But when the economy goes south and everyone wants their refundable fee back, the model breaks.
The proposed changes would lessen the posting fees — the refundable fee paid by a major league team to a Japanese team for the rights to negotiate with a player — but players still wouldn't be able to negotiate with more than one major league team.
There seems to be little dispute that this was a non-refundable fee.
Some lenders, such as Lloyds and Nationwide only charge a non-refundable booking fee of £99 to reserve a rate, which is less of a hit, while others don't charge any non-refundable fee upfront".
They face a non-refundable fee of $8,000 to apply for a visa to Nauru, which has proved a major deterrent to scrutiny.
"If it is a non-refundable fee paid without any reciprocal obligation being undertaken by the landlord, then a tenant may lose this money even he or she is ready and willing to enter into the tenancy.
Consumer group Which?, for example, charges an upfront non-refundable fee of £249 and a second fee of £250 once you complete your mortgage (or £150 if you're a Which? member).
As with most franchises, a chunk of that start-up bill in the Wilson's case, $29,500 in cash covers a one-time, non-refundable fee to the franchiser for the right to use its brand name.
For those who can't afford it, they have to rely on bail bond agencies, which charge a non-refundable fee to pay the required bail amount on the person's behalf.
