Skip to main content
Skip to main navigation
Skip to talk navigation

Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Saved Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Flip

AIBU?

to have not tipped the hairdresser?

19 replies

norfolknic · 27/04/2013 14:55

I went to a new hairdresser, having left dd with the childminder. She was running late and told me so when Iarrived. She said ten minutes, then kept popping back saying 'just five minutes' and eventually started thirty minutes late. She chatted about the cut and tried to persuade me/ quite heavily sell the idea of a deep conditioning treatment. I didn't want said treatment as I had booked a cut and blowdry and it was out of my budget.

The cut was fine, but I thought the hairdresser was cheeky when she said at the end 'oh I'll finish now as I know you need to pick up your daughter' and hung about at the till looking for a tip, asked me to rebook and tried to sell me expensive shampoo with some long spiel involving inaccurate science.. I know it's not their fault if another client is late, but when the service is late and rushed I don't expect to be pressure sold or assumed I'd tip.. Aibu?

OP posts:

Report

Shinyshoes1 · 27/04/2013 14:57

Yanbu I wouldn't have tipped

But then I don't tip anyone ever

ssd · 27/04/2013 14:58

yanbu

phantomnamechanger · 27/04/2013 14:58

YANBU - tipping is not compulsary, it is a gesture of appreciation when you have had good service

MrsRajeshKoothrappali · 27/04/2013 14:59

I don't tip anyone anymore.

I find it odd to tip some people and not others. Where would you stop?

Surely the price includes everything?

ZZZenagain · 27/04/2013 15:00

no of course you need not tip if you weren't satisfied

HollyBerryBush · 27/04/2013 15:01

I dont see the sales pitch as any different to being in a supermarket and asked if I want stamps, christmas saver stamps, battries, a chocolate bar on special, cash back. It's providing a service and probably part of her job description. Although I will agree it is annoying as the world seems to want to sell you something.

Unami · 27/04/2013 17:17

YANBU

I believe that when there is a custom to tip someone for good service then you should tip them if you think you have received good service.

You obviously didn't. As others have said, it isn't necessarily the hairdresser's fault that you were kept waiting, and it might be part of her job to promote certain products but people should really make an effort to make you feel better if your booking is delayed and products can be promoted in a way that doesn't make you feel harassed and pressured.

I don't really sympathise with people who say that they can't afford to tip (if your budget doesn't stretch to a tip then maybe you can't really afford the service and should think about going somewhere cheaper imo), or get indignant about the fact that a culture of tipping exists in some industries, but it is a gratuity, and you don't have to tip if you felt the service was poor.

HappyMummyOfOne · 27/04/2013 17:22

I hardly ever tip the hairdresser, it costs an arm and a leg to get a cut and colour and they make enough profit without extra on top.

I'd rather tip a student in a restaurant or purchase something for the school.

OhLori · 27/04/2013 19:10

I will have to re-think tipping, as I probably do, when I shouldn't bother going by other contributions.

Re. OP, it wasn't Rush was it? I think some chains especially are instructed by their managers to sell products at all costs (usually inferior products at that), and get you to book future appointments etc, I agree its annoying.

I think clients need to speak up more if they don't like the 'hard sell' when at the hairdressers, but then sometimes it can create an awkward atmosphere ...? Its not a good sign either IMO - how was your haircut btw? In my experience you need to wait a month to see if it really was a good cut or not.

OhLori · 27/04/2013 19:15

And I actually find the constant sales pitch everywhere totally annoying. I buy a coffee. Does madam want a muffin? No, I think I would have asked for a muffin if I'd wanted a muffin. Or a newsagents(WH Smith). Would you like a massive bar of chocolate as well? Um no, I just want a newspaper. If I'd wanted a massive bar of chocolate I would have asked for.a.massive.bar.of.chocolate.

Its hard to get narky with the sales assistants as they are just following orders/doing their jobs, though I do give them dumbfounded looks sometimes as in "do I look like I can't formulate a sentence for something I want?"

