Great question! Your deposit serves as a retainer for the variation in cost for 'catch weight' items. A catch-weight item is any product that is sold and charged by the pound (i.e. ahi tuna steaks, salmon fillet, crab, lobster, etc). We always aim to deliver what our customers order, but inevitably these types of products vary in size, shape, and weight. After we pack and ship each order, we recalculate the order total, including catch weights, and issue a refund, if any.