Beauty Salons and Pushy Sales Tactics

20090708 Facial

Sesame recently wrote a great article on hardselling beauty salons and pushy sales tactics. Reading that reminded me of a recent conversation I had with a friend, BC.

BC contacted me recently, requesting for advice on how I do my own facials at home, instead of going for facials at beauty salons. Ever since I moved to Melbourne, my trips to beauty salons for facials have decreased significantly. Beauty services here are expensive, so I try to do what I can on my own.

The reason she asked me about home facials was that she was tired of spending so much money on facials. She lives in Singapore, and due to the pressure from the beauty salon’s pushy sales tactics, she was seriously bleeding money. With her permission, here’s what she said (the paragraph was edited for clarity):

Every session you were there, they would talk you into adding something. The sales person would go on and on with this: “Why don’t you add this eye mask, if you sign up, it’s only S$50 per session. Oh, you don’t want to spend too much, is it? Why don’t you just sign up for a 6-time package, it’s only S$300.” But during the next session they will add something else, or they would talk you into upgrading your current package. E.g. “We have a new package, I can convert what you have here. You u have 4 sessions left with us? I can convert it for you. Just top up XXX amount of money and you can go for this new package for 8 times…” and so it goes, on and on, every session. Since I have two more sessions left, they will want me to sign up for another big package. They’ll tell me that if I don’t sign up now, then I wouldn’t enjoy this anymore, that I’ve been a customer for so long, and I wouldn’t be able to get such good rates elsewhere.

Does that sound familiar to you? That is what you’d call the Asian beauty salon sales pitch. I cannot say that this is true for ALL Asian beauty salons, but it certainly was for most of the beauty salons I’ve been to in Malaysia. I’ve only been to one Asian beauty salon here, and two Australian ones; I didn’t face any hardselling then.

I absolutely detest this method of hardselling. I really sympathised with BC, because I’ve been suckered into such beauty packages when I was in Malaysia. I too, bled money for years.

You do the math

It’s very good business for beauty salons to sell their beauty services in packages. After all, like they said, if you were to pay as you go, each beauty treatment would cost more than it would per treatment if you were to purchase them in a package instead. It’s good business when you fork out a lump sum of money to the salons first for the next few treatments. However, if you were to calculate the amount you pre-paid per treatment, include all the extra items which the beauticians would coerce you to try, at the end of the day, you may be paying even more than a single pay-as-you-go treatment!

Stop talking to me during my facial

Another method of pushy sales is that, in most of these salons, the beauticians do not only hardsell when the facial is over. I’ve had facials upon facials, where the beautician was talking my head off, asking me to try this eye mask, or that facial mask, yakkity-yak, whilst attending to my face. I’d have my eyes closed, pretending to be asleep, and she’d continue to talk. There was one instance when I didn’t respond, and the beautician had the nerve to poke my arm several times and asked me if I agreed with her (I obviously hadn’t a clue what she was going on about). Anyway, thank goodness she had her mask on; if not, I would probably have had hardselling spittle on my face.

If times are bad, then even the best of times are bad

You can say that times are bad now, that these establishments need all the business they can get, thus any method of persuasion would be needed in order to secure your business. See, the sad thing is, this happens almost all the time. It could be good times and customers still have to go through this nonsense. The people who advocate such sales practice ought to have a refresher course on what good service is all about.

Beauty treatments like facials aren’t just meant for fixing of the skin (in fact, I don’t see how a 1.5 hour session of lotions and potions can create miracles on the face); it’s meant to be a relaxing experience which you pay a lot for, where you can ultimately relax after a long week, with a good face and shoulder massage. Soothing music playing in the background, the lights dimmed, and you doze off whilst the beauticians work on you. It’s a bloody waste of money if the session’s going have music in the background, and yakkity-yak in your ears from the beautician trying to sell you yet-another-eye-mask which you probably don’t even need. Plus when the treatment is over, and you come to the front of the shop, the hardselling continues.

I can’t say no, it’s rude!

Call it an Asian thing if you will, but many a time, I’d have trouble saying NO to these people. Rather than listening to my head and pocket squealing “It’s too expensive! Are you sure you can afford it?!”, I started thinking “Maybe I do need this eye treatment; I mean, look at the dark circles, etc. I mean, I don’t want to be rude about saying no as well now, do I?”. And then I sign up for an extra unnecessary package where the effect is only temporary but the credit card bill will be singing a much longer tune.