CloudsAndTrees · 27/04/2013 19:20

YANBU. I don't tip hairdressers anyway. They aren't on that bad a wage, and they are already paid for the service they provide.

Unami · 27/04/2013 19:20

I don't know if I would rethink tipping hairdressers. I used to not tip hairdressers before I found out that in most upmarketish salons they are not actually directly employed, but have to rent a chair from the salon and risk loosing money if they don't get enough clients in. They are also responsible for providing their own equipment (professional hairdressing scissors are very expensive) and insurance, as well as the cost of products used in the salon. You may find that the stylist doesn't actually get to keep very much of what you pay for the haircut after they've paid their expenses to the salon. And they have no say over the prices the salon sets, but just get to charge according to their scale. Salons which employ stylists directly don't usually pay them all that much either.

I don't have a problem with tipping my hairdresser. I could go to a local hairdresser and get a walk in cut and blow dry for about £20, or if I was feeling really broke I would find a training school to give me a cheap haircut. I used to do this often and get cuts for free or a very low price, like £5. Now I choose to go to a salon I like, and pay more for a haircut and blowdry which I think is better than I can get locally for £20. If I'm prepared to pay £25-35 for a haircut, then I don't see why I should make a big issue of a £3 gratuity if I like the haircut and enjoyed good service.

I appreciate that if you are going for a cut and colour it can be expensive, but for god sakes, no one is forcing us to have such expensive hair treatments. If you really resent the price your local salon charges then go somewhere cheaper, or colour your hair at home. It's not compulsory to have great hair!

soverylucky · 27/04/2013 19:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Margetts · 27/04/2013 19:46

No I don't tip my hairdresser. She is self employed and charges enough as it is.

Itchywoolyjumper · 27/04/2013 20:39

As far a tip goes I usually tip on a sliding scale. A dream trip to the hairdressers for me would be a great haircut, nice friendly staff, cup of tea, a comfortable salon and I'd like to leave feeling better than I went in. If I get all of these I tip as much as I can afford. If I don't I chop something off the tip, sometime right down to nothing at all depending on how they've been with me.
I want good service and I'd like to encourage it. You don't sound like you felt you got good service today.

CloudsAndTrees · 27/04/2013 21:48

I'd probably tip more if they listened to me properly. I have the sort of hair that has to have styling product in it, otherwise i look like Worzel Gummage within an hour of washing. I'm open to trying the products they want to sell me, I might even buy some. But they insist you only need a tiny bit. No, actually. I need more than a tiny bit because if you leave most of my hair untouched by product, it's not going to work is it??

So no matter how well my hair has been cut, I always have to go straight home and sort it out myself. Even if I've just spend £100 on a cut, I'm not giving a tip to people who think they know my hair better than I do.

Springforward · 27/04/2013 21:53

I've never tipped a hairdresser. I didn't realise it would be expected TBH.

norfolknic · 27/04/2013 23:29

Thanks, ohlori yes it was Rush! I really hope their culture of sell sell sell doesn't transfer to other hairdressers, I don't mind being recommended a shampoo, to which I can politely say no, but I felt the whole service was about selling me extras rather than providing the cut and blowdry I booked.

I won't be using them again.

OP posts:

Toadinthehole · 28/04/2013 03:48

Tipping is a beastly custom that is caused by tradespeople (hairdressers included) who deliberately undercharge in order to attract custom, or - more commonly - by employers who deliberately underpay their staff in order to force them to prostrate themselves to the customer and his whims. It also facilitates tax evasion if the tip is given in cash. I never do it not that I ever have the opportunity, and I am glad that it is most definately not the norm where I live (NZ).

Even tipping for excellent service is wrong: good service should be expected and if goodwill makes a person go the extra mile, that should be its own reward.

In short, a foul custom.

And as you didn't even get good service, YANBU not to have tipped.

Flip

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.