Price increase?

[AlanyaMackie]

Hey,

I currently charge £20 for a set of gel nails and need to increase the price as I’m making very little profit. The average for my area is £25-30 for a set of gels. I’m debating weather I increase to £23 or £25.
I am mobile part time and charge £5 for travel.

What are your thoughts is £25 unreasonable? I do a full manicure with cuticle work and hand massage.

 

[Scrubadub]

£20 is too cheap if you’re always doing it with a manicure, I would charge £25

 

[AcidPerm]

What’s your hourly rate after deducting all your costs including travel time.
If you find you’re earning less than the minimum wage, you have to ask yourself if it’s worth doing?

 

[AlanyaMackie]

What’s your hourly rate after deducting all your costs including travel time.
If you find you’re earning less than the minimum wage, you have to ask yourself if it’s worth doing?

Thank you, this is definitely something to think about! It will definitely be less than that but luckily they sometimes book lots of other treatments in

 

[7th-Heaven]

This seems very cheap to me. I used to pay 50-60 pounds for a set of sculpted gel nails when I lived in UK just a few years ago, and that was the rebalance/infill price. I also thought that was a reasonable price at the time, considering where I'm from (norway) you'd be hard pressed to get a quality set with some simple design for under 100 pounds. You should be able to increase your prices and charge a more reasonable price without losing clients.

 

[Scrubadub]

This seems very cheap to me. I used to pay 50-60 pounds for a set of sculpted gel nails when I lived in UK just a few years ago, and that was the rebalance/infill price. I also thought that was a reasonable price at the time, considering where I'm from (norway) you'd be hard pressed to get a quality set with some simple design for under 100 pounds. You should be able to increase your prices and charge a more reasonable price without losing clients.

I assumed the op meant gel polish so that’s why I suggested the price I did but totally agree with you if they are sculpted

 

[7th-Heaven]

I assumed the op meant gel polish so that’s why I suggested the price I did but totally agree with you if they are sculpted

Oh, if that's the case then yes, I agree 25 is more reasonable, but seeing as she said "gel nails", I assumed she meant enhancements and not gel polish.

 

[AlanyaMackie]

Oh, if that's the case then yes, I agree 25 is more reasonable, but seeing as she said "gel nails", I assumed she meant enhancements and not gel polish.

No sculpted. Should have mentioned. Only offer sculpted on the off broken nail, to which I charge accordingly. Thank you x

 

[linzi]

Totally agree with AcidPerm, but would add: when working out your cost per service, remember to include your time to set up and then tidy away afterwards.

I charge £28 for a shellac manicure and 50p per nail for glitter/foil on top. If it's extensions, I charge £40 and £10 for shellac on top.

In either case, £20 is far too cheap.

 

[TheDuchess]

Hi Alanya Happy New Year

The problem that you have is that you are too cheap and your clients have chosen you at this price point. Even though the going rate is a lot more you can't stick your prices up by 25%.

What I suggest is that you set a new rate of £25 for new clients and politely tell your regulars that you need to put your prices up in line with rising costs. Tell them the new rate and then say that of course your existing clients will get a discount as a thank you for their past custom. Offer them £22.50.

What works for me is price increases every 6 months of just a small amount on a few treatments. I've increased my brow shaping rate by 25% in 2 years without anyone seemingly noticing or commenting because I started off with 25p increases and now I'm up to 50p increases. You can also introduce new services. I had a similar problem to you with my gel nail polish rates being too cheap. We created a gel polish shape and paint, mani and luxury mani with gel polish. We found that new bookings asked for the mani. It's kind of like the second cheapest bottle of wine on a restaurant menu - not many people choose the cheapest so restaurants take care to make a good profit of the second cheapest 'cos that's the best seller.

We also worked on our speed and timings. We can do a gel application (no removal) in 25 mins and a gel French mani in 35. Once you get up to speed it's not stressful, it's just normal. You need to think about your hourly rate. You should be pricing at least at £40 per hour in a salon for nails, and £30 per hour mobile. If you can't get your rates up - get your speed up for an instant pay rise!

Good luck
Beatrice xx

 

[Alison Pilkington-Child]

I think knowing your local average prices is a good start and I would just be straight with existing clients and tell them your current prices are not making you any income after costs. Good customers would not want their favourite nail tech packing up on them. [emoji6]
Interesting point about the wine analogy. I experience the same. I offer a low cost gel polish using a decent base and top coat with a generic gel colour but more often than not customers upgrade to a Bio Sculpture gel polish, usually overlays but sometimes with moderate extensions as well. By this time the price has doubled but nobody seems to mind paying the extra once they’ve set their heart on it. Best thing is that the conversion to Bio tends to guarantee return custom too.

Perhaps you could introduce a premium product and see if it works for you too?