To think friend should give me a discount?

[gcullisa]

So before you jump to immediately saying I am being unreasonable I just want to confirm that I don’t think people should under sell a trade and their time and skills are worth the price they want to charge.

My friend is a hairdresser, she earns 50% of whatever she charges her client (other 50% goes to the salon and I assume she has use of their products).

I have hair extensions which require regular refit and I go to her directly, I drive to hers at a time and day that suits her (I’ll use my lunch hour) and she still charges me salon prices. It costs £80 for a refit and £30 for a trim - so instead of making £55 from me if I’d go to the salon she’s now making £110.

Aibu to think as a friend she could do it cheaper? I don’t mean she should charge me 50% but just reduce it to 75% - then she’s still earning more than she actually would have done. It’s cash in hand and the only material she’s using (apart from scissors) is tape which I know she just takes from the salon and she’s not even using water or electricity.

Am I being really unreasonable here?

I met my hairdresser in a salon about 20 years ago and at some point we switched to home cuts - for about 50% of the salon cost. No way would I pay salon prices to have my hair done at someone’s home or my own!

YANBU. I would just go back to a salon. I pay my home hairdresser salon rates but she comes to my house and I like that because I can sit at my desk and work (I have a full head of highlights so takes hours). I also personally prefer washing out dye and toner in my own shower and bathroom not hanging my head over an uncomfortable salon sink.

She is also extremely flexible and often comes at odd times very early or late to fit around work or my DC. No way would I pay salon prices to drive to someone’s house to fit around them.

Yup it needs to be mutually beneficial.

Yup it needs to be mutually beneficial.

So OP leaves and friend replaces her with another full-price customer. I don't see a mutual benefit. I mean, it's not as if OP said the friend was begging for her custom, in fact at no point has she offered up a reason for going to her in the first place.

My friend is a hair dresser and I either go to hers or she comes to mine. I pay her the exact same she would get if we were in the salon, she just doesn’t charge me the extra that the salon would get.
I don’t expect a discount but I also don’t expect to pay salon prices when I’m not in the salon.

Go to the salon

I totally see where you're coming from but if the salon is taking a 50% cut then maybe she needs the money. My hairdresser has just set up her own salon as the cut she was paying wasn't leaving her with enough to make a decent living.

Do you get any non-monetary benefits from the arrangement or would you rather book into the salon? I know at my hairdressers it can feel a bit rushed when they're busy and it's not so easy to chat (noise, other clients).

I think I am in the minority here. But she is not a home hairdresser as such ,without salon expenses. She pays her salon expenses where ever you have your hair done. If all her friends came to her house and she reduced charges ,she would lose money which goes towards her salon. As long as she pays rent for premises or has bought them and pays for stock and equipment and all overheads,she is entitled to normal rates. If you want a cheaper deal you need to find a hairdresser without overheads who just works from home.
As I said,should she be expected to style every friend's hair at a reduced price,so they avoid paying the full price?Definitely not!!

You're unreasonable - but neither is she. I'm wondering about tipping. Also wondering if it would be cheaper elsewhere. If you stay with her, you'll keep being aggravated.

That’s taking the piss. My hairdresser has a proper home salon, an apprentice who washes hair etc. You get offered tea/coffee just like any salon but she is about $25-30 cheaper for my regular wash/cut/blow dry which seems about right. I wouldn’t pay full whack so sit at someone’s kitchen table.

You're not friends.
I wouldn't say anything.
It would be very tacky to ask for a discount or query as to why she didn't give you one.
If you like her as a stylist go to the salon.

Had this situation many times not just wish friends but other service providers who want to go direct. 75 percent mark exactly as you suggest is always the best place to land I feel so everyone is getting a better deal and no one feels used. You're giving up salon benefits by going to her house.

Well if nothing else, what this thread has shown us is that there's mileage in the old saying about not mixing business with pleasure. I don't think there's a saying to sum up the concept that no one forces anyone to use the services of a friend, or anyone else for that matter, but from the replies here it seems we could certainly do with one 😂

For a while I went to a hairdresser who had a similar deal at a salon ie rented a chair. When she went on maternity leave she started working from her own home (while baby was there too). I went once, had to kneel over her bath to rinse hair dye etc and she still charged me the same amount I paid at the Saloon! I didn’t go back and found a new hairdresser.

For the same price I’d absolutely be going to the salon. I used a very popular local hairdresser for a while who worked out of her home. She did a good cut, but she was not cheap. After one or two cuts I decided that I did not enjoy washing my hair over her bath so went back to a local salon!

Yeah, in that case YANBU.

It's a time she is available, yes, but it's most certainly her 'own time' and not her normal working hours otherwise she'd be in the salon. She's doing a friend a favour in her time off.

I notice the OP hasn't returned. I would still be interested to hear how this arrangement came about, who first suggested it and for what reason.

I would still be interested to hear how this arrangement came about, who first suggested it and for what reason.

Me too. The way OP worded it, you'd think her friend was desperate.

I would expect it to cost less - not because you're a friend, but because mobile hairdressers normally are cheaper! As a PP said, you're not having the salon experience and they're not having the salon expenses.

Yes she's subject titled this with the word "'friend"'
She's clearly & understandably, disappointed with her friend!

I don't charge mates rates, but I price fairly to every customer. The alternative is as someone I know does - they charge mates rates that are a fair price, but increase it for others so they can make it seem that they're giving a discount to friends/loyal customers.

It's likely to be the salon owners policy. Lots of people aren't allowed to offer discounts to friends.

nothing to do with her being a friend (i would never ever give friends a discount if they asked before i offered)

If you want the salon experience, go to a salon. If you don't mind, go to her home. But you know the price before you go, so - caveat emptor and all that.

It is a bit cheeky to charge you the salon price when you’re not in the salon. Mates rates and all that.

Completely Concur With You
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