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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

..to think that being charged DOUBLE PRICE for highlights because my hair is "too thick" is taking the piss?

72 replies

TantrumsAndBalloons · 09/03/2013 12:16

My hairdressers is under new managment

The person that normally does my hair is not working Saturday any more.
So I had someone else.

All good, hair looks lovely. Go to pay....£90.

When I question why, because its normally only £45 she said my hair was "too thick"

Really? I know it did not require double the amount of time, foil or bleach.

FFS, my hair is not that thick. The way she was going on, it was like thickness of epic proportions that should be in the Record breakers book or something.

So....is that reasonable? Or taking the piss?

OP posts:
YouTheCat · 09/03/2013 13:31

Unless they are giving a discount to people with short, fine hair, then YANBU. They are money grabbing twats.

TondelayoSchwarzkopf · 09/03/2013 13:35

Sorry to hijack but may I ask the thick-haired (!) people how long it takes to put in foils for a full-head.

I think I get charged slightly* more but it does take 1.5-2 hours to put mine in (thick & long hair) - but is that typical?

*not double, maybe £10 more.

mrsjay · 09/03/2013 13:36

When dd who has thick frizzy hair has a haircut it needs thinned out I do pay a little extra depending on how much the hairdresser has taken off,

ArielThePiraticalMermaid · 09/03/2013 13:37

Spread the word and SHAME THEM.

What bollocks.

midori1999 · 09/03/2013 13:41

Whether YABU depends a bit on how much extra time and products it used, but I doubt it cost double. Does the new stylist charge more than your previous one anyway? However, they ABU for not quoting if the price differred from their normal charges beforehand,

And yes, some hairdressers do charge less if your hair is fine/doesn't take long. When I was hairdressing I had a few clients who I'd just charge for a wash and cut when they'd had a cut and blow dry, because it never took the full 45 mins allocated for a CBD. Or I'd give a bit of a discount on a colour.

Original poster
TantrumsAndBalloons · 09/03/2013 13:49

I don't mind paying a bit extra. Not £45 extra.

It took her 30 minutes to put in the foil, how long it takes if it's not "too thick" I don't know.

In the window, the price is still £35. I pay £45 cos my hair is thick.

Not £90. I just can't see how it would be double. My hair isn't so thick it's amazing.

OP posts:
Inertia · 09/03/2013 13:52

If the price they advertise is £35 then I'd go to Trading Standards.

Original poster
TantrumsAndBalloons · 09/03/2013 13:55

I imagine £35 is the standard price. I don't mind paying a bit more because it takes a bit longer.
I just actually cannot get my head around it being double.

OP posts:
TeamEdward · 09/03/2013 14:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

clam · 09/03/2013 14:00

More than double- if they quote £35 in the window, double that is £70.
And if they're charging more for thick hair then they need to man up and add that onto their price board in the window.

Anyway, how thick is thick? How do they measure it?

Edlyu · 09/03/2013 14:01

Was it the owner who charged you or a new employee? Maybe they weren't aware that the pricelist was still on the window

Trading standards advise that you first make contact with the trader to try and resolve the problem and then contact them(TS) next if you fail to get a resolution.

Nowadays I would email the owner and then forward the email to TS if no resolution.

And tell all your friends they are rip off merchants . They should surely be trying to attract customers if under new management rather than drive the loyal customer base away.

tabulahrasa · 09/03/2013 14:02

If the starting price is £35 then they weren't charging you double, they were trying to charge you nearly 3 times the price.

Surely no-one has three times the amount of hair that they've decided is average? Unless you're in fact a wookie? Or possibly rapunzel...

Viviennemary · 09/03/2013 14:03

They should have told you this beforehand. And they should have their prices on display by law. And if it was going to be more they should say highlights from such a price. That was really bad of them to spring this on you after you had your hair done.

GemmaTeller · 09/03/2013 14:03

I'd have said I was only half as pleased as I usually am and pay the normal £45!

YellowAndGreenAndRedAndBlue · 09/03/2013 14:04

That is crazy. I would report to trading standards and tell everyone you know and find a new salon.

If your hair was very thin, there is no way they would knock a tender off!

Viviennemary · 09/03/2013 14:05

Just to add I agree with the person who said contact Trading Standards.

NatashaBee · 09/03/2013 14:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Takver · 09/03/2013 14:15

"it does take 1.5-2 hours to put mine in (thick & long hair) - but is that typical?"

now you see mine maybe takes 15 - 20 minutes tops. But I think the right way round is to charge less for us with a short crop (as my hairdresser does), not more for those with proper hair!

On a separate note I'd go insane if I had to sit for 2 hours with someone putting foils in my hair..

valiumredhead · 09/03/2013 14:19

The fact that it wasn't discussed beforehand is wrong, but I would always double check first even without new management.

£90 for highlights on long, thick hair with a cut and blow dry seems about right ime,but depends on the area the salon is.

SnowWhiterThenWhite · 09/03/2013 14:22

I'm a hairdressers by trade and just thought you should know that unless they agreed the price with you before hand then you have no obligation to pay the adjusted as it was misleading. Go and get your money back ASAP. They have broken the law. It was cleared stated to us when I was training and that was only a few years ago.

Foggles · 09/03/2013 14:27

I am assuming you went with the same head of hair that you had previously.

Even though it was new management - they knew you were an existing customer otherwise they wouldn't have known what colours you had and they would have had to do a consultation & test beforehand.

Therefore, they should have definitely took the time to explain to you that the price was going up.

For what it's worth, I have thick, longish natural red hair (which is tricky to colour I believe) and I pay £45 for base colour and highlights.

Original poster
TantrumsAndBalloons · 09/03/2013 15:12

My hair isn't even long. It's shoulder length.

The salon has the same staff, just new management.
It was the same stylist who is always there that told me the price, not the person who usually does my hair, but someone I "know" as I see her in the salon IYSWIM

Then the manager came over when I tried to explain why I was so astounded to be asked for £90. She said my hair was too thick. She actually said too thick. And that it was company policy to charge more for "hair as thick as mine"

OP posts:
makemineamalibuandpineapple · 09/03/2013 15:20

I'm Shock on your behalf!! I am fascinated to know how they measure whether somebody's hair is too thick, do they give the staff training? I think you definitely need to take this further.

VonHerrBurton · 09/03/2013 15:23

THIRTYFIVE QUID for half head highlights?! Irrelevant to the argument, and im so pleased you didn't allow yourself to be ripped off but DAMN that's cheap! I pay 50 for someone to come to my house ( head over bath to rise, tres uncomfortable)and I thought I was getting a good deal.

Its at least 90 - 100 in the salons - more for senior/managers to do it. Fucking joke prices!
.

NotQuiteWithItAtAll · 09/03/2013 15:32

I've had to pay double the price for low lights because my hair was really long, even though it was getting cut dead short after! I've never been there since.

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