Question 1

Is my deposit really refundable?

Accepted Answer

Every founding reservation is protected by a fully refundable $100 deposit. The math is simple: if fewer than 15 businesses reserve by the campaign deadline, we don't buy the robot, and every deposit is returned automatically to the original payment method within 14 days. No forms, no email chain, no partial refunds. If we do hit the 15-slot threshold, your $100 converts into a credit applied to your first rental invoice — the appearance, half day, full day, multi-day, or residency package you eventually book. You'll receive a confirmation email either way within one business day of the campaign closing.

Question 2

Why only 15 slots?

Accepted Answer

The 15-slot cap isn't marketing scarcity — it's the actual number of confirmed reservations required to justify the capital purchase of the first Unitree G1, its operator training, insurance rider, and launch inventory. Founding reservation holders lock in launch pricing that won't be offered again, receive first-in-line scheduling for the first six months of operation, and get named in the launch announcement. Once the 15 slots are claimed, the campaign closes to new reservations and any additional demand rolls forward onto a waitlist for robot number two.

Question 3

When will rentals begin?

Accepted Answer

Once the 15-slot threshold is met, we place the order for the Unitree G1 and begin operator training and insurance onboarding in parallel. Realistic timeline is 3 to 4 weeks from threshold to first rental, with the primary variable being the vendor's shipping window. Every reservation holder receives a scheduling email within 14 days of the threshold announcement that includes the target first-rental window and a first-come booking calendar. If, for any reason, we cannot deliver a rental within 8 weeks of threshold, you can convert your reservation into a full refund with no questions asked.

Question 4

What can the robot actually do?

Accepted Answer

The Unitree G1 is a full-size bipedal humanoid. In a live event setting it walks through crowds, waves, shakes hands, high-fives, poses for photos, performs choreographed dance routines, and can be scripted to deliver short verbal responses or brand messages. It wears branded apparel — custom t-shirts, sashes, hats, and light wraps — which turns it into a mobile billboard for whatever you're activating. Every appearance is run by a trained operator who handles setup, safety zone management, teardown, and the moment-to-moment routing through your venue. It is, reliably, the most photographed thing in any room it enters.

Question 5

Do I need to know anything about robots?

Accepted Answer

Zero robotics experience required. Every BookTheBot rental is fully operated — a trained handler arrives with the robot, sets up the safety perimeter, runs the appearance, manages the routing through your venue, and packs everything down at the end. Your only job is to tell us where the robot should be, what you'd like it to do, and any branded apparel or messaging you want featured. We handle the rest, including power, transport, and troubleshooting.

Question 6

What if the robot breaks before my event?

Accepted Answer

Hardware fails. If the robot is out of service before your event — for any reason, including damage, shipping delay, or maintenance — you have two options and you choose which: priority rescheduling into the next open slot at your preferred date, or a full refund of everything you've paid to date, including any add-ons. This commitment is written into every rental agreement and it applies whether the event is a week away or a day away.

Question 7

What does a rental cost?

Accepted Answer

Founding launch rates: Appearance (up to 2 hours on site) $1,100. Half day (up to 4 hours) $1,700. Full day (up to 8 hours) $2,750. Multi-day rate applies to 2 or more consecutive days at $2,200/day. Venue Residency packages start at $3,000/month for a recurring weekly appearance. Optional add-ons: branded wrap $350, professional content capture $500, custom AI personality build $400, swag distribution $150. Every rental includes the trained operator, insurance certificate, transport within the Greater Richmond service area, and setup/teardown. Founding reservations lock these rates for the first booking — post-launch pricing will be higher.

Question 8

What's a Venue Residency?

Accepted Answer

A Venue Residency is a recurring appearance package — the robot shows up at your location on a fixed weekly schedule so your venue becomes known, locally, as the place with the robot. It's a strong fit for hotels, boutique retail, auto dealerships, breweries, and any location running consistent foot traffic events. Residency packages start at $3,000/month with a minimum 3-month commitment and include a fixed weekly appearance window, standard branded wrap, and priority scheduling around your seasonal events. Founding residency reservations lock in the $3,000 rate; post-launch residency pricing will be higher.

Question 9

Is this insured?

Accepted Answer

Every appearance is covered by a commercial general liability policy carried by Xponent21, LLC. A certificate of insurance naming your venue as an additional insured is available on request, typically issued within 48 hours of booking confirmation. The trained operator on site is trained in safe crowd interaction, safety perimeter management, and emergency shutdown. Higher coverage limits and specific venue endorsements are available for larger activations — request a quote when booking.

Question 10

Who's behind this?

Accepted Answer

BookTheBot is operated by Xponent21, LLC, a Richmond, Virginia digital marketing and AI agency founded in 2015. Xponent21 has spent a decade building campaigns and AI systems for regional and national brands, and BookTheBot is our first hardware-forward activation offering — a rental service built around the Unitree G1 humanoid platform. Greater Richmond is our primary service area; travel beyond that footprint is available on request. The company is US-based, US-operated, and every reservation, contract, and refund is handled directly by the Xponent21 team out of Richmond.

Question 11

How does the affiliate program work?

Accepted Answer

The BookTheBot affiliate program pays $50 per confirmed founding reservation made through your referral code, plus 10% of the total rental value the referred business books over their first 12 months. Bounties are paid the moment we hit the 15-slot threshold; rental commissions are paid within 30 days of each completed rental. One referred full-day rental at launch pricing equals $325 to the affiliate ($50 bounty + $275 rental commission). Signup is free, takes about a minute, and you pick your own referral code. Payouts run via ACH or check.