Learn to say no. Be firm in what you want, and what you don’t want. This isn’t to say that you have to be nasty to the sales people. After all, they are just doing their job. To be fair, I wouldn’t blame them; I’d fault whoever it was who trained them to deliver such shoddy services to customers in the first place. Be polite, but firm. I learned this from my mother. She could be so polite when speaking to sales people that they wouldn’t even know she was being sarky and taking the mickey out of them. She’s that good, it scares me sometimes 😛

It’s a competitive industry

All that talk about not getting better rates elsewhere if I don’t sign up with the salon is utter rubbish. In fact, if I’m such a long-time and valued customer, what are you giving me that can really make me want to stay with you? Ruining my experience every time I’m at the salon, making me afraid to even go back … tell me, how is that making me a valued customer? In fact, it just makes me want to run for the hills and never return.

I do not believe, not a single bit, that I would not be able to get better rates elsewhere. In fact, it’s such a competitive business that once I leave the steps of the salon, 9 more would be requesting my business. Learn to walk away. If they continue to harangue you, leave. Complete the package and never return. I’m sure there are better salons out there that would give you much better service.

Word of mouth can be a bitch too

Since it’s such a competitive industry, if you’re not getting what you want for what you’ve paid for, spread the word. At the very least, let the beauty salon know of your complaints. If they do not buck up, then let the others know about the salon’s shoddy service. A lot of beauty salons rely on word of mouth as a form of advertisement. Help a fellow sister who’s looking for a good beauty salon to go to by telling her which ones are bad.

Above all, educate yourself

It was only when I started this blog, and reading many beauty blogs, websites and books, that I began to educate myself in what my skin really needs, and what it does not. With all that information in mind, I’m glad to say that I can finally put my foot down and say NO to what I don’t need. It isn’t easy, mind you. I still suffer from the “I cannot say no” illness from time to time.

Know what works for you and what does not. Believe it or not, the beauticians do not know everything there is to know about your skin. You do. You should know what’s going on, what is best, what is not. You should know what ingredients work for you and what don’t. For example, if your skin really does not agree with alcohol, let the beautician know. Know what is necessary for your skin, and what is not.

I remembered paying an extra RM70 for eye treatments every time I went for my facial. It was several months on that I found out the RM70 was for two pieces of facial cotton soaked in green tea, placed over my eyes, with another hot towel over them. Something which I could do at home with my Lipton teabags.

At the end of the day, it’s your hard-earned money. You should be able to get good services, and a good and relaxing experience at the beauty salon. There should not be any added stress for you. Having said all that, there are some good salons out there whose services I commend. Beauticians who do a great job in and out of the treatment room, who makes me feel like a million bucks once the treatment’s over, now that’s a salon I’d eagerly return to.

I’d love to know what you think on this subject. Have you had any bad experience with beauty salons and their pushy sales tactics? If there are any beauticians out there, I would love to hear your input on this matter too.

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25 comments… add one
  1. sesame

    I’ll like to be able to learn from your mom. I’m usually very curt. I remember once, my then beautician said “Oh, see, I’ve helped you SO much! Your skin is SO good now! You MUST thank me! I’m your SAVIOUR!” This is the same person who kept pushing packages and products to me. I turned around and said to her, “Oh, you mean I’ve never paid you is it?” And that shut up her trap!

  2. aichaku

    i’ve stopped going for facials & treatments. i do my own masking at home and if i want to improve my skin, i’ve decided i’d rather pay a dermatologist. ;D i hate the pushy sales tactics too. one thing i find hard to forego is full body massage. so i bear with the sales talk aft the massage is over. i wish there is a place i could go to that doesn’t try to do so much hard sell. but in singapore it’s rare. 🙁

  3. Paris B

    I find somehow that salons set up by the brands aren’t as bad with hardsell techniques. From my experience so far, they will suggest a package or treatment but don’t push you too much. For me, this is a more common tactic at smaller or what I call “Slimming Center salons” The most recent was at Bluunis. That said, I had a bad experience at Jurlique once – they refused to let me out of the room if I didn’t sign up. Well, I wasn’t about to stand for that so I upped and left anyway. So I guess there are always exceptions to the rule. I love going for facials and I do find they help my skin but much depends on the place and products used and the person doing the facial too. End of the day, its a service industry 🙂

