Confusing myself with prices!

[xAnnaBannAx]

Ok bear with me while I try to explain what I mean! lol
Ive been trying to finally decide on my prices so I can things printed but theres a few things bothering me....im not sure if im thinking too much!

Ok these are a couple of scenarios;

1).......Client A comes in for a forever french...I charge her £38
2 weeks later she comes in for rebalance....I charge her £32

Client B comes in for basic T & O using white tips...I charge her £30
2 weeks later she comes in for rebalance..I charge her £25

So when client B comes in for a rebalance she pays £25...and lets just say shes comes every 2 wks and pays £25 BUT effectively at her first rebalance she has then ended up with a forever french hasnt she....yet client A would be paying £25 but client B would be paying £32....for the same service.

Does anyone see what I mean? Am I just thinking too hard or are my prices all wrong?

If you have taken the time to read all that thankyou lol x

 

[~Emmsybabes~]

I see what you mean Anna,
How come you are charging less for the tip and overlay ?
I think it might be because there is less work involved in a white tip and overlay am I right ???
I personally will charge the same as your forever french, its the clients choice which they would prefer,

And I know exactly what you mean about thinking too much...my head is fit to bust at the moment lol

 

[Ragdoll >^..^<]

Emmsybabes is right - keep it simple. You should be charging the same for a re-balance on every client. when you say forever french do you mean you are using a natural tip and overlay or sculpting? If you feel you want to charge more (or less) for sculpting thats up to you but i would definately charge the same for re-balancing however the initial set was done. If your confused by your prices, your clients certainly will be and it wont instill alot of confidence in you. Hope that helps x

 

[~Emmsybabes~]

I would charge the same for the full sets and rebalances,
If anything then, if you get a white tip and overlay client, you are doing a little less work for the same amount of money iykwim...

I was surprised to find how many people actually don't know what 'sculptured nails' even are...
A hell of a lot of people just don't know the difference between tip and sculptured, or custom blended, There are also a lot of people I meet who are gobsmacked that you can have glitter in acrylic !

You could always do some sort of 'special' on a set of french tips+overlay If you felt you wanted to bring in new custom,
But then there would be no complaining if you decide to bring the price back up to the higher 'usual' price after gaining some new clients,

Obviously I don't have a successful booming business though yet lol, so I may be talking rubbish :lol:
These are just my plans, I just did things the complicated way last time I began setting up the business, and it all got waaaayyyy to confusing for me,
So this time I am listening to advice I have had from geeks over the years and lessening the load so to speak xx

I look forward to replies on this topic xx

 

[xAnnaBannAx]

thanx for the replies, well the thing is...and this is just my opinion so far and I may be wrong but I feel like applying a tip (particularly a well less one that doesnt require blending) and then applying one colour powder (be it clear or pink).....(aside from poppits) that to my mind is the simplest and quickest and less skilled way of doing a set of nails (now please dont get me wrong..im not saying theres anything wrong with it or its to be looked down on or that ive even mastered that method myself!) but like I say that to me is a standard set, simplest and quickest...so I figured for tht charge a standard rate which is usually around £30.

A forever french requires more time and skill doesnt it what with having to create the smile line etc and as well as looking nicer and from the research around my area the prices are around £37 £38, and the rebalances would be higher for this than for a tip and overlay.

What I thought I should do is decide on my prices...I want to be competitive but I dont want to cheapen myself so I thought set my prices higher rather than lower but ill do an introductory offer for 2 or 3 months...that way im still getting paid reasonably for what I do and ill hopefully improve no end by the time the offers up... really feel like once I start doing people more regularly and lots of them that ill improve no end...at the minute theres no telling when I might do another set...i just need to get on now and really get some experience and get my timings down etc.

Ems what did you do that made things so complicated?

Im definately confusing myself....theres so many different things to consider when doing a price list...my mind is going crazy with scenarios....ive got scenarioitis! what if they want polish...what if they want glitter...what if they just want glitter on the tip....what if they have an nno but they have really nice long nails...theyll end up with a forever french for £25 what if I sculpt, what if there fingers fall off..what if what if what if ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh heeeeeeeeeelp lol

I know ill be confusing my clients if I dont get this sorted...I dont want to confuse anyone I want it to be clear...but at the same time I want to charge accordingly for all the difference services....and there are so many when you think about it.

I never realised how indecisive I was! couldnt decide on a name either so ive just copped out with 'nail design' for now! Im waiting for the day the light goes on! x

 

[~Emmsybabes~]

Lol Anna You sound just like me last time..
Totally confused,.....But the more you think 'I am going to think and get this clear' the more confused you make yourself hun.....

