When "Free" Isn't Free

We all love the word "free"! Unfortunately, there isn't much that's really free. Salons are enticed to choose their color and retail products by receiving "free backbar" and "free education". But is it really free?

First let's take a look at why you chose your hair color. Was it because you shopped around, comparing quality and price? This would be a business decision based on logic. Or was it because you were familiar with it as a stylist and when you opened your salon it just came along with you? This would be a decision based on emotion. In this case the emotion is dealing with the fear of change. Anytime you make an emotional decision, it's going to cost you money!

When buying hair color always look at the cost per ounce. That's the only way to make a fair price comparison. For example, a well know color in an 8.6 ounce can is $3.02 per ounce, Logics is $2.58 per ounce for a 2 ounce tube, Framesi is $2.65 per ounce for a 2 ounce tube and Jingles is $1.63 per ounce for a 3.38 ounce tube. Used properly, they all get excellent color results so why pay more?

Many of you are probably feeling a little tweaked and are convincing yourself that the cost you're paying is worth it because of the results you're getting on your clients hair. If that's the case, go to the mall and pick out the color you use on the women walking by. It can't be done! What you see is "good" color or "bad" color. "Good" color and "bad" color is caused by the stylist, not the color. So why pay more?
Now back to "free backbar and education". Your color is priced to cover the cost to the manufacturer and distributor of the "free backbar and education."

If your salon is doing 200 colors a month, using an average of 2 ounces of color for each application and your cost per ounce is $3.02, you're spending $1,208 a month, which is $14,496 a year. Doing the same 200 colors a month with a color costing $1.63 an ounce costs $652 a month, a savings of $556 a month and 46%! That's a savings of $6,672 a year. By using a color costing $3.02 an ounce in order to get "free back bar and education", you're paying the distributor $6,672 so they can give you "free back bar and education" So is the "free" is the back bar and education really free?