Setting up your own salon is a great experience. You no doubt have many questions, though, like where to buy salon equipment.
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Here&#;s a comprehensive guide to buying salon equipment. Learn about shopping and payment options as well as quality assessment. Plus, you get a list of some commonly overlooked salon equipment needs, including software for salon management.
Buying salon equipment can feel overwhelming, especially if you&#;re a startup business. You want to make sure you have everything you need.
First, make a list of all the services you offer. You and your staff should know exactly what is needed to provide each of those services.
You&#;ll also have to figure out which pieces of equipment the salon is responsible for purchasing and which the employee brings with them. For instance, most hair stylists prefer to have their own apron of tools like combs and shears.
However, the salon provides chairs, mirrors, and workstations. Other items, like hair dryers or beard trimmers, may or may not come from the salon.
It&#;s helpful to draw a floorplan of the salon on paper so you can arrange the furniture for maximum efficiency. You&#;ll need workstations for things like haircutting, manicures/pedicures, and brow treatments. You&#;ll also likely want elements like:
Your space can fill up very quickly, so you need to be thoughtful. Planning on paper first can save you a lot of time and back pain later.
You could also consider consulting with a space planner or interior designer to help you create the most functional layout for your business.
Don&#;t forget about other equipment you should have to keep the salon running smoothly. This includes hardware like phones and computers or tablets. You&#;ll need internet equipment as well, such as a router.
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Tech equipment also includes software designed for salon management. This will make operations easier and create a more VIP experience for guests. That&#;s a win-win, whether you&#;re expanding an existing salon or opening a new one.
You&#;ll probably need a cash register, as not everyone will pay online or with a credit card. And some salon customers tip with cash, so think about where that will be stored. (Encourage other options, though, as 65% of people will tip at least 11% more if they tip digitally.)
Along with those items, you&#;ll want things like a filing cabinet and office supplies for tasks not done online. You&#;ll need a way to display any required licenses or certifications too.
Walk through a typical day in your mind, and you may come up with more essential items.
While not technically equipment, you&#;ll want to give a thought to big-ticket items that contribute to the appearance and vibe of your salon. They&#;ll also influence your budget (see below).
For instance, you may need extra lighting fixtures, artwork, and window treatments. These should match your major furniture pieces to create the overall desired effect.
You will also probably want to purchase a sound system. Providing background music can make your salon feel like a tranquil spa. Or it can seem like a vibrant contemporary destination for customers.&#;
Make room for a compact beverage or snack area too. You&#;ll want to be able to offer clients a cold drink or cup of coffee. Therefore, you&#;ll probably need a kettle, coffee maker, and perhaps even a mini fridge.
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As you might imagine, furnishing a salon can rack up your budget pretty fast (more on budget below). Are you concerned about financial limitations? Try separating your shopping list into must-haves and nice-to-haves.
How will you be paying for your salon equipment? Don&#;t feel pressured to buy everything outright.
There are many options available these days for salons. You can lease equipment, often with an option to purchase later.
Renting salon equipment can be a great way to test out gear, provided you&#;re not committed if you decide you don&#;t like it. Be aware, however, that this may wind up costing more in the long run.
You may also finance major items with a loan, paying them off over time as your revenue grows. The benefit here is you own the equipment, which contributes to your business equity. Once the loan is paid off, the equipment is yours to do with what you will, including selling it to upgrade.
When evaluating salon equipment for features and quality, what should you look for?
Above all, once you find equipment that matches your decor, you want durability. Your equipment is going to take a lot of wear and tear, and you need it to hold up.
Otherwise, you won&#;t be getting your money&#;s worth. Not only that, there&#;s the inconvenience of having to install new equipment. That could mean shutting down operations for a day or two, which translates to lost revenue.
Read reviews carefully, and look at the materials and fabrication. Do the pieces feel solid? Are they well constructed of sturdy components?
