To think that beauticians & hairdressers shouldn’t be hiking prices?

[Anon778833]

I’m a therapist myself. But we have all felt the pinch of covid 19. Why should clients be expected to make up for the fact that we couldn’t work for 4 months?

I'm a hairdresser, clients usually have their roots done at 6-8 weeks now it's around a 20 week regrowth that needs to be covered so that's more than double the product that is needed not to mention foils etc! So you think that should cost the same as usual? Also the fact that I've paid out over £1000 on ppe! I don't absorb that cost, the clients do!!

Increased costs. Cleaning time. PPE. Fewer clients

Fewer clients?? Obviously I can't speak for others, but since opening mine's now booked up for months
It's only a small place but they're brilliant (both stylists ex top salons) and very reasonable - which is probably why people come from miles around

As she says herself "you don't have to rip people off in order to make a decent living"

It's not ripping people off, if you're using more product and the appointment takes longer then of course it's going to cost more!!
And yes salons are doing less clients a day as they can't do anyone else while someone's colour is developing like they used to!!

@Puzzledandpissedoff

Increased costs. Cleaning time. PPE. Fewer clients

Fewer clients?? Obviously I can't speak for others, but since opening mine's now booked up for months
It's only a small place but they're brilliant (both stylists ex top salons) and very reasonable - which is probably why people come from miles around

As she says herself "you don't have to rip people off in order to make a decent living"

Oh yes, this conversation definitely happened.

Anybody complaining about any price hike is more than welcome to do it themselves- Sally’s sell hair dye and if you’ve a pair of sharp scissors you’re absolutely raring to go. Or, you know, pay the professional what they’re worth with three months of regrowth.

So when will you be putting prices back to normal, if it's all a out the extent of the regrowth Pumper? I've said I understand it for the first cut but I'll definitely be looking elsewhere if they want the same price for the next one.

It's not ripping people off, if you're using more product and the appointment takes longer

Absolutely, yes - but that hardly applies where an identical procedure has increased by a massive %, and it doesn't readily explain why similarly-sized salons' price increases vary wildly

Perhaps some are a feeling little sore that clients are resisting the profiteering and going elsewhere?

I’m not a hairdresser. But I hope they don’t - how much is your hair worth to you? Have you done it yourself and been happy with results? If you have, nothing stopping you doing that. If you haven’t, best pay a professional for their time.

Sorry you feel that way, allPumperthepumper. I realise it's common on MN to suggest someone's lying if whatever-it-is happens not to suit, but that doesn't change the facts

There are other professionals though. Not everyone had put their proves yp to the same extent. Perhaps the very best will get away with it, but in a world where many people are going to struggle to pay for things they did previously, being too greedy will bite some.

What I'll probably do is go less frequently, if I can't find something closer to the old cost.

I've put my prices up for the 1st appointment back and all of my clients are more than happy to pay it! And ALL of them have booked back in! They've missed 3 or more appointments so a bit extra on this appointment is nothing

@Puzzledandpissedoff

Sorry you feel that way, allPumperthepumper. I realise it's common on MN to suggest someone's lying if whatever-it-is happens not to suit, but that doesn't change the facts

It’s also common on Mumsnet to invent a po-faced quote to support your idea that anyone who doesn’t agree with you is wrong. I’m sorry you felt the need to do that.

I think it depends, my DS barbers has put prices up and were very transparent about it ...but even though I can see why they did it , and its costing them money, I , as a customer, still only have a finite amount of money to spend. I don't begrudge them but as I am still furloughed we will possibly go less often or leave a smaller tip (not because I don't think they deserve it, just because of my own budget)
Same with my own hair....although I don't have a regular hairdresser I usually look out for special offers....I'm not expecting there to be many of those any time soon!

Businesses can't stay in business if they make a loss. Therefore any sensible business makes sure their prices cover their overheads. That businesses who were forced to close for over a quarter of the year while still paying out fixed costs have to raise their prices is a no-brainer. If you don't like it find a different supplier.

@Alloverthegrapevine

There are other professionals though. Not everyone had put their proves yp to the same extent. Perhaps the very best will get away with it, but in a world where many people are going to struggle to pay for things they did previously, being too greedy will bite some.

What I'll probably do is go less frequently, if I can't find something closer to the old cost.

Do that then - isn’t it brilliant you’ve got such basic hair that you can find literally anyone who can cut/colour/style it exactly how you like for a reduced price!

This idea that charging what you’re worth equals greed is a strange one.

As for people saying their salon is booked up for months.. surely they will be if they can only do 1/3 of the customers in a day than they used to its going to get booked up a lot quicker, not because they are making a massive profit. Some salons are opening late evenings and sundays but probably still won't make the same money as before, and have to work longer hours for it.

Oh dear. It was too expensive for me to have my hair cut before the pandemic. Now there’ll be no hope. I haven’t been to a hairdresser’s in five years.

I saved over £200 because of lockdown. I have no problem with paying extra for treatements

But if peope can't/won't pay it they'd be charging more than they're worth. Time will tell but I think many will find that the increased prices can't be sustained.

@daisypond

Oh dear. It was too expensive for me to have my hair cut before the pandemic. Now there’ll be no hope. I haven’t been to a hairdresser’s in five years.

That is tough, it’s rubbish when you can’t afford to pay a professional for their time and you have to rely on your own skills. Sally’s really do have excellent home-dye stuff, YouTube has loads of videos and Olaplex can work wonders. I’m not being sarcastic - I’ve basically rebuilt my house with my own hands because I can’t afford a professional.

Extra cleaning time, less clients in, cost of ppe (masks if people need them, disposable gowns, aprons, towels, gloves for us) and mainly the cost of the extra amounts of colour required due to roots being a lot bigger due to lockdown. If you've coloured at home and don't require more colour/anything correcting, prices are the same x

I think going forward a lot of 'services' will have to increase prices due to PPE, the fact stye

Oops missed a bit out - the fact that the appointments and social distancing will make salons probably have less customers means they probably do need to increase prices.

My mum had hers done this week (cut & colour) it’s gone from £105 to £140 and then they charged her an extra £35 for the PPE. She didn’t mind the price increase, the ppe on top was taking it too far

If I asked you to go to shop for me and I gave you £10 but the shopping came to £20 who takes the hit? It's not you is it!!

My wonderful hairdresser explained that prices have risen to cover costs of PPE, so I paid a few £ more. No problem, I fully expected it to be more.
I do object to being told by my dentist that there would be a £40 surcharge to cover the same 😡, effectively doubling the cost of an nhs checkup (and I suspect the PPE equipment is nhs provided!)
Ditto for hygienist appointment too.