Hello all - firstly I am new here, so apologies if I've posted this in the wrong 'section'....

I've read posts re: ebay & OPI polishes etc. How can they be stopped (if ever!) if these sellers on ebay UK are not buying them from Lena White? I have seen the new Canadian Collection colours on ebay a while ago and it hadn't even "hit the streets"! Quite obviously they are buying directly from the US - but are they breaking any laws/agreements in the UK/ with OPI? I'm not trained in law, so apologies for the mumbo jumbo, if I didn't get them right!

Would appreciate your views on this... many thanks!

Firstly, welcome to the site! Secondly, you posted it in the right section and thirdly we dont stop it!!! Its a fact of life and you just ignore it.

The moment that Lena White started distributing OPI products to Sallys outlets and Boots she effectively opened the flood gates for anyone (public and professionals alike) to purchase OPI polishes, treatments etc. If you have paid for something, it is yours to do as you will. If people choose to sell their goods on E Bay then there is no law to stop them.
I, for one, have purchased OPI products from the States at a greatly reduced price and why not - business is business - we all look for the cheapest prices no matter what we buy. I go to Asda or Tesco to buy food because the same products are cheaper than at Sainsburys. I go to Matalan to buy jeans because I can get Falmers or Wrangler jeans cheaper than elsewhere Why should nail polish be different. Nail polish is nail polish. There are no secret ingredients that make it 'professional' in my opinion.
Acrylics, gels etc is another matter but it is just impossible to stop people from buying them from e-bay or indeed all those companies in the States that will sell to the UK without seeing any form of certificate.
Boots sell acrylic/gel kits - DIY - now. Granted the products are not much good (so I am told) but at one time such products were not even available on the high street.

I am glad I can get OPI on ebay as I save lots on money. I can buy them cheaper than wholesale with lena white and sallys. I agree with Carole its one of those things and business is business!

Thank you so much for your views. I'm just trying to crack my head as to how to stay competitive with OPI being sold for cheap on ebay. I had one client in the past who asked me about OPI polishes and I sell them for full RRP - but got this reply from her, "I can get this cheaper on ebay"! Whoops...you can imagine how hard it was to get outta that one! Has anyone had a similar experience?

Dear Ilovenails!

We have discussed this a couple of times now (they are even selling exam papers, e-files etc on ebay) and to be honest, it seems there is not a lot we can do! The prices can be silly and I don't think a true pro would be silly enough to pay them. We think most stuff goes to either trained teks trying to get a bargain or the gen-pub who 'think' they are getting a bargain! Of course there are some making money by trying to sell from US to the UK (new colours early etc) - once shipping etc has been added, I'm not sure how much you actually do save!

I believe that this is a minority but if you are super worried about OPI - why don't you call Lena or Lisa and let them know!

ummm- wierd I started typing this from my account and when I posted it said I was GMG - oops but this post was made by the Mrs

The facts are that Nail polish is not just nail polish, and any nail technician that uses different brands is aware of this in how they handle, the rate they dry, how long they last, how well they cover etc etc. Formulations do differ.

What makes a polish professional is that one, it should work better than consumer brands and two, it should only be available from salons.

When OPI started selling their polishes on QVC and in public outlets, it ceased to be considered professional. The same thing has happened to so many hair lines too as the companies push for more and more profit at the expense of the professiaonals who made them successful in the first place. They've made allot of money, but they have cheapened the brand.

Hi

I couldn't agree more!!
I am a hairdresser to and when i see "professional" brands and well know so called celebrity stylists that have sold out i loose ALL respect for them!
I ONLY stock exclusive brands in my salon (exclusive in ENGLAND that is) Like Paul Mitchell,dermalogica, biosculpture and cnd.
I don't feel that the company's are supporting us by selling their products in boots and the supermarkets.
I have just had this out with St Tropez as i spotted some in asda not the image i really want to encourage! My rep says it is illegal stock that they don't supply them.
You also see dermalogica supplied on e-bay they are trying to stop this!
If for example cnd went onto QVC then i am sorry i would stop using it and stocking it.
PROFESSIONAL SHOULD MEAN JUST THAT!

Sorry that was a bit long but it annoys and saddens me, our industry needs support!

Yeah I saw St - Tropez in Boots the other day aswell there was a hug stand dedicated to their products

But I would be surpised it it was illegal stock..I would have thought such big chains would sell bootleg goods... unless I am misinterpruting what your rep said..

