It is confusing. “Deposit” is used as a noun, but that doesn’t make the statement any clearer.

Did you try calling the 808 phone numbers listed on the contact and support page? (The company is in Hawaii.) There are three phone numbers listed. If you can reach someone at any of the numbers, he may be able to answer your very legimate questions or refer you to the right person.

http://www.theukulelesite.com/customer-service

It’s a lot of money you are thinking of spending. You want to be very clear what you are getting in return.

I wonder if that option exists for people who have already made a deposit in the store, and are returning to complete their purchase online. I can’t think of an alternative that makes sense.

Looking at the web-page, what you are buying there is a ukulele that is custom made to order. It’s not terribly clear but I suspect the deposit of 50% is paid when you make the order, and you pay the other 50% when the instrument is ready. A deposit (used here as a noun and meaning “initial part-payment”) is usually non-refundable if you change your mind.

As @downtide says, it’s a noun here.

That first $950 will get them to start building it or to hold it for you while you come up with the other half, but you will pay $950 more for them to give it to you.

Either way, you pay $1900 to get it in your hands.

And the only way you would get a response is if you made it perfectly clear that English is not a native language for you. Otherwise, they will assume that you are either trolling or stupid, and won’t bother replying.

That ukulele had better be something special for 2k. You could get one built for much less than that somewhere else. The cost of materials to build one of superb quality is only around $100–200 depending on if it is a tenor or soprano

As I read it, they are saying that you need to put down a minimum of $950.00 (little more than 50%) to make a purchase. They do not stock Ukes, each is made upon order. That is how I read the site anyway.

@rojo Clicking the deposit option subtracts $950 from the total price. This implies that selecting that option is only for people who have already paid a deposit by some other method.

The base model is $1,895.00 and they require a 50% deposit of the base model price deposit to take your order which is roughly the $950.00. You check that box and you begin your order. If you look further down you then pick the options you want in your Uke and some of the options are upgrades and will cost you more if you choose and that will increase your order deposit total.

@Cruiser But yet again… checking the deposit option subtracts that amount from the total. This form cannot be used to leave a deposit.

@dappled_leaves It is confusing. It could most assuredly use some clarification in their website. I went to their home page hoping to find out if they require a deposit or perhaps just one on a custom made, but found nothing further. Maybe it is cleared up later in the check-out process.

This paragraph on the website cleared up the confusion for me: Please note that you are not ordering a “In Stock” ukulele with this product. This enables you to custom order a ‘uke with all the options of your choice. It then will be about 2–4 months before completion of your custom ‘uke.

The deposit is required 1) to make sure the customer is serious; and 2) to protect the investment by the manufacturer in the materials and in the time and expertise of the artisan, Noe Bonk.

It is not unusual for artisans such as Mr. Bonk to require a deposit as a down payment. Especially since it would take him up to two months to complete the instrument.