Price matching request?

[emmiline]

Was contacted yesterday by one of my longstanding regular clients, (waxing 2-3times yearly before holidays)
She enquired as to how much my pedicure and facial treatments were as she "fancied treating herself"
I already charge this client less than I should (have read lots of threads on this matter and realise I've done myself no favours) her price has been the same for the last 5years.
So stuck to my guns and quoted the 'actual' price. Feel a lot more confident about charging my real prices since reading advice on here.

This was her reply this morning at 7.
(prices and business names removed)

Just to let you know, xxxxxxxxxx in Xxxxxxxx are offering this for £xx back body polish plus mini back and shoulder massage plus full express facial plus foot or hand massage plus nail shape and polish or buff, Louise at the gym told me, how much would you charge as I'd really perfer you, to have to go there!

Now this is going to bother me all day! I'm actually feeling quite offended, think I'm too 'close' to the situation to come up with a professional, unbiased reply.

Should I come down on my prices to keep her from going elsewhere knowing full well this may become a regular occurrence as I will be seen to 'price match' OR stay at full price and let her go elsewhere and hope that I'm standing up for what I believe in i.e that I as the business owner get to decide my price list not my client or the salon round the corner.

Thanks for any help in advance!

 

[Lady Murasaki]

I have had clients try and price match in the past and, yes it can come across as offensive, as I set my rates accordingly to cover my products/time, my car/MOT/petrol (i work mobile) and god forbid make a make profit and pay myself a salary at the end of it!

Ppl in todays climit will try and blag a deal I'm afriad and they dont understand/dont care what the on going costs of running small business are.

You could explain to your client she is already getting a fantastic deal on waxing, thus already saving her £xx amount off each wax already from booking you and that you havent put her cost of a wax up for 5 years, thus saving her a grand total of £xxx over the last 5 years on waxing!

Which is prob more that she is being asked to spend on a facial/pedi lol

I would also advise you that you could also mention later on to her that you will be putting her 'special rate' up graduallyby £x amount due product costs etc, so that you start to gradually over a course of time bring her 'speical rate' in to line with your price list.

Also you could say that your prices are set accordingly so that you can not only cover your products/time, but salon running costs and make a profit (god forbid lol) too and that you belive that the high quality prouducts and services you offer are worth charging the prices you do.

As a business owners we sometimes have to make very hard, unpopular and sometimes selfish decisions in order for our business to survive, make a profit and grow in todays climate.

This MEANS letting go of or standing up to clients that do not serve our businesses well (i.e. persistent cancellers or price matchers a like) and standing our ground over the rates we charge to our clients and our terms and conditions of businesses.


HTH

natalie

 

[sophiegees]

I wouldnt mention about putting the waxing up at this stage or whe may move to the other place for waxing too.

What you could do is say you dont do price matching etc - but as she is a regular client you will match them for one treatment only - after that it will be your full price (or perhaps a tiny small discount if she is regular). That way you keep her and she has the oportunity to see how good you are. Whilst you are doing it tell her about the products and how good they are.

xx

 

[Miss Therapy]

Definitely stick to your guns. If you're confident you're supplying a great service using good quality products then why should you lower your prices unless it's a special offer?

Everyone tries their luck but this is just taking advantage. You could explain that you'd prefer her to come to you too but your prices reflect your level of service/products (never be seen to be slating the other salon) and that you've kept her waxing prices lower because you have a good rapport (subtly highlighting the good deal she's already been getting). You could also say that you'll let her know if you run any offers on these other services but the prices are set for a reason.

 

[Redduck]

I wouldn't price match. Stick with you gut instinct. You are good at what you do and you are worth what you charge.

I remember when I first started out I seemed to give discounts for this and discounts for that. One day a friend asked me if I actually charged full price to anyone. The answer was no and I learnt my lesson. Nowadays I don't give discounts but I might give a complimentary foot massage or hand massage with a treatment.

Maybe that's something you could say, I don't price match but as a valued customer I would offer a complimentary (insert small treatment) with your first facial / pedicure. You could do this when the mask was on or when the nails were drying so that it wouldn't even eat into your time.

Let us know what you decide to do.

 

[Blue Rose]

If she only comes in to see you 2-3 times per year I'd be inclined to stick to your guns & charge full whack.

 

[jacquelineanna]

I agree with Blue Rose, 2-3 times per year is not actually keeping you in business.

I would very politely write back and say:

Thank you for your text.

It is with regret that I advise you to take up the offer at the Gym as it appears to be an extreme bargain price.

I look forward to seeing you at your next waxing appointment.

Enjoy your pamper day.

