Advice on reviewing salon pricing

Are you charging enough?

There’s no point in being a ‘busy fool’ you are in business to make a living, so it is important that you charge enough for your services. However, what is a fair price for various levels of grooming? We have some advice from the experts.

Colin Taylor warns against price-calling other salons. He suggests checking out competitors’ websites for general interest but working out your own pricing.

He said: “I find it helpful to start with an ‘hourly’ guide price. For example only: £30 per hour. I make bookings with the assumption that a medium sized dog will generally take 1.5 hours, so my ‘guide price’ for an average dog would be £45.

“This assumes that the groomer can comfortably manage six dogs in an eight hour day allowing time for lunch and coffee breaks. So, if that’s my ‘median’ price for a medium dog, I adjust the scale for small dogs, large dogs and extra large dogs.

“I then work out a rate for just a bath and dry. A higher rate for scissoring/ styling. Another rate for shave-off and a separate rate for hand-stripping.

“I always make sure I have a minimum price. Doesn’t matter what breed or how small. If the customer has made a booking, there will be a minimum charge. My minimum will be £35 so that’s what I will charge, even if it only took an hour to groom the dog.” *

Debby Knight of The Bristles Dog Grooming and Training Salon - an Assessment Centre under Summit Groomer Training Group says:

“Be brave, review your grooming prices. This is the time of year your tax return has to be in, so if you need an excuse to raise the prices this is it. Your overheads have gone up so your prices need to do the same.

“If you had increased your prices in line with inflation over the last 15 years you should be charging double what you were probably charging in 2000. For example, 15 years ago I charged £21 for a Westie so I should be charging £42 today . I recommend you increase any prices under £30 by £2 and anything else an additional £1.50 per £10. If you have a customer that is paying well below market rate and you have plenty of business, put their price up to the going rate of the other customers.”

However, you will know the dynamics of what the market can stand in your area and it is equally important to consider what you feel your customers are willing and able to pay and what your competitors are charging. *Source: What Would Colin Do?

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