Hello fab!

No i didn't mention boots at all i said asda! Beauty source are the exclusive UK stockists so if they haven't supplied them and they don't supply asda where have they got it from? and is it the real thing?

Boots are a legal stockist as are debanhams and large dept stores. It does gall me but i mainly only use the spray and the treatment don't retail much of it, but due to this i am on the look out for a different brand.

[QUOTE=geeg]The facts are that Nail polish is not just nail polish, and any nail technician that uses different brands is aware of this in how they handle, the rate they dry, how long they last, how well they cover etc etc. Formulations do differ.

What makes a polish professional is that one, it should work better than consumer brands and two, it should only be available from salons.

When OPI started selling their polishes on QVC and in public outlets, it ceased to be considered professional.

Well, I have to say that your message above is somewhat confusing to me.

Firstly you say that 'professional polishes' should work better than consumer brands. Different formula etc. And then you say OPI ceased to be considered professional when it started selling to public outlets.
Therefore it stands to reason that OPI who at one time produced 'professional' products must have changed their formula if they are not 'professional' anymore. Is that right?

I wonder if Lena White would agree with you that her products are no longer 'professional'? And how about all those salons that sell OPI? They are now selling 'consumer' products rather than 'professional products which according to you are of inferior quality.

I do not agree that professional formulas are better in every case. Yes, some consumer polishes are pretty dreadful but some are not.
Personally I like Creative nail polishes very much but equally I have been known to buy Rimnel ones if there is a colour I like and they seem to stay on my nails pretty well.

I bought a lot of Mavala products from my 'professional only' stockist when I lived in the UK, I didn't see these in supermarkets or on shopping tv.
Would Asda get their products via Walmart (who own Asda) from the USA (where Walmart are based)???

I am also told that St Tropez is now available in Matalan stores too!

As a result, the beautician I work with has introduced Fake Bake to the salon. She's continuing to offer St Tropez, but just broadening her horizons a little and offering something you won't find on every street corner.

I need to comment here I think! We have had such discussions before regarding the worth of a product when it jumps from the realms of professional to consumer! To make it 'consumer' you basically want and need to sell it in EVERY outlet possible so as many 'consumers' can get their mitts on it as possible so that the distributor can make as much money as possible! You may also start advertising in the consumer magazines!

As professional nail teks we will all harbour our own opinions of this; when it comes to OPI, I would naturally assume that Lena White Ltd saw this as a lucrative move - this is NOT wrong on their part but will affect how some of their customers view the OPI brand! Now we will just clarify that OPI Lacquers are the very same in the salon as they are in Boots!

OK that done - what we are looking at is the 'perception' of what the professionals think; let's not forget that consumers don't care as long as the product they are buying works - hell, I bought a small pot of Creme de la Mer at £75 (pure madness) knowing that what I was told of the miracles it would perform was probably BS but it made me feel good and that's what consumers WANT - to feel good about themselves!

The professionals (as some have stated) don't want to buy in a product for their PRO salon environment that the 'consumer' can buy for much less down the road or on QVC - hence why the OPI enamel (which we were discussing originally - NOT because I am dissing a competitor) is now looking less professional- even though it's the same thing! As professionals, it is our job to persuade our customers as to why a professional enamel is better than the ones in Boots - if you are using a same line but charging £5.00 more - you have a much more difficult job on your hands!

A while ago I was asked to appear on QVC with various CND products and I declined - I didn't want to dilute the 'brand' that we have spent 15 years branding and upset our loyal customers who buy the brand because it is 'professional'! I hope this is making sense here!

Everyday my job is to make sure that consumers see and hear as much as possible about the Creative brand without advertising or selling in boots! I do this to to gain brand awareness to get customers through your doors - we don't want to sell direct to the consumer customer - we want them to have a salon experience with you!
I would appear on QVC with other products and there are certain places that I would LOVE to have CND Solar Range etc sold in...just not Boots

Thanks for reading!

Hi


I've just read all the posts on opi being sold in boots, asda etc. But i think a good thing to point out is a lot of people who have there nails done can't usually paint their own nails. Therefore even if the product was OPI, Creative - Rimmel, Mabelline or any other make they still wouldn't get the desired effect as if they'd been and had there nails done by a professional in a salon. So why should we be worried. Its exactly the same with l&p products - someone who's just bought them on the net with no training or experience are going to have really dud looking nails. Just my opinion anyway.

Shelley