Sky High
Wednesday, January 5th, 2022 | Uncategorized | No Comments
None of us need reminding of the astronomical rise in inflation over the past year. We see it in every purchase we make, and it stands to reason that these rising prices could have an impact on your salon visits.
The small businesses that did survive 2020 are now facing challenges that could become an even greater threat to their survival than COVID, and that is the never-before-seen levels of inflation.
From mid-January 2020 to mid-January 2021, our cost of goods used for salon services has gone up well over 25%, retail products are up another 15%, shipping costs up 40%, and normal operating supplies up another 25%. Add to that, fuel costs for our commuting staff have nearly doubled. These factors have had a negative impact on our efforts to operate for profit.
Salons in general do not always raise prices the same way a grocery store might. We are not selling a can of beans or a dozen eggs. We are selling a very personalized service to our guests that we most likely have a personal relationship with. This relationship, which we covet, can make it difficult to raise service prices at a rate to keep up with this never-before-seen inflation.
In addition, we have taken for granted that our supplies would always be available to us as they have in the past. That is now no longer the case. Many salons have struggled managing their hair color inventories and developer, a key ingredient to hair color, has been in very short supply.
You can clearly see that these economic factors taking place over the past 12 months could impact your salon visits, so do not be shocked if inflation works its way into your salon’s personal services.
On behalf of Salon Professionals everywhere, please allow me the opportunity to thank every one of you for your continued patronage to the salon you choose. Without you, there would be fewer of us.
Brian K. Whitehead
Managing Partner
The Village Salon
