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AIBU?

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Original poster

Raffle prize win - what would you do

350 replies

ihaircut101 · 27/06/2024 12:30

Writing this without saying which side I am, would be interested in knowing who you think is 'right'.

Jill won a raffle prize of a cut and blow dry at a new salon owned by Mary. When Jill attended to claim her prize she also booked in for a root tint, which she expected to pay for.

During their session Mary mentioned business was not so good and she thought it partly due to her website content. Jill told her that her business was website marketing and offered to take a look at Mary's website, which she did. Jill made a lot of suggestions, she rewrote some of the content and suggested mary implement an online booking facility. Mary was very happy with the changes and as a thank you waived the cost of the colour.

About a month later, Mary contacted Jill and asked her to set up the online booking system, Jill was agreeable to take this on and explained her fees. Mary was taken aback at being asked to pay as felt as she had waived the cost of the hair dye treatment, that should cover the cost of the website work.

What do you think? Should Jill charge for this extra work? If yes, would it be ok for Mary to ask Jill to now pay for the colour treatment she had?

OP posts:
BuggeryBumFlaps · 28/06/2024 19:41

YANBU. Re working website is probably worth more to you than a root tint. The cut and blow dry is by the by, you won't it in a raffle and that's the prize. To set up the online booking system takes time, which in turn will cost you money: I think Mary is bu

Kjpt140v · 28/06/2024 20:27

ihaircut101 · 27/06/2024 12:30

Writing this without saying which side I am, would be interested in knowing who you think is 'right'.

Jill won a raffle prize of a cut and blow dry at a new salon owned by Mary. When Jill attended to claim her prize she also booked in for a root tint, which she expected to pay for.

During their session Mary mentioned business was not so good and she thought it partly due to her website content. Jill told her that her business was website marketing and offered to take a look at Mary's website, which she did. Jill made a lot of suggestions, she rewrote some of the content and suggested mary implement an online booking facility. Mary was very happy with the changes and as a thank you waived the cost of the colour.

About a month later, Mary contacted Jill and asked her to set up the online booking system, Jill was agreeable to take this on and explained her fees. Mary was taken aback at being asked to pay as felt as she had waived the cost of the hair dye treatment, that should cover the cost of the website work.

What do you think? Should Jill charge for this extra work? If yes, would it be ok for Mary to ask Jill to now pay for the colour treatment she had?

Do you know the cost of setting up a website? The free root tint was payment for the very good advice she'd received on the day, it's hardly pound for pound is it.

deste · 28/06/2024 21:44

Its202happynewyear. Exactly my thoughts.

TestingTestingWonTooFree · 28/06/2024 22:54

If Mary doesn’t like your pricing structure she’s free to engage someone else to do the work. Cheeky cow.

MusicMakesItAllBetter · 28/06/2024 23:14

It’s one thing offering to take a look and offering advice. If there’s no mention of helping to implement it all, especially for free, then Mary should pay and honour the waived tint

changeme4this · 29/06/2024 02:33

I would step back. Either Mary had no idea of what it would cost and being short of business funds it wasn’t ideal timing anyhow, or she is someone on ‘ the take’.

there was a local coffee cart lady who had a local designer draft up some graphics which looked great. Then coffee cart lady asked someone else to add further work and blanked the first designer. The 2nd one was very cautious as to how much she should do on someone’s existing work so backed out. Coffee cart lady moved and sold up. No one has seen her since.

T1Dmama · 29/06/2024 13:08

ihaircut101 · 27/06/2024 12:50

Thanks for replies so far. Just to add Mary did also provide the cut and blow dry free (raffle prize) as well as the tint.

The raffle prize was donated…. That does not even enter into this. Anyone could have won it and it was free.. period!

The hair tint was NOT free, it was given in payment for the advice and website changes Jill made.
Any further help on the website is a separate transaction, to expect it for free is just cheeky!

T1Dmama · 29/06/2024 13:27

I’d be tempted to Point out to your friend that while you value her friendship you also need to make mortgage payments/rent.
I’d put it to her simply that the initial treatment was a raffle prize and therefore not part of the agreement, the hair dye was for your work on te website… only you know it what you did was worth the cost of the dye?…
mid she can’t afford your services could she pay you in hair cuts? Things that take time with not outlay in ££. Or she charge you just for the dye and not her time? (I’m talking future treatments not ones already done)

Shellyshep · 29/06/2024 14:01

ihaircut101 · 27/06/2024 12:50

Thanks for replies so far. Just to add Mary did also provide the cut and blow dry free (raffle prize) as well as the tint.

Yes of course Mary provided the cut & blow dry for free, I wouldn’t expect her to have charged Jill when it was a raffle prize! That exchange is nothing to do with anything else. Jill helped Mary the first time and in exchange got her colour done for “free” (although not really free, she provided wisdom/ service for the colour, a fair swap) ANY further transactions need to be paid for. If Jill went back to Mary’s salon and expected to get her next cut or colour for free I’m pretty sure Mary would say no just as Jill has agreed to do the additional work but expects to get paid for it…

OhcantthInkofaname · 29/06/2024 16:45

I think Mary found out that implementing the items Jill suggested would be a little costly.