I'm off out in a moment, (off to see about some volunteer work...like I haven't got enough to do lol i must be mad)

But I will give you a shout later on....
I am going through the whole set up business scenario now too.... so we can maybe share idea's and stuff....
I do have some information on pricing structure from last time though so I will dig that out, it may help x

I am sure more people will come along and reply to you here though that have been there and done it, and done it with success..

You will be fine....but mainly.............
CALLLLLMMMM DOOWNNN KIDDER ! lol

 

[hannajadem]

I see what you mean, I'm having the same dilemma at the mo with regards to glitter, polishing etc. Here's how I do it...
Work out a basic service menu, e.g. set prices for mani, pedi, file n polish, full set tip and overlay, sculpts, forever french etc, french rebalance and one colour rebalance (I offer this if they are having a tip with clear overlay, i.e. smile is NOT replaced at rebalance), and a soak off
THEN..
If the client wants extras i.e. soak off then full set, I charge half price for the soak off and full price for the full set iykwim.
If they want soak off and mani, I charge full price for mani and half price for soak off, as my soak off price includes buffing, cuticle oil and hand lotion, as standard.
Same with polish, i.e. if they want a natural full set and then polish, I charge for full set and then polishing is half the advertised price of a file and polish (as you wouldn't charge them for filing, they've already paid for that in the full set)
Glitters etc, I have set prices, £2 extra for each colour they have. I charge for a full set of sculpts, and if they want glitter tips it's £2 extra, full nail in 2 colours is £4 extra. Same for rebalancing with glitter, charge an extra £2.
Dried flowers are £* each, for example.
Hth, and that I've covered most scenarios!

 

[xAnnaBannAx]

Lol Anna You sound just like me last time..
Totally confused,.....But the more you think 'I am going to think and get this clear' the more confused you make yourself hun.....

I'm off out in a moment, (off to see about some volunteer work...like I haven't got enough to do lol i must be mad)

But I will give you a shout later on....
I am going through the whole set up business scenario now too.... so we can maybe share idea's and stuff....
I do have some information on pricing structure from last time though so I will dig that out, it may help x

I am sure more people will come along and reply to you here though that have been there and done it, and done it with success..

You will be fine....but mainly.............
CALLLLLMMMM DOOWNNN KIDDER ! lol

Sounds like a good plan, im off out as well soon so speak later! x

 

[xAnnaBannAx]

I see what you mean, I'm having the same dilemma at the mo with regards to glitter, polishing etc. Here's how I do it...
Work out a basic service menu, e.g. set prices for mani, pedi, file n polish, full set tip and overlay, sculpts, forever french etc, french rebalance and one colour rebalance (I offer this if they are having a tip with clear overlay, i.e. smile is NOT replaced at rebalance), and a soak off
THEN..
If the client wants extras i.e. soak off then full set, I charge half price for the soak off and full price for the full set iykwim.
If they want soak off and mani, I charge full price for mani and half price for soak off, as my soak off price includes buffing, cuticle oil and hand lotion, as standard.
Same with polish, i.e. if they want a natural full set and then polish, I charge for full set and then polishing is half the advertised price of a file and polish (as you wouldn't charge them for filing, they've already paid for that in the full set)
Glitters etc, I have set prices, £2 extra for each colour they have. I charge for a full set of sculpts, and if they want glitter tips it's £2 extra, full nail in 2 colours is £4 extra. Same for rebalancing with glitter, charge an extra £2.
Dried flowers are £* each, for example.
Hth, and that I've covered most scenarios!

So do you have a website or anything where I could have a nosey at how youve put all that down in a simple sort of way and what sort of prices you have come with..id be interested to see x

 

[Vetty]

Definitely keep it simple! IMO, don't use white tips at all and charge a single price for enhancements and a rebalance. Do all your french as a forever french and rebalance accordingly. I don't charge extra for glitter because IMO I'm doing the same amount of work as a forever french so why would I charge more? Same as custom blending, why should a client pay more because she's got short stubby nail beds?

If you look at my website (address in my signature) you can see how simple my prices are.

hth's

 

[xAnnaBannAx]

Definitely keep it simple! IMO, don't use white tips at all and charge a single price for enhancements and a rebalance. Do all your french as a forever french and rebalance accordingly. I don't charge extra for glitter because IMO I'm doing the same amount of work as a forever french so why would I charge more? Same as custom blending, why should a client pay more because she's got short stubby nail beds?

