How many lotions options?

[John]

How many lotion options is too many?

I've seen salons that have everything & many different brands, then I hear of a salon chain that only offers 6 products.

What is a good number, what will please 90% of the clients?

I see it like going to the Cheesecake Factory. Ever eat there? The menu is like a phone book, way too many options, takes like 40 minutes to figure out what you want to eat.

Then you go to a fancy place to eat & they have maybe 5-6 entrees, simple yet very good. I know what I want in about 2 minutes.

Which way to you go?

Let's not include Sunless accessories or products, just tanning lotions.

[The Oasis]

I am just finishing my first year open In this first year I have carried all of the products (MR & DC) that I would be able to personally say I like. Now that we are getting to the end of the year - and the new lotions are out - I'm going to thin them out some and have the selections make more sense.

Ideally I'd like to carry something for everyone. For example: If they like a non-bronzer and fruity scent, I'd like to have a couple price points of that type of lotion for them - i.e. either Sexy Babe or I Tan and now Rush.

In order to have that mix, I will need to have a lot of lotions on the shelf, but that way all of my customer's are completely happy with their product!

[kpowr82]

110 SKUs between bottles and samples. I've used nearly all of them (except tingles and most of the cheap stuff <$40) Got something for everyone. Don't like the way a product smells and I can't upgrade you? No problem, I offer multiple products in the same price point that are similar.

No sense in downgrading someone cause they don't want to spend more, but they don't like what they have...

[esun]

Originally Posted by kpowr82

110 SKUs between bottles and samples. I've used nearly all of them (except tingles and most of the cheap stuff <$40) Got something for everyone. Don't like the way a product smells and I can't upgrade you? No problem, I offer multiple products in the same price point that are similar.

No sense in downgrading someone cause they don't want to spend more, but they don't like what they have...

Same here. Exactly.

[beautyonthebeach]

We have 80 total. 40 bottles and 40 packets

[Glowtanning530]

I pretty much only carry DS and Cal Tan

I like to have 1-2 options in each price range. If they say $20 I know i can get them to spend $40 but I like to be able to show them them the differences.

[dcjjp1]

Here's my line up for 2010

Amore'
Glimmare'
Savor
Solare'
Mineral Sun/bronzer
iTan
iBronze
iIntensity
iBlush
iFace
iLegs (coming soon)
Tanatomy Signature (coming soon)

That's it.

[Din]

All there is, Accelerator and Bronzer.

So as long as you have Low price options, mid Price, high price you shouldn't have that many. That gives something for everyone.

Here is what someone wants.

1. Either a bronzer or non bronzer
2. something that fits their budget

That's all....that's something for everyone.

You shouldn't have a need for more than 10 lotions and then have maybe one geared for Men and that's it. As all lotions work for women and target women....

Add a couple moisturizers and prep gel for spray tan and SPF and Self Tanner spray, you're at 15 products or so....and you're fully loaded and ready to go.

[kpowr82]

^^ I'm gonna have to disagree. If I only carried 15 products, I think I'd be leaving lots of money on the table in the form of downgrades or LACK of upgrades. I've got clients that aren't 100% satisfied with the products they have, so, naturally you try to sell them something better. If their budget doesn't allow for something more expensive, you'll see that client either decline to buy or downgrade to something else.

That's why I've got 2-3 options in each price point. Got something for everyone. Every season 15-30 new products are introduced from the manu's, so at that point, you clear out the old and unpopular, and bring in the fresh and new.

[aeltiger]

Originally Posted by Din

All there is, Accelerator and Bronzer.

So as long as you have Low price options, mid Price, high price you shouldn't have that many. That gives something for everyone.

Here is what someone wants.

1. Either a bronzer or non bronzer
2. something that fits their budget

That's all....that's something for everyone.

Then you also have blush, mild tingle, HOT tingle, natural bronzer, DHA, etc. And then not everyone likes the same smell.

I like to make sure that I have at least 5-6 lotions in the same price range that vary between non-bronzer, natural bronzer, DHA and tingle.

If someone likes Posh Couture ($89), but doesn't like the smell, I can then refer them to iIntensity.

I carry almost all of the MRI products, except the base line and natural radiance (which I may be bringing in) and also carry some DC as well. That pretty much covers all my basis. I would be willing to bet that I have close to 25 different lotions.

[aeltiger]

Originally Posted by dcjjp1

Here's my line up for 2010

Amore'
Glimmare'
Savor
Solare'
Mineral Sun/bronzer
iTan
iBronze
iIntensity
iBlush
iFace
iLegs (coming soon)
Tanatomy Signature (coming soon)

That's it.

Have you ever carried the Sun Skin Spa line? We carry that in one of my stores and in the other that isn't MR approved just yet we carry Solare, Gimmare & Savor. I think they are very similar, but I tend to lean more toward liking the SSS line.

[dcjjp1]

I did have the serum and bronzer from SSS. Had them since they came out, bored with them.

[beautyonthebeach]

50 yay!!

[GeminiTanning]

I have about 20. For our salon, much more than that is overkill.

[Din]

Originally Posted by aeltiger

Have you ever carried the Sun Skin Spa line? We carry that in one of my stores and in the other that isn't MR approved just yet we carry Solare, Gimmare & Savor. I think they are very similar, but I tend to lean more toward liking the SSS line.

I have the serum and the bronzer. But is there a need to have the entire line?

All lotions start getting repetitive....in the end, it's come down to the smell and price.

If a woman walks in and wants a bronzer. Since you carry MRI, What are you going to sell her....just from the iLine? iBronze, iIntensity, iSport Women, iBlush???

[dcjjp1]

I agree Din, I sell Intensity to higher bed people or those that want a deeper bronzer, iBronze to those that want a lighter bronzer and Blush to those that want a little kick in the ass.

[GeminiTanning]

If I can't clearly explain the difference between two products, I don't want them both.

[uvbre]

We carry AG, SB, DS & CT with a variety of bottles from each company. So far our biggest seller has been Luminary this past month, even with the higher price point we can barely keep it on the shelves. The colour and feeling on the skin is amazing.

[Sunquest4me]

In my new salon I will be only carrying one brand but all of their lines.

[Ben Around]

So far of the new lotions Satin D Sol has been our best seller. We carry AG,SB,and DS.