To equate this in Mary's terms I could book a color consultation with Mary. Implementation of that consultation would've been another booking. I could have Mary do a color based upon the consultation or take the info to another stylist. Simply Mary is under valuing Jill's expertise

Riversideandrelax · 29/06/2024 16:48

Mary is in the wrong. The tint paid for the advice. Setting up the online system is another job that will need paying for. Or Mary could offer hairdressing services instead if Jill was happy with that.

autienotnaughty · 01/07/2024 06:20

How much would the advice /initial work have cost? I'd reply

"I understand how you feel, the advice /website would normally cost £75 and the tint was £65 so I saw it as a fair trade? Completely understand if you prefer to shop around. Let me know if you decide to go ahead."

If the work done so far is less than tint then offer a discount

Victoriancat · 01/07/2024 07:34

Yes Mary, you need to pay her.

RosesAndHellebores · 01/07/2024 07:55

Jill is a giver, Mary is a taker.

If Mary is a good hairdresser, the fact that she moans to clients and is a taker will be affecting repeat business. I don't want to feel drained after the hairdressers; I want to feel good.

Desmodici · 01/07/2024 07:57

ihaircut101 · 27/06/2024 14:27

Regardless of raffle prize, Jill still got a hair dye, cut and bow dry for no charge.

Mary feels that Jill got the better of the deal and setting up the booking system would make them more even. It's not as if Jill had to start from scratch, as Mary had already paid someone to set up the initial website.

Does Mary know how much Jill spent on raffle tickets? Perhaps Jill spent £5 or £30. It wasn't for 'no charge'. And Mary chose to donate a cut to the raffle, but is now using it as leverage against Jill. Mary seems to think that Jill now owes for her prize.
As others have said, the raffle prize doesn't come into the equation.
And I agree with everyone else - Mary got advice and some work done in exchange for a tint. To now ask for more free services is ridiculous.

saraclara · 01/07/2024 07:58

Victoriancat · 01/07/2024 07:34

Yes Mary, you need to pay her.

You haven't read the OP 's updates, have you?

GreatGardenstuff · 01/07/2024 08:01

Jill has already given Mary a considerable amount of help, for which Mary chose to give the colour in acknowledgement of.
If she needs further tech support she needs to pay for it, or negotiate a reciprocal agreement with Jill they both find acceptable.

Exquisitebluebutterfly · 01/07/2024 08:13

To compromise and keep things friendly, why don't you offer a discounted price? Type Mates Rates for this one off? Make sure she knows it is only for this occasion... gently! She is a hairdresser and receive a lot of people in her salon. She may speak badly of you to others also. I know she was cheeky, expecting further service without payment but maybe you can compromise with a discounted rate!

BreatheAndFocus · 01/07/2024 08:16

Mary is a CF. If you don’t want to upset her, just say you have new work come in and so won’t have time to do her booking system (paid or unpaid).

The only thing you got free was the hair colour. If the website work you’ve already done is equivalent to the value of that, then that’s that.

Sceptical123 · 01/07/2024 08:21

BreatheAndFocus · 01/07/2024 08:16

Mary is a CF. If you don’t want to upset her, just say you have new work come in and so won’t have time to do her booking system (paid or unpaid).

The only thing you got free was the hair colour. If the website work you’ve already done is equivalent to the value of that, then that’s that.

I was going to say something similar - tell her you’re snowed under and keep batting her off every time she brings it up.

SmallSoupcon · 01/07/2024 08:24

I'm a freelancer in a similar field. Running your own business successfully is all about understanding the value you bring. And there's no parity between the cost of a hair dye and the value of a website and booking system to a business. You've already been more than generous with your expertise, which would have cost her hundreds to get elsewhere.

My advice is not to worry so much, I think every new small service provider goes through that period of undervaluing their services and feeling awkward about pricing.

The reality is that low paying clients will cause you 10x the hassle that ones who pay properly will. So have some confidence in yourself, stick to your guns, and remember there are always more, better quality clients out there. You don't need this person to succeed!

user1492757084 · 01/07/2024 08:27

Try to estimate the cost of the exchange.
Would the tint be 100?
If I were Jill I would state what her usual fee would be for the new work and say she will not charge for 100 or 2 hours of it given that Mary gave the tint for free.
Clearly state that, going forward, you will be charging XX and will be expecting to pay for any further tints in full.

It is not worth bad vibes between you both so be more than generous and setup a good relationship for the future.

BlondeAussie · 01/07/2024 08:32

ihaircut101 · 27/06/2024 12:50

Thanks for replies so far. Just to add Mary did also provide the cut and blow dry free (raffle prize) as well as the tint.

Surely the cut and blow dry free is irrelevant to the later "barter", as it was covered by the raffle. So, if Jill didn't ask for the extra tint, her whole trip to the hairdresser would have been without payment.

Justus6 · 01/07/2024 08:42

FunLurker · 27/06/2024 12:32

Jill should charge for the work and Mary shouldn't ask for the tint money. If Mary asks for tint money I'd be inclined to charge for the advice.

This⬆️

LookItsMeAgain · 01/07/2024 08:43

Could you do up an invoice for the work that you've done so far and accompany that with a credit note for the value of the colour showing that one cancels out the other.
Then approach Mary again and say that as the raffle prize was hers to donate and whoever won it in the raffle would have expected a "no-strings-attached" approach to claiming the prize. I mean if someone who works as a cleaner had won it, would Mary be expecting her salon to be cleaned by them once they claimed their prize? She is being wholly unreasonable here.

If you send her your price list for services, then she can decide if she wants to use your services for website development or go with another service provider or do an adult learning course on website development and do it herself, but it would be her choice and there wouldn't be any strings attached going forwards.

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