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:::Why Don't AA Dominate the Hair Care Industry:::

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skipper said:
you might want to examine and compare the spending and saving habits in the asian community and compare and contrast them with those of the aa/black community.
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I think that this is a MAJOR reason! We live in such a get rich quick, instant gratification society. People don't feel comfortable investing in something when it takes a few years for the return.
 
We DID run this industry from manufacture to distribution until the late 80s-early 90s. The crack came and many sons smoked up their father's businesses. Sad but true. This is when the Koreans came in.

I always encourage people to buy Dudley'sQ products because they are one of the last hold outs of manufacture and distribution from the pre 00 period. I don't hold out much hope for it to go back to the old days tho, for many reasons, but Dudley's are one of the last bastians w/ the history to back it.
 
Most of the money made in a beauty supply store is from HAIR. Money is made from hair care products, but the markup on HAIR is tremendous. Most of the hair is manufactured OVERSEAS. A lot of the manufactures/distributors are asian and will not sell to african americans. Now, they won't come out and say it like that. I know from first hand knowledge. There are ways to try and get around it but it does take some maneuvering.
 
BostonMaria said:
I think it would take people only buying from black owned beauty supplies or online vendors. Also making an honest effort to buy American made products. Just because a product says "African Pride" does not mean it was made in Africa or by AA's.
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Yup. We, as a people, simply don't do enough to support our own. Asians do it. Jews do it. Other ethnic enclaves do it, keep their money in their communities. Statistically, money lasts the shortest time in Black communities. We are also the top spenders when it comes to things like apparel and hair care (per capita). There is no unity in our efforts, no Ujamaa. In fact, it almost seems like some people go out of their way to make excuses to not support Black businesses. As part of my commitment to being more natural in my hair care, i've also decided to focus on spending my money with Black-owned businesses.

The second part is that racism excludes Black people from penetrating certain markets and arenas of the haircare game. Being dominated by Asians (Koreans, Chinese, Indians, etc) means those people are supporting each other as vendors, suppliers, etc. (see above). There is a racial tension and Black business folks are finding themselves being unable to get a sizeable piece of the pie.

Its up to us, those of us who obsess over our hair, to refocus where we spend our dollars.
 
Anew said:
It would be nice to offer most of the same products other BSS offer, but to have a section specifically for natural hair care brands like Miss Jessies or Carols Daughter, etc...

This is something I'm seriously considering doing. Wouldn't it be amazing if there were an AA owned chain beauty supply store such as Sally?
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Ricky's in NYC does this and that's why I love them.

I think your idea about Black-owned BSSs is a great one. The key is being able to buy the products in enough quantities to get a good wholesale price. The reason Wal-mart keeps their prices so low is because they can purchase 1 million pieces of an item and get it cheaper, per unit, than say a chain that can only purchase 100,000 pieces of an item.
 
Anew said:
But how is it so easy for someone that was not born in this country to come by that start up capital, but not for us? I know about 3 stores here owned by the same people. Its all so amazing to me
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They pool their resources and make it a community effort.
 
shenitab said:
Most of the money made in a beauty supply store is from HAIR. Money is made from hair care products, but the markup on HAIR is tremendous. Most of the hair is manufactured OVERSEAS. A lot of the manufactures/distributors are asian and will not sell to african americans. Now, they won't come out and say it like that. I know from first hand knowledge. There are ways to try and get around it but it does take some maneuvering.
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If they can go pick up some hair off a temple floor for cheap, so can we. It takes a little foresight and putting away our negative thoughts.
 
purplepeace79 said:
Yup. We, as a people, simply don't do enough to support our own. Asians do it. Jews do it. Other ethnic enclaves do it, keep their money in their communities.
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That's it in a nutshell. As Anew mentioned, it's cooperative economics. The Latino bodegas are run the same way. When one owner has the capital to open a store elsewhere, he'll pass on the original store to a relative or friend...never to an "outsider." Sometimes they'll change the name or the storefront awning will be different, but rest assured the store has been kept "in the family." It's just an example of the collectivist mindset many non-Americans are raised in.
 
