Clients asking for discount after price increase!

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tina

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May 10, 2003
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A couple of months ago I increased my prices.
One of my clients cancelled an appointment then I get a call from her today asking how much my Hollywood waxing was, it has gone up £5 from the price she used to pay.
It's a mum and daughter I do and she kept saying well what discount are you going to give us as your coming to our house to do it and it is both of us having the waxing.

I said that this time round as an offer I will do it at the old price but I don't want them to think they don't have to pay my new prices, they go up for a reason.

What do you think I should say to them when I go to their appointment, should I tell them it's a one off.
I know they prefer my waxing to other times when they have been to local salons so they do prefer me but if they do then that's my price and that's that.

Am I right?
 
Perform a certain amount of waxes than get discount off the next.
You should inform all regulars of price increase.
Do you travel to their home?
 
Just state to them the price has increased due to the products price and delivery charging increasing, therefore you have had to increase ur prices a bit to cover the cost. They can't argue with that. My clients know I only increase prices when necessary.
 
£5 is alot!!!!!
 
I would have said with all the increases in the products and petrol etc you have had no choice but to increase.

I know if you don't ask you don't get but that is borderline rude! I don't know how some people do it xx
 
I am mobile , and she was insinuating that because of this I should be cheaper.
I already have a system in place that after so many treatments they get money off which they have already benefited from.

£5 a lot?!!!! really
 
hmm i think it is alot. We have regular clients that come back every 1,2, 3-4weeks dependent on treatments. With waxing our cost is basic- its a reasonable rate that i have no intention of ever going up- its my bread and butter and i will always have that rate.
Say a hollywood some charge £10-15-45 etc Dependent on wax and technique. We use hot wax and unless perron regot increase their price dramatically in the next couple of wks before my price change i highly doubt il be changing the cost.

If you know you have that income, why change to increase £5 extra unless slowly increments, where you are more established. I would be very cautious to why its this amount?- Anything different? Different wax- cost of travel- you have a duty to let your clients know in advance before you book them, a polite reminder everytime is more subtle way of softening the blow! xoxo
 
I do not think £5.00 is a lot as long as you are not putting your prices up every few months. Although you are mobile, you still have to pay for your petrol, wear and tear on your car, your time and your products.

I think that your client is pushing it as you already offer a discount.

Good luck xx
 
I think I would be cheeky and ask!

What was your price before you increased them? Did you work out a percentage to put it up I also think its a lot to jump in one go
 
I've been trading for 2 years mobile and in that time I have never increased my price.
The reason my prices increased was that after gaining experience I realised that my pricing was too low,

Not sure if we are allowed to discuss actual pricing but some salons for the same waxing charge 10-15 more than I do
 
Mobile should be more expensive than salons! It's a luxury to have someone come to you and do things in the comfort of your own home. Let them know its a one off and don't give anyone discount again in future unless its part of a scheme or something you do (January vouchers , birthday voucher, a promotion you are running for all clients)
This client was just cheeky. Guess they are the ones who never tip anyway xoxo
 
I increase my prices every April by the cost of living rate increase. (It's easy to Google the current cost of living increase.)
So if my Hollywood was £30 I'd raise it by 3.4%, for instance, or whatever the increase each year.
30 x 3.4% is £1.02. So it goes up to £31. It's fair.....and clients are happy.
I would never increase by more than that because I would feel uncomfortable plus I never lose clients because of my price increases.
I also tell clients at their appointment that the next time they come it will be more. That way they know the situation up front.
 
In my opinion, the price is the price. I choose my offers but obviously i will take my clients opinions into account.

I understand the don't ask don't get attitude, but don't think i would be discounting in December. I might have said that unfortunately i didn't have any offers on at the moment, but i will be having some in January.

I think a £5 increase is quite a lot and my clients wouldn't like it, but now that your prices are more reasonable you will only have to increase by £1-2 in future which should make your next increase much more bearable.

I charge £30 for a hollywood wax and nobody has grumbled. I rent within a hairdressers.

Try and keep it light when you see them, but just mention what the price will be in future and advise them to make sure they use their loyalty cards to ensure they get their bonus xx
 
Don't let them dictate your pricing. Your offering a good service!
 
I think the theory of increasing one's prices at the cost of living rate increase is fair, but it's not the whole story.
We import all our products from Switzerland, Australia and South Africa.
Have you seen the exchange rate lately?! Perron Rigot is a French product and Thalgo increased their prices ENORMOUSLY in July 2011, and they stopped their bulk discount too.
Overnight the price increased by over 20%. I bought 1500 quids' worth the day before it increased which kept me going for about 6 months, so that I could hold my prices. When my stock ran out I had no choice but to put my prices up, purely because of the increased cost of the product.
With regard to your price increase it does feel like quite a jump in one go, and I think I'd gulp a bit when faced with it.
As a goodwill gesture I'd do it at the old price and tell them it'll definitely be increasing next year.
 
How much did you charge before?? I think don't look at the pounds and pence look at the percentage!

If something cost £15 then a £5 price increase is a lot!! It's going up by 1/3

I even think if it was £20 then £5 is still a lot as that is a 25% price increase!!

When I live there is a lovely little deli that make there own bread and cakes etc. there flap jack used to be 55p now 6 months later its £1.20! It's only 65p which really is nothing but its over 50% price increase! See how the percentage make a difference?
 
Flour has increased by 30% this year owing to the wet summer in the UK and the drought in the US.
Sugar has increased by 12% owing to rains hampering the harvest in Brazil - the world's largest producer.
Both of these will go some way to your deli's price rises...
 
My price was £20 gone up to £25, reasons I was increasing prices was that some treatments were not as worthwhile doing than others, 2 different treatments that took the same amount of time was such a difference in price.
With Hollywood I do use Perron rigot
Which is a quality wax.

With my shellac service my price increased but to my loyal existing clients that booked religiously every 2 weeks I have kept the price the same but to any new clients the price would be my higher price as that is what is now advertised.

I think I may say to them that as long as they both have the waxing at the same time as I am already there for 2 appointments I will do the original price but if I was called out just to do the one then it would be the new price as once I'm set up the 2nd wax would not take as long as packing up and going to the next appointment
 
I am mobile and I do multiple treatments with a discount, could be with a friend/family member or multiple treatments on themselves.

I look at it this way:

Mum could book a hollywood wax on Monday at 6.30pm

Daughter could book a hollywood on Friday at 6.30pm

This would be at the new price each.

Whilst you are already doing the mothers wax, you have already set up, drove to the house, saved another free appointment slot for later in the week, saved on travelling time too.

Wouldn't it be better to do a small discount to encourage people to book together? To save time and fuel?

I understand you have increased your prices and they should respect that, but I don't think what she is asking is that unreasonable.

In a salon you don't need to save time travelling or on fuel.

Xx
 
Hi steph

That is a good point, that's what I'm thinking.
 

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