How often do you increase your prices?

[EMMA AT ELITE]

Hi All,

Just wondered how often (if at all) you all increase your prices?
Do you increase all treatment prices or just a few?

Will you be increasing prices in line with the VAT increase before January 4th 2011?

Since working for myself about 8 years ago, I have only put up; Manicure, Pedicure, & Intimate waxing prices.
I am not sure if I should increase my general waxing prices (even just a few areas) :irked:

x:hug:x

 

[nixnewcastle]

I think everyone will be putting their prices up then. I definately will be

 

[Bagpuss]

I always said that unless my products went up i wouldn't increase my prices...i wanted to be seen as fair, honest and not greedy. Sometimes wish now that i had made a small increase each year regardless of my product costs cos after dropping hints of a price increase to my clients for the end of this year i have been getting some grumpy responses like "i hope it wont be too much, i already struggle to find the money"... what am i, the gas bill...:lol:

would have been easier to make a small increase each year than a larger one after 5 years....but we live and learn.

 

[wonderwoman]

ive always belived that beauty should be affordable, but with the VAT rise im debating on costs for each brand i have prior to the increase, then shopping like mad beforehand! All about switching and saving and if some brands are gonna cost me more for say half a bottle of nail varnish then i cant justify it! I actually opened my buisness in the recession but had my price list prior form being mobile and it has influenced a change on all treatments but buisness is blooming from being resonable.

My main worry is im gonna have a new price list prior to jan and its for my laser, i may have to tweek certain things and just put price effective october 2010/jan 2011.

I think at the end of the day would you rather change the price or the product? think whether you may lose clients who might not want to spend that extra 50p/£1 and find someone else who could easily undercut you...

 

[Vetty]

I increased mine from 1st June this year for the first time in 2 years. I put £2 on my everything except my full set price, I left that where it was because at £35 I feel there's enough profit in it already...... £27 for a rebalance is finally making me feel like rebalances are bringing in the profit that they deserve!

 

[Jh53sam]

Hi, when i first started nails i was chargin more than i actually do now, now i have a set price of 17.50 thats with glitter gems etc and nail art all included! xx

 

[EMMA AT ELITE]

Thanks for all your replies, :hug: its been an interesting poll so far as well.

I agree with everything everyone has said, I always have tried to keep my prices affordable too, but maybe wish I had a little increase every year even of 50p.
What I am going to do before the end of the year is buy more in bulk than usual before the VAT increase to help keep my prices down.
Some of my products are going up so I have bought more in at the lower price already.

x:hug:x

 

[tweeboo]

£17.50 a set??????????

ARE YOU MAD? GET THEM UP NOW!!

 

[Sharkster]

I started out just before the recession hit too so I haven't put up the price of luxury treatments such as facials & body wraps since I started although I did increase waxing and essentials about 18 months ago. Now some treatments are going to have quite a bit of an increase just for me to make a profit so yes I wish I had done it annually and will do from now on.

It's not just putting up prices though, there is the cost of getting new price lists printed too which is another reason why I hadn't done it so frequently.

I do think with the VAT hike that a price increase is essential to remain profitable

 

[kezza*]

I started last september and my price's were fairly low. I will be doing a price increase in January because of the vat going up. I have told a few clients and they are fine with it. I'm currently in the middle of setting my prices. Getting the pricelist's really for November so that I can start handling them out for December. I'm under priced manicure's and pedicure's sso they will go up £2.00 or so. I think waxing will get up by 50p to £1.00.

 

[katiebbaby]

Why? are you crazy £17.50 that is probably when you work out costs insurance paying tax petrol and products I am sure you will be on less than minimum wage?? where's the sense in that paying for education and training and having a skill means you can charge for your time.

 

[katiebbaby]

Hi, when i first started nails i was chargin more than i actually do now, now i have a set price of 17.50 thats with glitter gems etc and nail art all included! xx

See prev reply I cant believe you only charge that.

 

[Blue Rose]

I put my prices up when my price lists run out which is usually between 13 & 15 months. They go up by roughly 10% & yes we may 1 or 2 clients but they're usually the old dears who only come in once in a while anyway.

At the end of the day, I'm not running a charity & have overheads to pay, both business wise & personally.