so, thinking of adding retail to my business.

firstly, any advice on WHAT WORKS?
do you think its best to have the retail in the waiting area or in the treatment room?

what do you use to price them up, ie little stickers, place cards?

do you have a sign up stating that it is retail?

do you retail just what you use in the salon, or do you put other things like oil burners, buddhas, jewellery?

any advice gratefully received.

I am just a nail tech, but I have shelves behind my desk and in my waiting area with my retail items on! I have got a price list, they are CND ones, so no need for prices on them, and I give each new client a price list of the things I retail!

I think you could do really weel with oil burners and oils Ann, incense? Massage oils?

The jewellery idea is good aswell, I know a beauty salon that sells some jewellery aswell, its gorgeous stuff, but some husbands that go into get gift vouchers often end up leaving with an item or 2!

xxxxxxx

thanks Hayls, I thought it might be a nice touch to have complementary things for sale and I can add to it, like essential oils and carrier oils.
With the jewllery - just thought crystal chip bracelets.

If someone is having a crystal therapy session, I would like to have some small tumblestones to offer them for sale to complement the treatment.

Also, if someone is buying a gift voucher they may want to add a small gift to go with it.

I have retail in the waiting area and treatment room, but a bit of advice I try to make sure that everything on display is empty if I can as recently I have had a few things go missing from both the reception and the treatment room!

Testers help too! I dont tend to display the price I just wait until they ask about it.

I love the tumblestones idea, you could get some really nice little organza (or the like) bags/pouches to put them in aswell!

think I need to calm down!
just been into an online wholesalers and happily clicked away at various things only to come to the grand total of £115.

phew!

thing is, I want to just have a few things to complement the creams and products that go with my facials, and have just gone bonkers!

had to step away from the puter to fan meself down! oh, and I emptied the trolley pronto!

You Ann are a crazy little spender!!! lol!!

STEP AWAY FROM THE COMPUTER!!

Lol! Sounds just like me!

Your retail ideas sound good, especially if you add the aromatherapy side of things. We've recently started retailing a few essential oils, and they go really well.

Just a word of caution about oil burners, DON'T GO MAD WITH THEM!!! A previous salon I worked at, the boss thought they were a good idea and ordered loads, and I mean loads (ooh, about a hundred). I think we sold maybe one a month. They're actually not as popular now, especially since those electrical ones came on the market.

Start small, and you can always add lines when you know the sort of thing that sells well. If you order loads, you'll just end up with dead money sat on the shelves, because you will make mistakes when you start off.

Just a suggestion...
is there any body in your area that makes jewellry that would like an outlet to sell their creations on a commision basis?

xxxx

There's 1 or 2 jewellers near us that will provide a glass display unit plus stock for no initial outlay. You then receive a %age of what you sell.

Stock is changed on a regular basis so there's always something new for the clients to be tempted with

Thanks everyone.

I am now officially dealing in retail! wahooooooo!

Do you have any money in your budget to have some retail brochures printed? They wouldnt need to be big, perhaps a half dozen page leaflet or something. The reason I ask is because this is something I am investing in soon.

Have you seen what women do when you give them an Avon or a Virgin Vie? Its like a catnip effect!! Nearly everyone who sees such a catalogue will order something. I'm going to have a retail brochure printed and leave one in my waiting area, one in the hair salon waiting area, and I will give one to every client to take home. I will carry stock on the more popular items, and the less popular ones will be to order (similar to the Avon). I think that this could generate a substantial amount of retail business if its done in the right way.

I will still promote retail items while I work with the client, but some less essential items are no as easy to drop into the conversation while you're working without sounding like your doing the hard-sell routine, I think the brochures will allow the client to sit at home and browse, consider them as gifts for others, and will encourage people to make extra purchases.

Just to add my 10pence worth I won't buy anything that I can't see the price on! I hate having to ask!

Love the tumblestones and crystal chip bracelets idea.

Best of luck with the leap into retailing

I agree. Also, if clients have to ask the price, then don't buy, they may think that you think they can't afford it .