How much do I spend for each application?

[The Geek]

HowdA All...

Love them polls and just thought I would throw out a question that techs really get mixed up quite a bit...

How much do you think it costs you to do a set of nails?

The reason I throw this out is two fold:
1- Nail techs get all up in arms about how much it costs NSS's to do nails as their monomer is so cheap.
2- A lot o techs base their choice of system upon the price of things like monomer (even though they would prefer to use a different system)

Is cheap better? Is more expen$ive better?

Let me get your thoughts on this matter and I then I shall reveal the figures later!

 

[Mandi]

I have been thinking this myself lately!

The reason I have been thinking this is when I do start work as a professional what kind of service do I want to offer?? I'm not in this industry to become rich and whatever I can earn will not rival my husband in the breadwinners stakes...so a large part of my work choices will come down to personal satisfaction...but at the same time I am not going to work for peanuts or have my work undervalued. This may be a bit of a romantic view of working but I would like to offer a premium service...gorgeous salon....strong professional image from me (funky uniform, well groomed etc) have top quality products, a wide range of choices and a deluxe retail section. Individual files for each client and a home care pack for each set of full enhancements so that the client can maintain my good work!

I assumed you meant how much the basic product costs?...tips, resin, sculpting forms, L&P, sanitiser, dehydrator, top and base coats, enamel? or does it take into account files/ and buffers, wipes, enamel remover, tip cutters, cuticle pushers, sanitising products, table cloths...I'm sure I've forgotten a heap of stuff but do you get what I am saying??

I voted for 2-3 pounds.

I have not got any stats to support my vote...just a feeling. I guess a few techs keep records detailed enough to support a scientific study.

Where did you get your information from Geek?

I know that I have rambled on.....more thinking out loud...oops!

Mandi

 

[naturalnails]

Is cheap better? Is more expen$ive better?

Let me get your thoughts on this matter and I then I shall reveal the figures later!

I have wanted to know the answer to this since I began - I have tried to work it out but failed miserably - how do you work out everything - tips, adhesive, product, file, buffer, cotton pads, nail fresh, varnish etc etc. the list goes on.

However I have made a discovery recently that you don't always appreciate how good your product is until you try others, or vice versa LOL.

I trained with Creative and then thought I would start to use a less expensive product thus making more money. I included 3 repairs in my rebalance price and regularly I was having to replace 3 or sometimes more nails each time on quite a few of my clients.

I recently decided to return to Creative and I now regularly have no repairs to do and I have reduced my rebalance time by 15 mins due to less lifting to file etc. I am now getting the same revenue but for less work and less product used.


I know a lot of this is down to me as a technician being reasonably new - only 2.5 years - but it has made a huge difference to my reputation and it will not affect my profit margin as much as I initially thought.

I reckoned about £5 but voted for £3-£4

 

[Lesley-Anne]

:ack:
Although i am new to the world of nails.......I think that the cost of doing a full set has to be nearer £10.00, when you consider the electricity, heating lighting, refreshemnets and the amount of rent you pay (or mortgage in my case)

and if you are mobile then you have the cost of petrol, car tax, wear and tear etc.....the list goes on.

but if you are talking about product used and disposables then your probably right in about £3- 4.00 per set!

forgive me if i have the wrong end of the stick !!

 

[Mrs Geek]

I voted *EDITED BY GEEK* BUT that's because I know the answer Lesley Anne - bless - you are way out at £10 unless you know something I don't Believe it or not, the main cost of your full-set (with CND don't know others) is ....TIPS!! - NOT monomer (which I bet you all thought it would be) :huh: It costs approximately *EDITED BY GEEK*- and that is APPROX hey :tongue: to do a full-set with CND!! Let's hope if any consumers see this post, they understand and recognise that they are paying for our expertise and much more (salon enviroment etc)!! Just thought I'd enlighten you all as I haven't posted much recently (oh sooooo tired)!! :salute: :sunny:

*EDITED BY GEEK* - I will get to that in a few my lovely wife

 

[The Geek]

Lets look at the first aspect of the cost of a set...

Tips or sculpts.

Lets do some average costings. I have left the figures rounded off to make it simple and to make it more applicable no matter where you buy from...

100 tray at 15.00 = .15 per tip (1.15 per set)
50 pk refills at 6.00 = .12 per tip (1.12 per set)
360 tray at 40 = .11 per tip (1.10 per set)
200 pk refills at 17.00 = .09 per tip (.90 per set)

Throw in your adhesive (this was a serious guestimate)

2 grams at 3.00 = .10 per set

Since the vast majority of techs consistently use 50 pack refills... lets just say the this aspect of application costs 1.22 per set.