1. Many BSS'ers (non AA) buy in volume and get deep wholesale discounts.
2. Even Dudlys (an AA Brand) would not cut a similiar deal with a "single" or small distributers
3. WE (AAs) like to save a buck. Therefore it's hard for us to see the benefits of spending the extra $ in a shop owned by AAs, even if the product is "fresher"
4. We don't seem to mind buying "substandard" products or even deceptive products; as long as it's "cheaper".
5. This video might explain some of it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msY2S3wdFVY

My statement: Buyer beware
My question is "How can we affect Change?".
 
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lovenharmony said:
Why? Because the Asians have a lockdown on it :look: They are the primary distributors of hair care products all over the world and typically refuse to sell to other businesses not owned by Asians :nono: It's sad to say that, but it's the reality of the hair care industry.
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I wonder if that is legal!!!? If there were a manufacturer that systematically refused to sell products to black-owned businesses... I smell a lawsuit.
 
We did @ one point...but made the mistake of selling our businesses and according to the writers of Hair Story there was a biased policy that made 1 of the biggest black owned companies who place a warning on the relaxer box saying it contained lye (must b b4 no-lye was available)...But did not require the same of their competition (Revlon...I think?) do the same...Anyway, this caused the black owned company 2 lag behind in sales...and after that...they never quite caught up...

ETA: Also its become of niche 4 certain ethnic groups bcuz they realize that's where the money is...
 
I'm pretty sure I heard somewhere that asian businesses don't sell products to black-owned businesses, which makes it hard for them to get revenue.
 
This thread is very depressing because reality bites...but it is very enlightening and I'm glad the message is put out there and discussed.
 
Ivonnovi said:
1. Many BSS'ers (non AA) buy in volume and get deep whosale discounts.
2. Even Dudlys (an AA Brand) would not cut a similiar deal with a "single" or small distributers
3. WE (AAs) like to save a buck. Therefore it's hard for us to see the benefits of spending the extra $ in a shop owned by AAs, even if the product is "fresher"
4. We don't seem to mind buying "substandard" products or even deceptive products; as long as it's "cheaper".
5. This video might explain some of it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msY2S3wdFVY

My statement: Buyer beware
My question is "How can we affect Change?".
Click to expand...
What she said! How many people did you see buying the $5 relaxer kit with only a leave-in conditoner in there, and the $1 grease to go with it? Business is business. People wanna make a buck they will. It's like Walmart: qnty over qlty and that's how they win.
 
The idea that "we" can't "Own" the market for products sold to us, makes as much since to me as the concept of an "outsider cornering the market to sell Ice to the Eskimos". We just to darn lazzy and spitefull to support and demand support for our own businesses. If they won't sell or promote our products then we should KIM and create & cultivate our own market NOT except their stuff. Look at it like this: If tomorrow you walked into a resturaunt that insisted you go around to the backdoor to be served, would you sheepishly go to the backdoor pay for a meal? WE HAVE GOT TO STOP GOING TO THE F'N BACK DOOR! (of any market)

Helpmeblongagain said:
We did @ one point...but made the mistake of selling our businesses and according to the writers of Hair Story there was a biased policy that made 1 of the biggest black owned companies who place a warning on the relaxer box saying it contained lye (must b b4 no-lye was available)...But did not require the same of their competition (Revlon...I think?) do the same...Anyway, this caused the black owned company 2 lag behind in sales...and after that...they never quite caught up...

ETA: Also its become of niche 4 certain ethnic groups bcuz they realize that's where the money is...
Click to expand...
 
Black AFRICANS are steadily moving into the hair care business, so race alone simply doesn't address the question, IMHO.
 
While I agree that Blacks need to support their own more, how many people do you know IRL who are knowledgeable about this issue? You can go into just about any BSS and see that it is owned by Asians and most of the products are Made in China. But that doesn't make most people stop and think that they are doing themselves and their community an injustice by not supporting their own.

But you can also look at people who think they need to relax their hair every month or every couple of weeks and see that their has isn't growing (retaining) and is thin and damaged but that doesn't stop our ignorance about quality black hair care practices and techniques.

Just like Sistas With Strands is working to spread the word about healthy haircare and let black women know that their hair can grow long, it is going to take someone or a group of people dedicated to publicizing the issue to inform the masses. After that happens we can really say whether black people are or aren't supporting our own in the hair industry.
 
