i'm about to freak out - TanToday - Helping Salon Owners, One At A Time, Since 2000!

cosmopolitan_salon · 29th July 2008, 04:15 PM

Internet lotions…

What do you do when customers come in with tanning lotions purchased through the internet?

Do you question the customer about the price paid or which website the lotion was purchased from?
Do you explain the lotion companies disclaimers on internet lotions?
Do you allow the customer to use the lotions in your beds?
Do you mark your lotion bottles (or their internet bottle) so that you can tell the difference?
& so on…

I’d like to know how other salon owner’s deal with this…do you respond to this as a serious issue or do you not really worry about it? Personally, it’s aggravating to deal with, but it’s the customers that are starting to make me want to freak out…ignorance truly is bliss!

Tanning Queen · 29th July 2008, 04:23 PM

Do a search on this site. There are so many threads on this already.

Good luck!!!

tuscantan · 29th July 2008, 04:35 PM

I actually had a client come in today with lotion and I asked her...Are you ok with lotions? and she said, "Yes, My husband just got this lotion for me online." and I said "If you look at the manufactures website, you will see that their is a disclaimer stating only salons carry their lotion lines, not online." I told her, you really don't know what you are getting when you buy it online, that could be x lotion when you wanted y lotion. She agreed and traded it in for one of mine...

tuscantan · 29th July 2008, 04:36 PM

and also what tq said.

JustTans23 · 29th July 2008, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tuscantan

I actually had a client come in today with lotion and I asked her...Are you ok with lotions? and she said, "Yes, My husband just got this lotion for me online." and I said "If you look at the manufactures website, you will see that their is a disclaimer stating only salons carry their lotion lines, not online." I told her, you really don't know what you are getting when you buy it online, that could be x lotion when you wanted y lotion. She agreed and traded it in for one of mine...

She bought a lotion from you right? It wasn't just an even trade?

tuscantan · 29th July 2008, 04:48 PM

Heck ya she did and I took her bottle and threw it away right in front of her.

northtanman · 29th July 2008, 04:52 PM

its a catch 22...you can tell them theres no gaurantee its authenic...but on the other hand you can be happy they chose to tan with you. maybe you can sell them other products?

upgrade them into higher end units...make more monies that way. personally i'd rather see a client buy an internet salon quality lotion and come in using it rather than the cheap azz's that buy the $3.99 target CRAP!!! that drives me wacko!

JustTans23 · 29th July 2008, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tuscantan

Heck ya she did and I took her bottle and threw it away right in front of her.

Ha okay good. For a second I thought you really just traded h er.

JustTans23 · 29th July 2008, 04:56 PM

I have on my release forms that a tan is not guaranteed when using a product not purchased in my salon. I doubt any one even reads it but it's there.

aimeekat · 29th July 2008, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JustTans23

I have on my release forms that a tan is not guaranteed when using a product not purchased in my salon. I doubt any one even reads it but it's there.

Careful that they don't read it as you DO guarantee results with lotions that are purchased from you. Some people read things very literally.

JustTans23 · 29th July 2008, 06:52 PM

Yea, they will think I said that no matter what!

Ahem Aimee...a few of us have a bone to pick with you...somwhere else...

aimeekat · 29th July 2008, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JustTans23

Ahem Aimee...a few of us have a bone to pick with you...somwhere else...

LOL~
I'm going, I'm going...

cosmopolitan_salon · 30th July 2008, 12:09 PM

My biggest issue with the internet lotions is that I’m not 100% about what’s in the bottle, so I worry that it might be something that could damage my acrylics.

Are the internet lotions always an indoor tanning lotion just maybe in an incorrect bottle or maybe have an expired shelf life or are there counterfeit lotions out there with possibly “outdoor” products in them, etc…?

Do any of you worry about customers using these lotions in your beds?...I’m trying to find out if I should worry about these lotions or if I’m just freaking myself out for no reason.

tam_marie · 30th July 2008, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cosmopolitan_salon

My biggest issue with the internet lotions is that I’m not 100% about what’s in the bottle, so I worry that it might be something that could damage my acrylics.

Are the internet lotions always an indoor tanning lotion just maybe in an incorrect bottle or maybe have an expired shelf life or are there counterfeit lotions out there with possibly “outdoor” products in them, etc…?

Do any of you worry about customers using these lotions in your beds?...I’m trying to find out if I should worry about these lotions or if I’m just freaking myself out for no reason.

I worry about it, especially when I go to clean a bed and you know something else was used.

I am going to start asking to see their lotion before they tan..I am going to make a new policy concerning this issue during the slow months.

