In an industry saturated with discount salons, what does the future hold

[hazeleyes]

As the title says... Is there truly room for us all In This industry!
There are so many cheap, cheapest and even cheaper salons around now with people less concerned with treating their nails well and more concerned with their bank balance how do we all survive?

how do we find our USP's???

Round here it's £8 for a full set of acrylics!!! Do you really think we decent nail techs have a place? And what does the future hold for the nail industry?

 

[Twinners]

Ok, I'm gouging my eyes out to pretend I didn't read that lol!!

It's scares me tbh. I'm just starting out and there are 2 NSS' within 5 miles of me that are always super busy. There not £8 granted, but £20 a set...even so I worry how I can generate enough business with them in operation, to justify the expense and time I've already put into this!

There really needs to be much tighter regulation. In the meantime, hopefully our work will speak for itself...xx

 

[Twinners]

*theyre...hate typo's!

 

[hazeleyes]

Ok, I'm gouging my eyes out to pretend I didn't read that lol!!

It's scares me tbh. I'm just starting out and there are 2 NSS' within 5 miles of me that are always super busy. There not £8 granted, but £20 a set...even so I worry how I can generate enough business with them in operation, to justify the expense and time I've already put into this!

There really needs to be much tighter regulation. In the meantime, hopefully our work will speak for itself...xx

Seriously, the NSS Salons send a shiver down my spine, and most people don't even know the danger some of the products they use pose! But still people want to save a penny here and there even though we know they still want to look great- so they end up there!
I seriously can't wait for tighter regulations to come in to force- but when?!!?

 

[sal365]

£8??? That's ridiculous. How do these people stay in business??
The best we can do is try and educate people as to why we charge more and the difference proper treatment will make in the long run!

 

[divadee]

they 20 where i am how much do you ladies charge iv done mine at 30 before and got it but iv moved area now

 

[jojemac]

As the title says... Is there truly room for us all In This industry!
There are so many cheap, cheapest and even cheaper salons around now with people less concerned with treating their nails well and more concerned with their bank balance how do we all survive?

how do we find our USP's???

Round here it's £8 for a full set of acrylics!!! Do you really think we decent nail techs have a place? And what does the future hold for the nail industry?

£8 for a set of acrylics?! How is that even possible to make ANY profit at all?

Surely there is going to come a time when more and more people learn what these "salons" are doing to their nails and health?

A few years ago I used a couple of these salons as a quick, cheap fix. But soon got put off from the damage done with their electric files and shoddy workmanship.

I saw a friend a few weeks ago who has regularly been using NSS salon as it's convenient for her apparently as no appointment needed and is done in half an hour. Her nails were trashed!! She had a huge dent in EACH of her nails from his over filing over several months! I begged her not to go back! She won't
Have any left at this rate!

 

[hazeleyes]

£8??? That's ridiculous. How do these people stay in business??
The best we can do is try and educate people as to why we charge more and the difference proper treatment will make in the long run!

Well I in south london, beauty is BIG business here like no where else! Every other shop is a nail shop or hair dressers. The NSS have like 8 people working,many of whose immigration status is questionable, they do a set in 45 mins tops and do 10 hour days! They must each get through at least 10 clients each per day and with 8 of then working that's 80 sets done- that's 640 per day!!! And this is on a quiet day!!! And they all work for less than minimum wage using cheapy cheap acrylic and monomer! They make a killing! They have queues of school girls out the door come 3.30pm!
It's so overwhelming for me as this is my direct competition!!!

 

[Twinners]

I went to one near me a year ago, to see what my competition is like. The upside, yes my nails looked nice and they lasted (said grudgingly). It was also super fast, 1 hour for a French tipped set. But the Shellac on the shelves, I don't believe for one moment was genuine, there were no personal touches whatsoever and the girl spent the ENTIRE time on her phone, tucked between ear and shoulder, talking loudly in a foreign language. I wasn't asked what length I wanted, what finish...nothing. If that is my competition, then really I should have this in the bag. But there's no way I could ever turn a full set out in that time and I think that's one of their main advantages. Time will tell I guess xx

 

[Twinners]

Well I in south london, beauty is BIG business here like no where else! Every other shop is a nail shop or hair dressers. The NSS have like 8 people working,many of whose immigration status is questionable, they do a set in 45 mins tops and do 10 hour days! They must each get through at least 10 clients each per day and with 8 of then working that's 80 sets done- that's 640 per day!!! And this is on a quiet day!!! And they all work for less than minimum wage using cheapy cheap acrylic and monomer! They make a killing! They have queues of school girls out the door come 3.30pm!
It's so overwhelming for me as this is my direct competition!!!

What a shame immigration/police can't do a random swoop lol! I feel for you hun xx

 

[Chickafish]

Let's not assume their immigration status and what products they may or may not be using for a minute. Those kinds of shops don't operate in a way a standard salon does (no consultation, ect). Their drive is to get as many people in and out the door as possible to generate the most income. You figure if they're not getting paid at least a minimum wage, on commission with no base pay, and the prices are cheap, they gotta compensate somehow. You may see people queuing out to the next block, but you also see the downside. Look at the quality of people going in there. Would you put a set of l&p on a 13 year old girl? Would you wanna work on someone who treat you like a second class citizen just because you're scraping off dead skin from their feet? Would you wanna work for their pay and have a 10-12 hour shift? That's why they're non-standard salons. You have standards. You value your work and time. And there are people out there who will value you for the service you provide. People who go there obviously don't or won't until it's too late.