NVM.. what i said
but I'll say, I think we (blacks in America) complain a considerable amount more then we actually take action, and the same thing is repeated over and over...

Is someone going to take action or not?
And why haven't you done anything.... this goes for all topics (not this one so much actually) that has been beaten like a dead horse...
 
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It would be nice to see a lot of LHCF BSS stores. I would shop there. Maybe it can be called HC (Hair Care) or LHC, then the forum site can be linked to the store chains. Run by AA Women.
 
I feel we dont dominate because most of the products are geared towards hair care... Most AA women spend money and buy product the hide or alter our hair. More money is spent on making our hair fit european standards of beauty as opposed to nourishing our natural kinks and curls.

thats my 2 cents on the situation.
 
This has been a question that I have pondered for a while as well! I am loving this thread ladies. I do what I can to support Black Beauty Supply stores, etc. There are not many in a close range of my home, but I do buy from black vendors online and have been pleased with the quality and the service! I always try to support black owned business, bookstores, etc. My mother and grandfather were entrepreneurs so I come from a long line of such, even though I am not one (and they are always trying to get me to leave my consulting position and "hang my own shingle, with my own company").
 
I primarily shop at a Black-Owned BSS...but I will run to Sally's and a Korean-Owned BSS in L.A. for things I can't get at my usual BSS.

I keep hearing this statement that asians won't sell products to us or are blocking us from getting products, but I just don't buy it. Not one bit. Access to capital and lack of unity are our main problems (and sometimes really bad customer service).

ORS
Aphogee
Elasta QP
Mizani
Roux
Nexxus
Hask
Rusk
Redken
Mixed Chicks
Neutrogena Triple Moisture

This is a list of my favorite brands. Brands that I also have contacts for at their corporate offices. Brands that no BSS owner could prevent me from purchasing should I ever decide to open a store.

Not only that, but I get regular emails from hair vendors in China and India begging me to purchase hair. I attend a couple of the beauty industry trade shows that come through Los Angeles so I have access to many, many distributors and vendors.

Anybody with some money or investors hit me up and we can talk about opening a store. Perhaps we should talk about starting co-ops so that products can be purchased in larger quantities.

Someone also mentioned we need to have our own products instead of just the ones purchased from other manufacturers. I got that covered too…somewhere in my stash is the info for manufacturing my own products. In fact, I’ve already done it once and had some samples made that people LOVED.
 
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Sugar said:
I keep hearing this statement that asians won't sell products to us or are blocking us from getting products, but I just don't buy it. Not one bit. Access to capital and lack of unity are our main problems (and sometimes really bad customer service).

Brands that no BSS owner could prevent me from purchasing should I ever decide to open a store.

Not only that, but I get regular emails from hair vendors in China and India begging me to purchase hair. I attend a couple of the beauty industry trade shows that come through Los Angeles so I have access to many, many distributors and vendors.
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I think the problem is with Asians directing the most valuable products (read: weave hair from asia) to their own businesses, and not to black owned business. I don't think they mind selling to individuals (you are the target customer, after all.)

If they can skip the black owned business and go straight to the BUYER then that's a goal met.

I have nothing against human weave hair... but... the minute we stop buying that stuff, the minute the Asian owned monopoly ends.
 
LadyRaider said:
I think the problem is with Asians directing the most valuable products (read: weave hair from asia) to their own businesses, and not to black owned business. I don't think they mind selling to individuals (you are the target customer, after all.)

If they can skip the black owned business and go straight to the BUYER then that's a goal met.

I have nothing against human weave hair... but... the minute we stop buying that stuff, the minute the Asian owned monopoly ends.
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I think it may be slightly different with weaving hair, but the vendors that contact me would be thrilled if I purchased in large quantities. The vendor that handles Dena Cali/Bobbi Boss is right here in SoCal they've never had a problem with me purchasing large quantities (I've never done it, but I've had convos with them over the phone).
 
Its not just the AA hair/products industry Asian dominate. Asians dominate nail salons and nail spas also. So they get our money in 2 prime beauty industries.

I once was involved in a nail spa and I live in an area where its approx 65 white, 30 black and others. Most of our clients were white, about 95 percent. I would try to give potential black customers a list of our specials and websites/ business cards and a few were loyal customers. We also made products. My white clients were the most loyal.

Its a crying shame.
 
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