If anyone has one all ready made I would love to see it.

Tanning Queen · 30th July 2008, 01:28 PM

More likely than not, it is a legit product being sold for less than you can buy it for. That is reality.

I used to try and scare my clients by using that line, you dont know what you get when you order on the net but it really didnt work. It worked on some but not many. Most said, they were willing to risk it since they spent so little.

You really cant justify saying it is bogus or fake because even the NEW products are there before salons get them in. So it HAS to be a disty selling on line or someone has an inside connection.

Yes, some stuff will be old and that is good cuz it wont work well. It wont hurt your beds tho. And once in a blue moon, you will get a bogus bottle that was refilled with some crap. THat normally comes from some Ebay seller that has one or two bottles to sell.

The best thing you can do is try to offer a reason to puchase lotion from YOU. Offer upgrades with each bottle, or offer a trade in for the walmart goo. The internet is here to stay and your clients are getting more and more savvy with finding a deal. Especially in todays economy.

tam_marie · 30th July 2008, 01:53 PM

Quote:

The internet is here to stay and your clients are getting more and more savvy with finding a deal. Especially in todays economy.

That is also the conclusion I am coming to, we just have to find a way to roll with it.

cosmopolitan_salon · 2nd August 2008, 12:54 PM

Quote:

You really cant justify saying it is bogus or fake because even the NEW products are there before salons get them in. So it HAS to be a disty selling on line or someone has an inside connection.

Yes, some stuff will be old and that is good cuz it wont work well. It wont hurt your beds tho. And once in a blue moon, you will get a bogus bottle that was refilled with some crap. THat normally comes from some Ebay seller that has one or two bottles to sell.

I know the distys are responsible for most of the websites out there, but the ebay sellers are the ones that stump me…they’re salon owners & they’re selling the lotions for the same price as the distys. How are they able to do this?
I need to find their distributors so I can turn a 90% profit off my lotions too!…lol

Btw, thank you everyone for all the input, I’m not freaking out as much now.

Tanning Queen · 2nd August 2008, 04:11 PM

They are selling for less than you get it at the disty cuz they have a better discount. The more volume you do with a disty, the better your deal. Some of these salon owners are just tryin to make extra money. So they might charge $5 over thier cost per bottle. Well then they charge more for shipping. More in their pocket.

They wont advertise that it is owned by a salon so their own clients wont know the diff. Ship it from a diff address with a diff biz name, and viola! Another stream of income.

It just sucks cuz it is hard enough to charge what you should for tanning, so that is cheap as hell. Used to make up the difference with lotions. No more. Have to find a new way to generate money...

Brian Oshman · 3rd August 2008, 01:14 AM

Do like the gas stations do it with cash and credit. If you pay cash then you pay this price, if yo pay with credit then you pay the higher price.

If you purchase a lotion from this salon then you tan at this price, if you bring your own lotion then you tan at the higher price.

EliteMike · 3rd August 2008, 11:44 AM

or just do like I'm trying to do, sell your salon. The headaches won't go away. No one in this industry wants to learn from mistakes

29th July 2008, 04:15 PM	#1 (permalink)
cosmopolitan_salon koolest rookie ever Join Date: May 2006 Location: usa Posts: 37	i'm about to freak out Internet lotions… What do you do when customers come in with tanning lotions purchased through the internet? Do you question the customer about the price paid or which website the lotion was purchased from? Do you explain the lotion companies disclaimers on internet lotions? Do you allow the customer to use the lotions in your beds? Do you mark your lotion bottles (or their internet bottle) so that you can tell the difference? & so on… I’d like to know how other salon owner’s deal with this…do you respond to this as a serious issue or do you not really worry about it? Personally, it’s aggravating to deal with, but it’s the customers that are starting to make me want to freak out…ignorance truly is bliss!

29th July 2008, 04:23 PM	#2 (permalink)
Tanning Queen Moderator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Six degrees left of nowhere Posts: 4,390	Re: i'm about to freak out Do a search on this site. There are so many threads on this already. Good luck!!! __________________

29th July 2008, 04:35 PM	#3 (permalink)
tuscantan Still a Rookie Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: OH-IO Posts: 735	Re: i'm about to freak out I actually had a client come in today with lotion and I asked her...Are you ok with lotions? and she said, "Yes, My husband just got this lotion for me online." and I said "If you look at the manufactures website, you will see that their is a disclaimer stating only salons carry their lotion lines, not online." I told her, you really don't know what you are getting when you buy it online, that could be x lotion when you wanted y lotion. She agreed and traded it in for one of mine...

