Product Diversion (Long)

[diamond_nh]

Maybe I am naive but I thought that salons made most of their money by doing hair because none of the salons I ever went to tried to push products on me. But after going to the behind the chair site (talk Back section) that blackcardinal recommended I see that is not the case. After reading the thoughts of these stylists it seems as though they are all about the money. Ok this is obvious and understandable because it is a business but I didn't think it was that bad. They are angry because stores are starting to sell professional products. Some stylists even went as far as saying when they see that a product they are using is being sold in a store they don't carry it anymore and start pushing something else to their clients. Someone stated that when they see a product being sold in a store it is no longer a professional product in their eyes and they can make it that way by not using it in their salons. They actually go as far as calling these companies in attempts to make them take the products out of the stores. Another person was angry that Sally's is giving discount cards to non-professionals. And of course they hate Trade Secret and Ulta and other salons that have a large retail area.

Also another stylist said that she is tired of her customers coming to her and saying that they found a product she recommended for a cheaper price lol. So she said that she feels like hiding the products she uses from her clients (I have heard this mentioned before). I wonder if you ask them what it was if they would lie lol?

Yes retail stores may be selling a product that they sell for $15 for $12, but this goes on with tons of merchandise not just hair products. I think like someone suggested on the site, if they took better care of their customers and they had a more caring approach then the customers would buy it from them. Well I wouldn't lol but some customers may.

I guess I would feel different if I was a stylist but I'm not so oh well and alot of them (well not all) don't seem to care about us. I can't wait to talk to my cousin about this she is a stylist, but she only does hair part time and privately (so no selling of the products).

Who is making money from these products being sold, the stylist, the owner, or both?

Now the idea of stylists not caring about the health of your hair is not too far fetched. As long as, you keep coming back. I guess the key is find a stylist you trust (all are not bad) and using products not just because your stylist recommends it but because it works wonders for your hair.

Good thing I am doing my own hair now-a-days

!!!

 

[Victorian]

Enlightening, wasn't it?

I don't go to salons anyway, but it was really interesting to hear how the stylists and owners feel about those issues. I think it gets pretty complex though. Some of the product companies promise, for whatever reason, not to allow their products to be sold anywhere besides a salon. So when you're a stylist and find these products at your local walmart, you have to wonder how it got there. Some think the companies are just greedy and unethical, others think that distributors are the ones selling out to the big stores.
All I know is that if I can find some good salon product at Target, you can bet your bottom dollar I'm gonna buy it and go home happy

 

[diamond_nh]

I feel you on that. Those extra dollars can go towards another product

.

The companies shouldn't make those promises if they know they are not going to keep it. But I doubt these companies are going to give up money no matter where it comes from. So they are probably using the stylist to make their products popular and when they are in high demand put them in the stores. It is all about money.

It was just amazing how stylists on that board are willing to jump from one product to another. They can tell you for years that one product is fantastic and then when it becomes available in the store switch to something else that they are going to insist is even more fantastic just to make money. Also it was funny because over here we complain about them trimming too much among other things and over there they are laughing at us for doing our own hair.

I'm glad I do my hair myself now and for a while before that I was going to my cousin. But it is convenient to do it myself because I don't have to book an appointment lol.

 

[sassygirl125]

I went to the site, too. The nasty tone of the "Sally's" thread was a real eye-opener.

I know they are in business to make a profit, but DAMN! They seem to be motivated by money first. What the client wants and needs is waaaaay down on their list of priorities.

To stop carrying a product just because it's available at a place like Trade Secret is just plain crazy.

I hate salons...

 

[Allandra]

Interesting. Thanks for posting.

 

[FineChyna]

[ QUOTE ]
Enlightening, wasn't it?

