MENU
SEARCHThe fundamental mistake that many salon owners make when it comes to retail is they assume the more inventory they carry, the more they will sell.
The fundamental mistake that many salon owners make when it comes to retail is they assume the more inventory they carry, the more they will sell. But too often, they select new product lines based on emotion rather than a strategic process, and they end up with multiple brands that essentially target the same consumer or products that are duplications of one another.
Over time, as they take on new lines, they might cherry pick products of old lines to hold onto because they are favorites of staff or clients, and eventually they end up with a random mess on the shelf that doesn’t make sense. When strategy doesn’t guide line selection, then in the void what often happens is cliques of people who are “into” a brand will develop, and they will shape the personality of the salon. So the culture of the salon is shaped by these brands, rather than the salon’s brand shaping its culture.
As an owner, you need to look at each bottle on your shelf as a $20 bill, because to you and your business, that’s exactly what it is. There isn’t a magical number to how many lines you should carry, but if you do carry multiple lines, you have to make sure they are strategically positioned in both behavior and price point so they don’t compete with one another and so they all support the kind of salon that you strive to be.
For example, if you’re a luxurybranded salon, you should be in a luxurybranded space and carry luxury brands.
The way to determine how much inventory you should have is by examining your ability to support it and sell it. Any line you consider adding should add incremental sales. That means anything you add has to carry more sales, not just new sales. Because for the average salon, more and more inventory often means less cash flow, less profit and less commitment from a hairdresser to a single brand.
Remember there’s will and there’s skill. Once you’ve strategically selected your lines, you also have to make sure your staff is educated, knowledgeable and on purpose. And you have to support it with great displays and merchandising, and marketing and promotions. In most salons, as the SKU count goes up, product knowledge, education and awareness of each line tends to go down.
Now, of course there are exceptions—if your salon is located in the Mall of America and you’re paying a high rent to have thousands of passersby every day, then having a retail focus with 50 different lines could make solid strategic sense. It all boils down to what retail strategy makes the most sense for your salon brand.
Salon Visage (Gambuzza’s salon) in Knoxville, Tennessee, uses a retail strategy that utilizes a good, better, best approach, with three different offerings at different price points. But the salon also chose to focus on one “hairdresser-driven line,” and that line is the one they hone their education on so each stylist understands it inside and out. Rewards programs are centered on this line, the most shelf space is given to this line, new staff members are given samples to experience, and it’s the line that is used at the backbar.
As an owner, there are a few exercises that can help you strategically think about your retail. First, print off a list of every SKU you haven’t sold one of in the past month. You might be shocked to find how many you have. Ask yourself, do you really need to carry something you haven’t sold in the past month?
Second, look at your retail shelves, and ask yourself, “What was my strategy for the brands I’m carrying?” Can you easily answer that question? Does your strategy make sense for your salon brand?
After moving to Colorado and teaching at a cosmetology school, Allison Stock joined Zandi K as a stylist, eventually becoming part of the Leadership Team, Education Team and Master Bridal Team. Today, as Director of Operation, Stock is Owner Nicki Wenz's right hand, managing human resources and operations, education and career development, and coaching and culture.
The company's Concealed Bead Method is raising the bar for what professional extension education can deliver.
Scott maximized her micro-salon by transitioning from stylist to strategic owner, focusing on recruiting and station-sharing. By prioritizing her ownership role over behind-the-chair work, she grew her team to six stylists within the two-chair, 150-square-foot space before eventually moving to a larger facility.
The former CFO of Perdue Farms and owner of Hardy Seafood, Terry Owens delivers a wealth of wisdom and strategies for entrepreneurs in his new book, "Business is Simple."
After scaling her single-location salon business, SALON TODAY 200 Honoree Amy Pal recently sold her six-location Whip Salon for seven figures. Using the six Ps for maximizing a business's value, she's ready to help her peers do the same.
Buried inside the One Big Beautiful Bill Act are federal solar tax credit changes that deserve your attention now. Two of the credits that matter most to commercial property owners, the Investment Tax Credit and the Production Tax Credit, are still available, but only if you move fast. A third, the Commercial Building Energy Efficiency Deduction, has a hard termination date that is closer than most people realize.
Up to 40% of hair stylists ghost the salon interview stage, leaving owners trapped playing endless phone tag with uncommitted applicants. This data-driven report breaks down why traditional job boards create recruitment friction and reveals the modern messaging strategies high-growth salons use to get pre-qualified talent to actually show up. Learn how to transition from cold calling to high-conversion conversations that protect your time and fill your chairs.
Sponsored by Beautista
Spit fests, hostile threats, and even an overachieving matchmaker--SALON TODAY readers share their craziest client tales and how their team handled these tough situations with professionalism and grace.
Keeping your appointment book full when clients are in vacation mode takes more than a good Instagram post. It takes a plan. The 2026 Summer Marketing Calendar from Meevo gives salon, spa & med spa owners a month-by-month roadmap with sharp themes, key opportunity dates, and campaign ideas specifically designed for the beauty & wellness industry. Here’s to your summer season working as hard as you do!
Sponsored by Millennium Systems International
AI is transforming the beauty and wellness industry, and the future is about empowering people, not replacing them. Discover how Phorest AI helps salons, spas, and med spas across North America respond faster, personalize every visit, and keep human connection at the heart of the client experience.
Sponsored by Phorest
Owner Michaella Blissett-Williams credits her General Manager Gloria Hortua with [salon] 718's year-over-year, double-digit growth and says she's been able to scale the company to eight locations because she can rely on Hortua to manage daily operations.
Shine Time: Aluram’s High Shine Line Delivers Moisture and Shine with Clean Ingredients
Sponsored by Aluram
Elyse Rogers is an uplifting presence at The Headroom who makes the team feel heard even in stressful situations. Owner Danielle Cherewyk sings her praises in this installment of Meet the Manager.
Despite a slight and predictable decline in client traffic for Q1, resilient pricing power is driving year-over-year revenue growth in salons. The KIM Report's Alain Audet reviews the data and what it's telling us about the state of professional beauty.
Same-store revenue grew just 2% for the second straight year—and new guest visits declined across every segment of the industry. The 2026 Benchmark Report reveals where growth is actually happening, which verticals are pulling ahead, and what the data says about where your business stands right now.
Sponsored by Zenoti
Hair restoration is entering a new era driven by regenerative science. This paper explores how Exosome technology is transforming treatment outcomes by targeting hair loss at a cellular level. Discover why EXOGROW is leading this shift.
Sponsored by Dermapenworld
A salon brand is much more than a logo. In this thought-provoking blog, Leon Alexander, Ph.D., walks you through the difference. SALON TODAY suggests sharing this article with your team and leading a discussion at your next huddle, asking the team to define your business's brand.