You could go cheaper then this... Use lower quality tips... maybe save some bucks... just think... if the tips cost 20% less... you could save .03 per tip and a higher probability of spending 10 more minutes during your rebalance fixing cracks or breakages.

What about sculpts?

Lets say your forms cost 12.00 for 500... that’s .02 per form or .20 per set.

That’s a savings so far of 1.02! Now you are starting to talk some serious savings.

What about the rest of the porducts?
Is it going to cost a lot more?

 

[liza smith]

dear Mandi please do not underestimate the earning power of a v.busy nail tech! every nail tech that works in my salon earns at least twice as much as their partners. so unless ur hubby is managing director of huge company & earning mega bucks there is absolutly no reason what so ever that u cant (eventually) compete in the earning stakes. that said, u sound v.much like me when u describe ur vision 4 ur salon; but imagine being able 2 earn well enough 2 finance this all urself! THINK BIG, WORK HARD!!

 

[Nailsinlondon1]

Well said Liza I agree.........................
The earning potential is great................
It takes time to get there, years of building up a good solid business, a few ups and just as many downs.................
I earn the same as my Husband, and he is on pretty good money.........
need I say more.................
I work a 35 hour week he does 70 plus, so that should speak for it's self........
He is a City Chauffeur and I am a City Tech and guess who is more chilled at the end of the week lol.......................

We get out what we are willing to put in...................
So just have fun building up the business and then go and get them girl..........

Love Ruth xxxxx

 

[Mandi]

Sorry I did not mean to make it sound like a nail tech is not well paid

I have been thinking about costings latley. but I will only be working part time (when I eventually start work!!) as I will still want to do the school run and after school activities for my children and also work from home. So I have been thinking if I charge X for service A minus costs Y then I make X-Y/ A time per hour. So, for example, if I charge 35 pounds for a full set of pink and whites and I schedule 2 hours to do this and my consumables cost 5 pounds then I earn 15 pounds an hour. I know this is waaay oversimplified, and many factors effect this like different services offered and teh cost of the consumables in that (my husband has got an MBA so I ahve had this info dummed into me!!) and also a more experienced tech will take less tiem than a newbie and will attract more clients and have a stable client base too.

I can't see myself making very much money initally, what with all the training I want to do!

But like you have all said that if you are good and work hard then it will come and that is what I am hoping will happen to me. I love reading all the replies and picking up tips on being a working tech...it is all stored in my brain somewhere!

 

[nail_star2003]

I have never really thought about what it costs me to do a set of nails but I do know one thing - I would rather pay a little bit more for a product such as Creative and get an excellent result than a cheaper alternative and get a good result. This is because the difference between 'excellent' and 'good' could be a lot more customers!!!!!

 

[geeg]

Because of the high profile of Creative Nail Design and its products, it is perceived by many (without them having looked into it) to be expensive.

The reality is that the difference between using the cheapest products for a full set, and using Creative is only pennies overall. So it is well worth it to use a well branded line that your clients know and are reading about every day in the consumer magazines -- they trust it. One can't underestimate the importance of branding.

 

[kerrie]

I'm not really sure what it costs me per set , but after using a cheap brand for so long and now that im using creative i have notcied a few things.

Even though the initial cost is more, in the long run im thinking (just from personal experience) that it is actually cheaper ( hate using that word ) i guess more economical is better

I have also recently changed to creative files as well and find they are lasting ALOT longer than my cheap single use files.

I find i am re ordering less frequently

I guess if i try and think of a figure i might say about $5 australian per set


kerrie

 

[sunshine]

HowdA All...

How much your willing to spend for a full set , when your customers come back every times to you , you have a PRODUCT which is by far the best ( no problemes ), that your customers makes referencesssss , and you have educators that will help you ......... !!?

I'll ask you again how much your willing to pay ??
CREATIVE = $$$$$
Make your self the best and you will be RACK N' ROLL !!!
love ya

 

[ruthie]

Hiya - did we ever get an answer to this question?


I know Mrs Geek quoted some figures which were then edited out :twisted: but did anyone really come up with an answer?

How much does liquid and powder cost on top of the sculpts or tips which were priced?

I was just a bit curious to see if anyone came up with an answer? If they did and I was stooopid and missed it :shock: :shock: then could someone let me know?

Ruthie