Kind regards

 

[Kate1982]

I agree that you shouldn't price match you are not a discount salon. Like others I have refused to do this in the past and the majority of the time the clients come back to me after going for an inferior service elsewhere.
Such as a client asked me to do Minx for £10 instead of my usual £20 which is what the salon down the road was doing it for. I told her I couldn't possibly give a service up to my standard and even cover my costs for that amount. She tried the other salon only to find they weren't using Minx and the girl was poorly trained and they peeled.
Be confindent in your worth. We don't put our life and sole into our business to be reduced to a discount salon.
Plus by the sounds of all that it's probably a Groupon Deal....

 

[nicolaluise]

I too agree with Bluerose, naughty cheeky client even asking!

I would never ever bow down to pressure, your price is set so stick to it!

If she decides to try the "gym" then so be it, there may be a good reason they are cheaper ... That's for your client to find out.

Good luck chuck

 

[emmiline]

Thanks for the advice have been stewing it over in my head all morning.
Should probably get in touch with her I don't want to lose her as a client, alas she will not make me my fortune! But I do appreciate her 2-3 visits a year.
Also she did return to me after my maternity leave so that is something I appreciate.

Think I will take your suggestions I may revise my price of pedicure as this is not using a great deal of product and I do a great deal of gelish now, hardly ever use 'normal' polish but I shall not be reducing my facial

 

[emmiline]

Sent that before I finished!

I shall not be reducing my facial, may take the suggestion of adding in another small free of charge treatment at the same time as a thank you. Will let you know how I get on!

Here goes.........

 

[lucelasticx]

DONT PRICE MATCH!!!!

We are not multinationals like Tescos , we are hard working individuals.

Also once you have done it for one where does it stop , they tell their friends !!!

Sometimes people have to go to the competition to try it out, just give a superior service and they end up coming back .

 

[Dolly6410]

DONT PRICE MATCH!!!!

We are not multinationals like Tescos , we are hard working individuals.

Also once you have done it for one where does it stop , they tell their friends !!!

Sometimes people have to go to the competition to try it out, just give a superior service and they end up coming back .

pahaha i was waiting for someone to put this, someone wrote on a thread a few weeks ago 'i'm not tesco, i don't price match!' and it made me giggle for hours, i had a client ask for a price match on another salon a few days later and i was soooo tempted to text it back, obviously being a mature professional i would never actually say this to a client.... but i so wanted to! amazing quote :lol:

 

[emmiline]

I didn't price match wooooo!
I offered her a thank you for her loyalty and lowered my pedicure price but still at an amount I was happy with no discount on the facial!
I also advised her this sounded a brilliant deal and if she did take up the offer I would not take it personally, did not want to appear like sour grapes.

I don't have 8 staff members and in my opinion (I may be wrong) they must only have been taking the bookings with at most 2 of these staff as they would be run off their feet! Terms and conditions must also apply i.e days and times.
I am only one person with a young son and soon a mortgage to pay. Your so b****y right I'm not tesco lol.

I suppose from a clients point of view if you don't ask you don't get!

Thanks for the advice!
She is now booked for Saturday

 

[Metamorfosis]

pahaha i was waiting for someone to put this, someone wrote on a thread a few weeks ago 'i'm not tesco, i don't price match!' and it made me giggle for hours, i had a client ask for a price match on another salon a few days later and i was soooo tempted to text it back, obviously being a mature professional i would never actually say this to a client.... but i so wanted to! amazing quote :lol:

Guilty, that was me

 

[Dolly6410]

Guilty, that was me

haha it made my day! one day i'm going to say it to someone! maybe the day i retire from beauty :lol:

 

[Tomme]

The cheeky mare! Next thing we know we will have to update ourselves on comparethemarket.com or the likes because people will be wanting it xoxo

 

[Metamorfosis]

haha it made my day! one day i'm going to say it to someone! maybe the day i retire from beauty :lol:

I actually can't recall saying it to the person, I think I just thought it out loud on SG one day

 

[rachael204]

How cheeky to even ask!! I have been asked if that is my best price (never face to face, people just don't have the b***s for that) - to which I reply, yes that it my price.
If they choose to go elsewhere then that is up to them!

 

[BeeBeautiful]

If they like you they will pay. Clients are still loyal to a certain degree and sometimes we inadvertently under sell ourselves cos we're afraid to charge what we think we're worth for fear no-one will pay it, when actually, they would probably pay more. I have a massage client that got a full body for £15, (at the time he was my practice before the business went official, and I set my prices a little low in the beginning. So he got a £5 discount.) he stopped getting massages last April due to personal reason son his part, and has only just taken them back up. I told him he now has to pay £20, (I'm still prepared to give him 'mates rates' and his £5 off as I now charge £25,) and although he moaned a lot, he pays it and re books me. They will pay what you ask if they like you. X