[Natureboy]

What Werd said in the first part is pretty hard to add to so here is part two or my take on it after 4 cups of coffee.

This is the way I see it to have HP.

Most clients walk in (the ones that have some money) expecting to spend maybe $30 or $40 dollars to get that tan before they head south for their winter holiday. Most don't have a clue on what to expect. (my anology since I am in Canada).

Now, if they went to X-tan down the street, the girl at the counter would have most likely sold them 200 minutes (uugghhh, cough, cough) for $39. Maybe a lotion for $24. For a grand total of $63. They are more than likely providing goggles too. This is also a place with only regular beds, no upgrades at all. Even worse, the client shares it with a friend, which is a worse story.

This person has maybe two weeks before they leave so 100 of those minutes might get used, for very minimal results. The rest will sit until next year because this place doesn't expire them.

Now, same client in another dimention, walks into HP-Tan salon. Girl at the counter explains HP like a pro, wow's this client with the bed by showing it to them. Tells them that with 4, maybe 5 visits they can get a great base tan in about 10-12 days max. So she sells him a 4 HP session pack for $100. Then recommends a good lotion that will work in conjunction with the HP tanning. And of course right now, any lotion over $59 you recieve a free HP visit, for a total of five visits. The client will also need goggles which run about $8.

This all for a grand total, to the same customer, for $167. Before tax of course.

The client uses up all five visits and gets a great base tan and is happy. But has spent $167 instead of $63. (And in many cases didn't buy a lotion a X-tan and only spent $39.) And next year, will have to buy again, not use ones from last year.

Now of course there is the extra cost of the HP bed, power, lamps ect. But in the end, $104 extra on most sales will make that up and much more.

And if both salons are busy at the same level of clients a day, one is going to make much more $$ just because they were there. Obviously proper salespeople is a HUGE key.

There could be tons of variables here. But this is based on one 6 bed regular bed salon vs 6 bed salon with at least two HP beds.

This is also why just getting HP is no guarantee of making good $$. Many salons get it, put it in the back of the salon, and don't focus on it. They end up losing money from it or basically making nothing. It needs to be "What you do" "All you do" and "yeah, we have those regular beds too" attitude to every new client that walks in the door.

Why salon owners don't do whatever it takes to put in HP, I will never understand. But, to each their own.