn having lots of issues with people picking up their serviced machines and paying for them! So, he is out $ for the parts, $ for the service and is left storing their machines that he legally can't sell without major headaches. So, the deposit is a way of covering himself. I can understand how this could be a problem in this economy. Not everyone is turning in a machine worth thousands of dollars.