If you look at my website (address in my signature) you can see how simple my prices are.

hth's

I see what you mean Vetty I guess things like charging extra for glitter and custom blends is down to a matter of opinion...personally I would of thought there is more time and skill involved for custom blended...I know if I was offering custom blends I would definately class this as more of a 'premium' (is this the right word) service and therefore id charge more for this.

Your price list does look simple just one thing I dont understand is why do you charge less for single colour enhancements than you do for a normal set of nails? x

 

[hannajadem]

So do you have a website or anything where I could have a nosey at how youve put all that down in a simple sort of way and what sort of prices you have come with..id be interested to see x

I dont have my prices 'in print' yet so to speak, they're written down on a piece of paper as I'm doing everything at models rate (half price) for a couple of months while I get my times down. (Still takes me 2.5hrs for full set)
I agree with charging extra for glitter...you have to buy the glitter don't you? And it takes longer and requires more skill to do as you have to sandwich it in clear.
I also agree with charging extra for custom blends (although I don't offer this I just use CND warm, neutral and cool pinks), it takes longer to do, and requires more skill/training, and training costs money!
Just me 2 penneth!

 

[sknight]

I had a nightmare working mine out too. I decided in the end to put the basic prices up on the site as I too was thinking of all the different situations that could arise. I now add a couple of £'s on for glitter. I do have prices for custom blends but only charge that when they want to have a colour mixed specifically for them. My site is quite basic but have a look by all means and I hope you find some of it usefull. x

 

[Vetty]

I see what you mean Vetty I guess things like charging extra for glitter and custom blends is down to a matter of opinion...personally I would of thought there is more time and skill involved for custom blended...I know if I was offering custom blends I would definately class this as more of a 'premium' (is this the right word) service and therefore id charge more for this.

I use the CND Skin Tones so it doesn't take me any longer than using Perfect Pink, but it sure makes clients loyal when they realise no-one else offers it as a service! The powder costs the same and it takes me the same time, why would I charge more?

Your price list does look simple just one thing I dont understand is why do you charge less for single colour enhancements than you do for a normal set of nails? x

Because it takes me less time - no smile lines!

I know what you're saying about glitter etc costing money but if I use glitter I'm not using white so there isnt really any extra cost to me...... Also if I use the CND Shimmers they don't need capping in clear, so no extra time needed either.

I suppose I aim to give a top class service and makes people feel valued as a customer. If someone came for nails thinking they would pay one price and then the final bill was £10 more I'm not sure how loyal they would feel to me...... I look at a client as an on-going £25 every 2 weeks rather than an inital £35/£38/£45 etc...... The regular maintenance is what keeps me in business not the full sets.

hth's

 

[sknight]

Good points Yvette I might change my prices now x

Thanks Anna for a great thread, its made me think

 

[xAnnaBannAx]

Because it takes me less time - no smile lines!

I know what you're saying about glitter etc costing money but if I use glitter I'm not using white so there isnt really any extra cost to me...... Also if I use the CND Shimmers they don't need capping in clear, so no extra time needed either.

I suppose I aim to give a top class service and makes people feel valued as a customer. If someone came for nails thinking they would pay one price and then the final bill was £10 more I'm not sure how loyal they would feel to me...... I look at a client as an on-going £25 every 2 weeks rather than an inital £35/£38/£45 etc...... The regular maintenance is what keeps me in business not the full sets.

hth's

Yeah I see what you mean...good points! I think some things tho I just feel should be charged more for but I cant explain why...sort of on principle! Is that wrong? lol like you say your the only one on your area that will offer custom blends so really that makes you more 'exclusive' so really you could charge more just for the fact you have a more exclusive service...but I guess on the other hand you keep your prices down and have loyal customers x

 

[xAnnaBannAx]

Good points Yvette I might change my prices now x

Thanks Anna for a great thread, its made me think

Your sites great...easy to navigate etc I think youve done your prices quite well altho I do reckon you could charge a bit more perhaps x

 

[RedAdmiral]

I agree with Anna Vetty - you should be charging more it doesnt have to be alot more but you are giving a bespoke service to your clients.
Anna you must simplify or create the correct headings. I do:
FF €70
Nat set (white tip optional) €55
rebalance €35
french rebalance €55

Your prices just need tweaking, I worked out that I wanted about €50 per hour so as I'm in the business of maintenance then my maintenance should reflect that. My natural set clients are a doddle and never stay longer than an hour unless thay are drying, and I think €55 is affordable for every 3-4 wk visits. Clients also have a buff & gloss option for €20 to let them go the 3-4 wks.
I also just use CB powders straight from the pot and dont charge extra BUT my pricing reflects that I charge Master prices.