Retail can play a crucial role in the success of your beauty business. According to a report by the research firm Kline, salon retail sales had a 7% growth in 2023 and are projected to increase in 2024.
Not only does the sale of hair and skin care products and styling tools contribute to increased revenue, but it also enhances the overall client experience. Retail products complement your salon services by allowing clients to maintain their look at home and take care of their hair between salon visits. That’s why implementing a strong retail strategy can be a game-changer for your salon.
Not sure where to begin? It all starts with your clients:
Educate Your Clients
Teach your clients about the importance of proper aftercare. Based on your expertise and knowledge of their hair, make recommendations while they are in your chair for products and tools. When styling their hair, show them what you’re using and how to use it, so they can recreate the look for themselves.
Manage Your Inventory
To close out each service ticket with an assortment of retail products, you need to have the products in stock to sell them. Use an inventory management system to ensure your shelves are always stocked without overbuying. Use integrated ordering to replenish your stock automatically. Also, use mass updates to add all information at one time and then sync your products so information, including pricing, stays up to date.
Use Technology to its Fullest
Salon software can play a significant role in supporting and optimizing retail efforts. By leveraging the features and capabilities of your salon software, you can streamline your retail operations, increase sales, and provide a better overall experience for your clients.
Here are some ways technology can support your salon retail program:
At checkout, take advantage of your software’s Suggestive Selling features to help recommend the right products to clients. Rosy’s POS automatically makes intelligent suggestions for product purchases based on your client’s personal buying history and the services performed that day. Suggestive selling is a subtle hint to the receptionist to recommend those products at checkout to help increase your high-margin revenue.
Salons using Suggestive Selling report a 19% average increase in product sales.
Online client scheduling allows clients to place products on hold through Product Reservations, which ensures that their favorites are always in stock. The feature will also help your salon inventory stay stocked by knowing what to order.
As a Rosy user, you have an Online Store built right into your account. Once you complete the store setup, you can also offer your favorite brands online. Selling online is a great way to reach clients who leave the salon empty-handed, prefer to shop online, or need to stock up between salon visits.
In 2023, online beauty sales generated roughly $86 billion in the United States.
One of the great things about your Online Store is your ability to easily send Product Recommendations so they can shop online with you when it’s convenient for them.
For the best possible chance of recurring income, encourage clients to take advantage of Product Subscriptions. This feature allows them to stay stocked up on their go-to products by setting the duration between shipments from your Online Store. Product Subscriptions are a great way of earning commissions without doing extra work.
Set up Running Low Reminders through Client Connect Auto Emails. That way, clients can reserve products for their next appointment or buy online to hold them over until their next salon visit.
Embracing salon retail and utilizing technology to its full potential can lead to a more profitable and sustainable salon business.
To make the most of your retail opportunities, be sure to:
- Keep your salon inventory stocked
- Make client education and recommending products a habit
- Extend the opportunity to buy by adding eCommerce
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