Be sure to check for these factors:
It can be tempting to use materials like real leather, natural wood, and glass. But these require more care, especially in high-use situations. Whenever possible, opt for surfaces like vinyl and chrome. Save high-maintenance materials for items that won&#;t take so much abuse, like display shelves or waiting area coffee tables.
Finally, consider the comfort of everyone who will be using the equipment. Of course, you want your customers to be comfortable, including anyone who is taller or shorter than average.
Will you be servicing children often, as many hair salons do? Do you need a workstation tailored for young customers?
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Then there&#;s the question of staff comfort too. Your salon equipment must support good workplace ergonomics. That way, your service providers avoid repetitive workplace injuries.
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Creating a safe workspace for stylists and other workers can go a long way in employee retention. Once you find outstanding service providers, you don&#;t want to let them get away. They can take customers with them to another salon, causing you to lose business.
So, look for equipment that&#;s easily adjustable in height and can tilt forward and backward at different angles. The more versatility it provides, the better it will be for your staff.
For most salons, finding the ideal blend of economics and high quality is the goal. Where do you find this?
One option is to buy wholesale. This means purchasing from a large distributor who sells to many businesses and can therefore give you a decent price. Wholesalers are also more likely to have clearance and liquidation items. They&#;re usually perfectly fine, just not the latest models.
Should you buy used salon equipment? That depends on many factors.
Do you trust the seller? Where and how has the equipment been used? Why is it now for sale?
You might get lucky and find a seller who is upgrading equipment that&#;s still in great condition. But you&#;ll have to inspect it carefully to ensure it&#;s working properly. This is particularly important for anything that has mechanical or electrical components.
You don&#;t want to compromise on quality or appearance to the point where your employees and customers notice. Check for rust, dings, and scratches before purchasing anything used.
One way to protect your investment&#;sometimes even with used equipment&#;is to get a warranty and/or service plan.
Malfunctioning salon equipment can cost you money in multiple ways. First, there&#;s the risk of having to shut down if a key piece, like your shampoo station, goes on the fritz. That&#;s money out the door.
Plus, there&#;s the possibility of an employee or customer getting injured. That could result in a workers&#; compensation claim or even a lawsuit. Clearly, you want to avoid that.
What do you need to know about a warranty or service plan?
Staying on top of equipment maintenance appointments and other essential tasks is easy when you use a software management solution like SalonBiz. With SalonBiz, you can:
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You will appreciate how simple it is to integrate the many facets of your business with SalonBiz. You take the time to shop carefully for salon equipment. Why not approach your total salon operation with the same level of organization and planning?
To see how SalonBiz can help set up your salon for ongoing success, book a demo today!
When furnishing your new salon, it is easy to be seduced by the wide variety of options available and reach the point of doubting even more. If you&#;re wondering how you could narrow down your choices when they all seem appealing, here are 5 questions that will help you decide:
1. What are the needs of your salon?
Is your business specialised in cutting, colour and hairstyle? Or will you offer other personal care services such as eyebrow waxing and manicure?
For salons that offer a variety of services, multipurpose furniture will help maximise the space used and get the best return on investment.
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2. Do you have your colour palette defined?
Actually, it doesn&#;t matter what your colour scheme or design is going to be, because what will give you more peace of mind is being able to find the furniture you like in all the available colour options. That is why it is important to look for furniture with the upholstery option, so that it fits perfectly to what you are looking for.
3. How much storage do you need?
Storage space is one of the most important features of any salon. Maximising your space can make the difference between making your salon cosy and comfortable or making it look cluttered and disorganised.
Whether you opt for hairdressing stations with plenty of storage space and cord hiding feature, or a robin, keep in mind everyday products and services and make sure your station fits your needs.
4. What kind of reception area do you want?
The reception area is the first thing that your customers see. A large salon with multiple services may need a larger reception area to differentiate check-in for different services. A counter large enough to accommodate two or more receptionists is perfect for these types of salons.
For a salon with little space, a simple pedestal-style counter is enough to get the job done.
Here you can see our furniture for hair salon and barbershop receptions
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