 

[Twinners]

Let's not assume their immigration status and what products they may or may not be using for a minute. Those kinds of shops don't operate in a way a standard salon does (no consultation, ect). Their drive is to get as many people in and out the door as possible to generate the most income. You figure if they're not getting paid at least a minimum wage, on commission with no base pay, and the prices are cheap, they gotta compensate somehow. You may see people queuing out to the next block, but you also see the downside. Look at the quality of people going in there. Would you put a set of l&p on a 13 year old girl? Would you wanna work on someone who treat you like a second class citizen just because you're scraping off dead skin from their feet? Would you wanna work for their pay and have a 10-12 hour shift? That's why they're non-standard salons. You have standards. You value your work and time. And there are people out there who will value you for the service you provide. People who go there obviously don't or won't until it's too late.

That's true and no, I would not. But the million dollar question, is how do we educate people...or do we wait for them to learn from their mistakes? And can we make a decent living in the meantime...

 

[PhuongL]

Majority of my clients are clients from local NSS with bad experiences. I had to wait for them to learn the hard way and have terrible nails and service before I could educate them. Unfortunately it just takes time

 

[hazeleyes]

Let's not assume their immigration status and what products they may or may not be using for a minute. Those kinds of shops don't operate in a way a standard salon does (no consultation, ect). Their drive is to get as many people in and out the door as possible to generate the most income. You figure if they're not getting paid at least a minimum wage, on commission with no base pay, and the prices are cheap, they gotta compensate somehow. You may see people queuing out to the next block, but you also see the downside. Look at the quality of people going in there. Would you put a set of l&p on a 13 year old girl? Would you wanna work on someone who treat you like a second class citizen just because you're scraping off dead skin from their feet? Would you wanna work for their pay and have a 10-12 hour shift? That's why they're non-standard salons. You have standards. You value your work and time. And there are people out there who will value you for the service you provide. People who go there obviously don't or won't until it's too late.

Just to correct you on your assumption, that I am assuming- believe me I'm not assuming everyone in a non NSS salon is the same but I live here, always have done and I've seen people in some of these shops running out the back and hiding from the police! With my own eyes....

Also there have been lots of articles on anticipated crackdowns in immigration status in the industry and the positive effects this may have on everyone else in this business!

Also I know the products because the local nail supplier for most of the NSS salons is here! People flock far and wide to come to it. I went in and asked for non mma monomer the shop owner looked at me, frowned and said "most people here buy mma". I'm not assuming! I live here i, I see it!!

I'm merely explaining how they can afford to do it so cheap! Emphasis here is on quantity and not quality

 

[hazeleyes]

Majority of my clients are clients from local NSS with bad experiences. I had to wait for them to learn the hard way and have terrible nails and service before I could educate them. Unfortunately it just takes time

I know..... Years ago I learnt the hard way, I had my nails ruined once at an NSS salon and never returned but for so many.... They just don't seem to mind! Lol

 

[jodiewood]

Just had a lady come to me from one of those salons, she's not going to go to them anymore as she was so pleased with that I did to her nails today! Feeling pleased

 

[hazeleyes]

That's true and no, I would not. But the million dollar question, is how do we educate people...or do we wait for them to learn from their mistakes? And can we make a decent living in the meantime...

Exactly! This is what worries me! Years ago it used to be £70 a set of acrylics however it just see to be getting devalued every day! I don't think it could possibly get any cheaper than £8 though

 

[hazeleyes]

Just had a lady come to me from one of those salons, she's not going to go to them anymore as she was so pleased with that I did to her nails today! Feeling pleased View attachment 45692

Oh great, they look lovely! Let's hope you can convert more people!

 

[411]

The best thing we can do is educate the clients who come from there.
I have had clients from there who I've educated and they pass that onto there friends and tell them not to go there.

I know it's annoying especially when there's massive queues outside these NSS. But the clientele they have is young girls,who are not bothered about their nails being butchered, their only attraction there is because they are cheap!

This is why my target clients are working woman, professionals, who want a proper treatment from consultation, to advising on what products are being used, to aftercare.

I walk pass these salons all the time, advertising CND Shellac, no certificate on the wall, doubt it's the same product in the bottle either!

Yes they take 45 mins to do full sets of acrylics, to the 2 1/2 hours I take but my clients are happy coming for 2 1/2 hours that I spend on them, knowing I'm looking after their nails.

The sight outside these salons is horrible! Like you say about 6-8 desks with technicians sitting their with masks on, no certificates on walls to show any qualifications etc and the smell is disgusting!

I will be the happiest person when these salons are finally closed down and genuine professionals like us finally get to do the job properly and gain the clientele we deserve.

 

[Nails<3]

Exactly! This is what worries me! Years ago it used to be £70 a set of acrylics however it just see to be getting devalued every day! I don't think it could possibly get any cheaper than £8 though

Try £5 in my area. On every sales page on fb, gumtree there is someone offering enhancements for £5. I have no idea how but can only assume they have no formal training, they are not registered with HMRC and are not running a business legitimately. You can not run a business charging £5-10 for nails.

A new girl on my fb charges £10 for shellac or £12 for shellac and luxury mani. How on earth I do not know. Hopefully she will be gone as quick as she has arrived. They always do.

Laura x