I don't go to salons anyway, but it was really interesting to hear how the stylists and owners feel about those issues. I think it gets pretty complex though. Some of the product companies promise, for whatever reason, not to allow their products to be sold anywhere besides a salon. So when you're a stylist and find these products at your local walmart, you have to wonder how it got there. Some think the companies are just greedy and unethical, others think that distributors are the ones selling out to the big stores.
All I know is that if I can find some good salon product at Target, you can bet your bottom dollar I'm gonna buy it and go home happy

[/ QUOTE ]

very good points but i have another question: what the hell do stylist expect their clients to do in between appointments? not wash their hair at all? to me there is no reason why people should get irate over shampoo/conditioner and a leave in that they use and their clients found. last i checked not many people get a wash and set EVERY week. and why get mad if they found it cheaper than what you sell it for? all that means is you need to either adjust your costs and find another distribution area to purchase from so that you don't lose money. thats a shame though. thanks for reinforcing the idea on why i dislike salons

 

[sassygirl125]

[ QUOTE ]
what the hell do stylist expect their clients to do in between appointments?

[/ QUOTE ]

That the problem. They want us to be dependent on them for everything. More $$$ for them.

That's one of the reasons why I don't buy the story about Trade Secret, Ulta and even Kroger selling bootleg products. That's what the pros want the public to believe. More $$$ for them. Paul Mitchell has a chain of salons and hundreds of "authorized sellers". Of course he wants us to buy his products from them!

Speaking of PM, where are his attorney's? If I had a product line that was being bootlegged, I'd go to the store in person and whoop somebody's a**!

 

[diamond_nh]

From the way they were talking, I don't think the items in the supermarkets are bootleg products either. They said that they don't understand why the companies write that their products are not guaranteed if not sold in the salons, if the companies are the ones selling it to the stores. I think that message is a precaution in case the item is being sold by a third party to the stores.

Another thing about the Sally's thread, if they were able to learn to do hair why do they feel that it is so hard for someone else to learn to do their own?

Exactly they want their clients to be dependent on them for service and in between products. That is why they only want products that are exclusive to salons. It is correct that if they did a little shopping around to get their products at lower prices or wasn't so greedy to make profits, they could sell their products at the same price as the retail stores. They need to realize that this is business and tons of other stores in different areas of retail make money selling the same products that might be in the store across town. In fact they even make money on hair products too. I don't hear the small bss say oh I can't sell "whatever product" because it is being sold in Sally's, Walmart, Kmart, etc..

 

[Allandra]

Sassygirl,

Very good point about the boot-leg products.

 

[Champagne_Wishes]

I visited that site also. And the impression that I got is that they're just bitter that being a stylist isn't as big of a moneymaker as they hoped.

 

[Champagne_Wishes]

Diamond I totally agree that these stylist make it seem like it's physics when it comes to the hair. Shoot if you are able to read, they you are able to do hair (to follow directions and tweak it to how you see fit).

 

[cutebajangirl]

I was shocked at how nasty they were. A few of them seem really selfish with their knowledge.

A truly good stylistwouldn't have to worry about Sally's because they would always have clients.

 

[ngaa]

wow that article is quite an eye opener...so much for customer care!!

 

[SVT]

Thanks for the site! Very interesting...

 

[FineChyna]

[ QUOTE ]
I was shocked at how nasty they were. A few of them seem really selfish with their knowledge.

A truly good stylistwouldn't have to worry about Sally's because they would always have clients.

[/ QUOTE ]

yeah i was shocked about the sally'scomments to cause they were talking out both sides of their mouth. i know in most areas if you need odds and ends (like curling irons, combs, brushes, bowels, etc) you go to sallys cause they have a better deal. alot of these so called professional salons don't even carry ethnic hair products or your paying too much for a comb. granted i am currently using along w/ other people on the board salon items, there isn't really a salon brand moisterizer or oil for ethnic hair and that is a need staple. besides even if someone got perms and colors from sallys what makes those sylist think that these people want to pay someone to do their hair. a majority of people color at home to advoid the hassles of salon, thats why they have hair color in a box that is heavily pushed in commericals. i understand these people's fustration but i think they are overreacting, are very insensitive, and don't really think before they speak.