I been pondering over this one for a while...

Do you think we should support the nail companies and buy products directly from them or should we source kit from Ebay which is, in most cases cheaper?

My arguement is buying from nail companies helps keep them in business and funds future research and development for new products. In turn this pushes our industry forward and ensures our clients the best results using up to date products. This keeps them happy.

Or

Do we buy cheaper on ebay from an unknown supplier passing the savings on to our clients. This again keeps them happy.

I always try to buy direct but do admit to snatching a cheaky bargain on Ebay.

What are your thoughts? Do you feel a little guilty buying on Ebay? Should we support the suppliers and stay loyal to them or do you not care?

Is it down to ethics or price? What's your say?

NK

I have to be honest here, I have been in the past purchasing the odd items on ebay.

But after having a number of issues like products arriving half full, products not arriving at all, products that clearly were not genuine - I have stopped.

I now happily shop with distributors where the quality is guaranteed and customer satisfaction with regards to faults and returns is guaranteed.

I would consider buying someones unwanted used products if it makes a good impression, but very rarely.

ANOTHER IMPORTANT POINT - anyone can buy on ebay, NOT QUALIFIED people should not be buying professional stock without approapriate training and knowledge. Just think of a damage it can potentially cause to us - people who paid a lot of money to learn and master what we do. Clients also would rather buy a huge solar oil on ebay (only God knows if its genuine) than buying a small one from us. For that reason alone we should keep it quiet.

I like to go shopping for my nail bits, I dont like buying over the phone and certainly do not like paying huge delivery fees. Thats why I now use my local CND distributor.

Well if everyone bought off ebay there would be no salon geek website - there would be no training - there would be true professionals trying to improve the industry...
As you said, there would be no research or development - you would truly all create a mass product dumping onto the open market and nail techs in general would vanish in favour of "oh I can just do them myself from home.."

The profit a professional company makes is what ensures customer service, trade shows, education, development, advertising to you and your customers, levels of professionalism that wouldn't exist without the brand associated...
Food for thought eh...

Hey Natalyia,

It's an excellent point you made about unqualified people having access to professional products. It would horrify me to see acid based primers slipping on to ebay and being sold to the general public.

NK

Hey Envy,

It is food for thought indeed.

It worries me more and more big name brands are cropping up on ebay being sold through clearly unofficial distributors that offer no support.

I don't know if it is correct that my kit is available to joe public. Goodness me, they can see what I pay for it and this I feel devalues my services.

Again though, if its available and cheaper I am tempted but I do feel I should support my local distibutor.

NK

they already do doll and ship monomers by air post marked as a gift in customs form

Also, how do you know what you are getting?? How do you know that the product is 100% genuine and hasn't been bulked up with all kinds of other ingredients to make more money? It's a risk I am not prepared to take i'm afraid. I would be a nervous wreck wondering whether the product is going to harm a client. I say, stick with the official supplier of your products and don't take the risk for the sake of a couple of quid.

Have you done a search on this topic hun ??? lol

You will find pro's who are willing to buy professional products from auction sites very few and far between (with good reason)

This topic ALWAYS stirrs up passionate response so duck for cover he he he

Ps i'm a no and will leave it there

I think that if you bought product from eBay and there was a problem with a client's treatment as a result, you may face an issue with your insurance company. You have a guarantee with product bought from authorised stockists - do you have that same level of service from an eBay seller? I'm not saying that you don't, just that it's a potential minefield!

Also it is a myth that products sold on ebay are cheaper than buying from your distributor. Sometimes they are way more expensive but to Jo Public who cannot buy it any other way, they think they may be getting a bargain.

Also I feel sorry for the responsible educators.

If for example you have a company who spend loads of time, effort and money convincing the general public that anyone who uses their product has had to be educated to their level of expertise, then mrs greedy decides to import said product by inappropriate means and sell on ebay or webshop to anyone who flashes their reddies. This then cancels out any guarantees of quality of "technician".

It is a minefield and selling these products because of their flammability and hazardous nature goes against ebay's policy but do they care - well they dont seem to. I used to report every time I saw any of these products appear on ebay listings but did it make a difference - not a bit!

Name me one person who buys off ebay and passes any savings (if there in fact are any) onto their customers!!! What a joke. And folks like to call distributors greedy???

I've never known anyone to pass on savings, it's more likely they attempt to increase profit.

I've always preferred a Knight to a King nudge nudge, even though I may be a Queen

Priceless

I have only just come across ebay for anything(I know, am behind the times, but i wanted a childs play tent and when i googled a link took me there for the first time ever ). I think as a new person to the industry I wouldnt buy nail and beauty products from ebay as I have no idea if I am going to get a genuine product, a product that is in date, and also I would worry about getting advice and support.

However, When I first clicked on ebay a few weeks ago, I did think that the shops etc were run like all shops, I didnt realise that anyone can set up a shop there. I know better now.

This worries me, maybe other people might think that just because someone has a shop etc, then they must be professional? (or is that just me being trusting??).

Ill be sticking to suppliers and wholesalers that I know are 100% real, authorised to sell the product and have product knowledge, its not worth the risk to ebay for nail and beauty items i think. (but the childs tent was lovely and baby is sitting in it as I type. lol.)

tigi

Apart from the countless problems that people have with purchases (not getting legit product, part used, contaminated, out of date, non returnable, non insurable etc...)?

Apart from often paying more for the item and potentially committing major criminal offences by having flammable goods shipped to them through the post?

An often overlooked downside is that purchasing goods outside legit distribution networks is that it strangles legitimate distribution. This in turn strangles education, PR and advertising all of which are core components of the reason you are using the product in the first place and often times why the client is coming to you!

If you take the 5 minutes to do cost per application analysis, you would find that buying off e-bay or other non legit resources is total false economy that has terrible repercussions on the entire industry.

Edited to add an older, but still kind of relevant article.