29th July 2008, 04:36 PM	#4 (permalink)
tuscantan Still a Rookie Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: OH-IO Posts: 735	Re: i'm about to freak out and also what tq said.

29th July 2008, 04:48 PM	#6 (permalink)
tuscantan Still a Rookie Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: OH-IO Posts: 735	Re: i'm about to freak out Heck ya she did and I took her bottle and threw it away right in front of her.

29th July 2008, 04:52 PM	#7 (permalink)
northtanman Hall of Famer Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: michigan Posts: 1,009	Re: i'm about to freak out its a catch 22...you can tell them theres no gaurantee its authenic...but on the other hand you can be happy they chose to tan with you. maybe you can sell them other products? upgrade them into higher end units...make more monies that way. personally i'd rather see a client buy an internet salon quality lotion and come in using it rather than the cheap azz's that buy the $3.99 target CRAP!!! that drives me wacko!

29th July 2008, 04:56 PM	#9 (permalink)
JustTans23 Hall of Famer Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: MA Posts: 2,649	Re: i'm about to freak out I have on my release forms that a tan is not guaranteed when using a product not purchased in my salon. I doubt any one even reads it but it's there. __________________

29th July 2008, 06:52 PM	#11 (permalink)
JustTans23 Hall of Famer Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: MA Posts: 2,649	Re: i'm about to freak out Yea, they will think I said that no matter what! Ahem Aimee...a few of us have a bone to pick with you...somwhere else... __________________

30th July 2008, 12:09 PM	#13 (permalink)
cosmopolitan_salon koolest rookie ever Join Date: May 2006 Location: usa Posts: 37	Re: i'm about to freak out My biggest issue with the internet lotions is that I’m not 100% about what’s in the bottle, so I worry that it might be something that could damage my acrylics. Are the internet lotions always an indoor tanning lotion just maybe in an incorrect bottle or maybe have an expired shelf life or are there counterfeit lotions out there with possibly “outdoor” products in them, etc…? Do any of you worry about customers using these lotions in your beds?...I’m trying to find out if I should worry about these lotions or if I’m just freaking myself out for no reason. __________________ no thanks, i'm good!

30th July 2008, 01:28 PM	#15 (permalink)
Tanning Queen Moderator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Six degrees left of nowhere Posts: 4,390	Re: i'm about to freak out More likely than not, it is a legit product being sold for less than you can buy it for. That is reality. I used to try and scare my clients by using that line, you dont know what you get when you order on the net but it really didnt work. It worked on some but not many. Most said, they were willing to risk it since they spent so little. You really cant justify saying it is bogus or fake because even the NEW products are there before salons get them in. So it HAS to be a disty selling on line or someone has an inside connection. Yes, some stuff will be old and that is good cuz it wont work well. It wont hurt your beds tho. And once in a blue moon, you will get a bogus bottle that was refilled with some crap. THat normally comes from some Ebay seller that has one or two bottles to sell. The best thing you can do is try to offer a reason to puchase lotion from YOU. Offer upgrades with each bottle, or offer a trade in for the walmart goo. The internet is here to stay and your clients are getting more and more savvy with finding a deal. Especially in todays economy. __________________

2nd August 2008, 04:11 PM	#18 (permalink)
Tanning Queen Moderator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Six degrees left of nowhere Posts: 4,390	Re: i'm about to freak out They are selling for less than you get it at the disty cuz they have a better discount. The more volume you do with a disty, the better your deal. Some of these salon owners are just tryin to make extra money. So they might charge $5 over thier cost per bottle. Well then they charge more for shipping. More in their pocket. They wont advertise that it is owned by a salon so their own clients wont know the diff. Ship it from a diff address with a diff biz name, and viola! Another stream of income. It just sucks cuz it is hard enough to charge what you should for tanning, so that is cheap as hell. Used to make up the difference with lotions. No more. Have to find a new way to generate money... __________________

3rd August 2008, 01:14 AM	#19 (permalink)
Brian Oshman Off The Chain Moderator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: The Sun Doctor, Califon, NJ Posts: 6,166	Re: i'm about to freak out Do like the gas stations do it with cash and credit. If you pay cash then you pay this price, if yo pay with credit then you pay the higher price. If you purchase a lotion from this salon then you tan at this price, if you bring your own lotion then you tan at the higher price. __________________ Three can keep a secret if two are dead.

3rd August 2008, 11:44 AM	#20 (permalink)
EliteMike Hall of Famer Join Date: May 2007 Location: D.C. Posts: 4,407	Re: i'm about to freak out or just do like I'm trying to do, sell your salon. The headaches won't go away. No one in this industry wants to learn from mistakes

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