RETAIL REASONING

Want to create a retail area in your salon but aren’t sure the best way to go about it? Or maybe you’re struggling for space and don’t know how to incorporate retail into your existing space?

Whatever your dilemma, our retail expert Matthew Lutos, managing director of Vision Salons, has the answers. Here he tackles some of the most common questions when it comes to creating a salon retail area…

I have an existing retail area that is not doing particularly well, but I don’t have a huge amount of stock. Could this be the reason why are stock levels that important?

Absolutely – stock levels are a major factor and you should always have your retail area well stocked with a wide variety of different professional products to choose from. It is really important that you look like you are open for business and that you have the image of a professional retailer. You are never going to achieve this unless you are well stocked up.

Fully stocked shelves with variety invite people to reach out and buy, whereas shelves that are low on stock and minimal will look like a display that’s not for sale. People won’t buy from something that looks like a display but they will buy from something that looks like a professional retail area. Look at supermarkets and department stores and the way they display their products- there is a reason why they pay people to constantly fill the shelves. And ensure variety.

I don’t have prices on my products because I’m scared the price will put people off and stop them from buying. Am I right?

Actually the worst thing you can do is not price your products. Think of any other professional retail outlet and imagine if they did not price things. Instantly you would buy less because you would be too embarrassed to ask or would not be able to make an informed decision without the price knowledge. Research has shown that out of all the people who do not buy professional salon products, more than 70% of them do not do so because they do not know the price.

In the UK in particular we do not like to ask how much something is, because we do not want the embarrassment of declining the purchase and looking as if we cannot afford it. My recommendation to salons is to buy a nice piece of acrylic and use it to display prices on. By pricing everything you are also immediately delivering the message that you are open for business.

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