To charge or not to charge, this is the question

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toodles

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Sharpthorne, West Sussex
Okay, I've been working on my price list and it struck me that I'm not sure if I should include varnishing in another service or always charge it on top of a service. For example, if someone has a manicure or pedicure and want their nails painted, do you include it in the cost of the manicure or pedicure or always charge for painting on top of that service.

Yours confused :rolleyes:
Jeni
 
polish is included in all of my services....foc (i just costed the price into)
 
Polish should always be included with any service. I don't think there should be a seperate cost for it.
 
Thanks for the replies. It does make sense to include it. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't throwing money away.

Thanks
 
Hi
Polish is included in all of my services but on my price list I have also separate price for polishing nails in case if someone wants just reapply their nail polish...
 
Yep same here polish included, Just make sure your prices cover it ;)
 
You all say polish is included but is it really??

Most of my clients these days do not want polish but would rather have pretty pink and white Forever French nails.

My polish is a seperate charge. Other wise the ones that don't have it want a discount!!

It takes 10-15 minutes to apply a base, 2 coats of colour and a top coat plus spray drier or similar. With 8-10 clients per day, that time adds up!!
Can you afford to work for 2 hours a day for nothing??

Just make sure when you say that your polish is included, that it really IS included and that you are not working for too little return.
 
Hi,

i changed my brochure and pricing last week and I no longer include polish within the price and mainly for the reasons already stated.
 
I personally like to include for a polish rather than a separate charge is it makes life easier - plus being mobile I find that it could not afford to go out for just a polish only which if it was in my price list I know they would call for just a paint...but thats from a mobile point of view
 
I factor in the cost of the polish as part of the manicure/pedicure treatment but i also state on my price list that American or French Manicure they have to add £3 more coz that takes longer.
 
Here's what I've come up with after seeing what people have suggested so far. For my manicure or pedicure service I've included polish. If they want french (white and pink polish), I've included it but the cost is £3.00 more. As for overlays, I've put it as an extra, because, as Geeg says, I imagine most people don't want a colour if they're having forever french. I'm all still in the planning stage, so I'm sure I'll change my mind a million times between now and when I actually get a client!!
 
toodles said:
Here's what I've come up with after seeing what people have suggested so far. For my manicure or pedicure service I've included polish. If they want french (white and pink polish), I've included it but the cost is £3.00 more. As for overlays, I've put it as an extra, because, as Geeg says, I imagine most people don't want a colour if they're having forever french. I'm all still in the planning stage, so I'm sure I'll change my mind a million times between now and when I actually get a client!!
Sounds like you've taken the advice from all and used it wisely - go girl!!!
 
Just to put my two penneth in. I had my nails natural last year and for a treat I would have a manicure every so often - also gave me the chance to way up the oppositionand learn other peoples' techniques. They said a polish was included - as you know nothing comes for free and so they would have (or should have) calculated the time of a polish in the price. This really disgruntled me as I didn't want a polish as it would get knackered as soon as i went back to work and I objected to paying for something I wasn't getting. So from personal experience I charge extra for polish, but keep my manicure prices lower to compensate for it. When people query my policy I can then explain my own experience! Hopes this helps.
 
I have to say i charge extra for french or american polish at £3 a time. If performing manicure then its included in the price as most want polish after anyway.

Do what works for you.
 
Hmmm. After Sarah's point, I'm starting to wonder if it would be better to charge for polish separately in all situations. That way, people know where they are and it would sort out those feeling ripped off if they didn't want their nails painted. Oh the dilemma! Bearing in mind this is all a hypothetical situation at the moment, given I'm still a student!!!
 
toodles said:
Hmmm. After Sarah's point, I'm starting to wonder if it would be better to charge for polish separately in all situations. That way, people know where they are and it would sort out those feeling ripped off if they didn't want their nails painted. Oh the dilemma! Bearing in mind this is all a hypothetical situation at the moment, given I'm still a student!!!
Okay, here's a suggestion: go into a few local salons and see what they do! Get their price lists and ask a few questions and it will give you a few tips :)
 
That's a good idea. Thanks Carole
 
Hi there,

Polish is included in the price of my manicures and pedicures. If a client has a full set of enhancements put on, i always apply a base coat then a topcoat of total eclipse, or if they have a polish they get a base coat,colour then topcoat. I find that the only clients that want a colour are the ones who have natural enhancements, not the pink and whites. I also have a mini manicure where they can have cuticle work, file and polish, and i always charge a few pounds more if its a french polish. Hope this is of some help!

Michelle x
 
toodles said:
Okay, I've been working on my price list and it struck me that I'm not sure if I should include varnishing in another service or always charge it on top of a service. For example, if someone has a manicure or pedicure and want their nails painted, do you include it in the cost of the manicure or pedicure or always charge for painting on top of that service.

Yours confused :rolleyes:
Jeni

I include it with manicures and pedicures...but I don't with enhancements.
Its because polish takes extra 15-20 minutes (to pick the color and I also give it a quick dry between the coats..then sometimes someone smudges it and so on)

I do lots of gels and most of them are either french or clear gel overlay and most of my clients don't get polish.
So I don't book extra time for this.

But if the client wants polish they have to tell me in advance because I don't want to make my next client wait.
 
3.00 sounds awfully low for 15 minutes extra work! I could not afford to work for 12.00 per hour.

Even 7-8 years ago I was charging 5.50. In fact We had a salon policy that it was minimum of 5.50 to even sit in a chair at the nail desk ... so 5.50 was what we also charged for repairs if someone walked in and sat down.

I work at a set price per hour so all charges are worked out on that.
 

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