TPTW ... Are we doing more and more for less and less?

[beautyathome]

around my area they are opening nail salons everyday and when i drive past they are always busy. They charge £26 for a new set or maybe £25 can't remember. I charge £28 for a full set any design and people are happy to pay that, any more and they will go somewhere else 'like the new salon's'. Tans! i know salons that charge £12 some even £10 for a full body and they are always busy, i charge £20 and obviously i don't get as many. I am having to cut my prices down due to competitors, i have been charging £20 for minx for over a year now and shellac i was charging £20 for a file and shellac. I have been the only nail tech doing these treatments but recently someone has just set up as a mobile therapist and copied all the products i use and undercut me ,
Prices have gone down not because people can't afford it but because we have to many competitors who are always trying to undercut one another.
Maybe product houses should start giving salons, techs etc.. a minimum amount in which your allowed to charge your clients :lol: then maybe no more undercutting one another. :green:

 

[jennifer_123]

I agree with you all in ways especially with the one day nail tech courses. im currantly in my 3rd year of my nvq. and already i have noticed shops and technicians popping up all over the place in the area i live (manchester) two shops have opened up near me in the space of a month one of which is charging £15.00 for l&p tip and overlay! i have to admit i went in for a nosey and i didnt recognise any of the products they were using. also i went for an interview at another shop and asked her what she wanted me to show her. eg tip and overlay, pink and white ect and she asked me what a pink and white overlay was!! in manchester town centre its self their is at least 8 nail bars within walking distance from each other all charging peanuts. and doin an awfull job with thier electic files, cheap products, and no aftercare, i had to remove a set that my friend had done at one of these salons because they had cut through her nail bed and was bleeding under the overlay. i love what i do and im always trying to improve myself but now im wondering if their is going to be any money to be made in my area. im just hopefull that clients are starting to wise up to very cheap on every corner salons. less and less people go back to places like that and they will eventually go out of buiness leaving us truly talented and trained to pick up those clients and charge a respectable price.

 

[Alpenrose]

This is a very good thread and the problem of undercutting is very actual.

I work from home and charge £ 35 for a full set of any colour French and extra £ 5 for more complicated designs and £ 5 per nail for 3D. If the client wants me to travel to them I charge extra £ 10-20 depending on distance.

So far I am happy with these rates, but once I brush up particular skills I will put it up.

I do get told that these rates are "expensive". However, I use high quality products, keep myself updated on industry's new trends and techniques and offer excellent service. Every time I do a set of nails I put my soul in it and do my best.

I have several clients who used to go to NSS before and thanks to me they found out that French can be done with white powder and won't chip, what the cover pink is, that the free edge doesn't have to white - it can be of any colour and even have glitters and shells encapsulated, that there is no such thing as "no light gel" etc.

I do get calls from my advertising from people asking "how much is a full set?" (despite all prices are clearly explained on the website and I advertise online only). When they hear the answer and my explanation of what is included in it they either book or say "that the shop down the road does the same thing for a tenner". This might sound rude, but I do ask them why don't they go there... Then there are all kind of reasons like: "they don't do the good job", "they wounded me" etc. the list goes on. Then I always point to them that if you see something cheap then ask yourself why? Good products and skills cost more than £ 10 a set. I am surprised how many people want me to use best products and do best job but expect it to be no higher than £ 20.

I think the hardest bit is to get them to try MY service and MY nails with MY chip-proof French and design and respect to natural nail. Once they try most of them become regulars and the rest is easy. The difficult bit is to get them for the first appointment.