  4. Indulgent Diva

    I’ve had the same annoying experience as well. Once when I was back home, I went to New York Skin Solution and after a horrible session of hard core selling during the session (so annoying), they continued the hard selling session after that pressuring me to sign up and would not let me leave the place. I left anyway in a big huff-puff drama since they were becoming increasingly annoying by the minute. But, yeah, I hate these places too sometimes because of these annoying hard selling tactics they employ. Although facials are beneficial, having to cope with crap like these certainly is something no one needs. So, now, I stick to places I know won’t do the hard sell be it in Melbourne or in Malaysia. 🙂

  5. Lynn

    I’m from Singapore, and I occasionally visit a home salon, and the beautician is not pushy at all! I was amazed when I went for my first session, having seen from his website that he imports and sells his own products + offers packages too, but there was no mention at all of all these throughout the whole session. In fact, after he asked me what products I used on myself, he even told me to stick to most of them and recommended me others (which he was not selling). 🙂

  6. Nikki

    very good article, i enjoyed both yours and sesame’s! Gosh, I do learn to say NO now, after many years of struggling!

  7. akisalove

    pushy sales tactics!! I hate them.. I experienced this everywhere I went in Singapore, haha. I have to admit, I was pretty firm in my ‘no’, and that shocked them so much they didn’t have a comeback and only came up with ‘what’s wrong with you? such a great offer you don’t want..” haha

  8. Jill

    Its pretty lazy to say its an Asian thing. Plenty of Asian people can say no. With that being said, I never give my money to shitty salons who are pushy. I’m Asian and not only will I say no, I will look them right in the eye and tell them to either shut up (“Can we please continue my treatment in silence so I can relax? Thanks”) or I’d get the manager/owner of the salon. I don’t like being played around with. Grow a spine! You’ll be as glad as me!

  9. Cyndi

    I have went to two beauty salons before. One of them is great, they never promote you any products and never push for any packages. Everything is up to you to ask if you are interested. I love the salon because of their non-pushy attitude and they charge relatively low price.

    The other one, okay, I hate them. They are so annoying that they can actually promote their packages for at least half an hour. I got so bored that I didn’t hear what they are saying and just simply nod my head and left after she finished.

  10. Evelyn

    I am the one-sentence-customer in these beauty salons, only telling them that I want XX facial and never respond to any other topics or packages. No matter how much they talk, I can’t seem to hear… lolz. This non-branded salon I go to in Sabah, each beautician can earn up to RM5k to RM7 per month on commision alone for non-peak season. Of course they have to make us sign up for more!

    But they are very good ones, and in KL, my former teacher who is now a beautician cares to educate me while giving me a facial. For that, I love it!

  11. prettybeautiful

    cis. i too, absolutely detest pushy sales too! but sometimes i am just too weak to turn now 🙁 can your mom give us a crash course on how to reject them? now, facials starting to feel like a source of stress for me, not only bleeding my money, and also mentally torturing me for the fear of them keep pushing package/products to me

  12. fiseel

    yes, i hated those sales pitch! They always said “This is the best bargain, we are not offering this anymore OR it’s a promotion started since last month and we extended it due to popular demand” All the crappy sales pitch.

  13. Patrice

    I never had any experienced of such hard selling tactics by Asian Beauty Saloons. However, I think we must learn to say “no” with those promotions offered depending on our budget.

  14. lyn

    it’s not an asian thing.

    I’ve been to many reputable beauticians around sydney and they do it too. They don’t usually ask you to buy packages because it’s not common but they are definitely pushy when it comes to products.

    The beautician I now see is brilliant and has never asked me to buy any products, not once in the 2.5 years. Well worth the one month waiting list.

  15. abby

    Great article. Will have to read Sesame’s too.

    How i wish they understand that if they give us good value and good service, we will just come back on our own. I am appalled to hear that some bigger brands push so hard also. Like ParisB, i too have been to Jurlique. Everything was great during the facial and massage i had. No talk. Only after i left the room did t start. Luckily i had someone to help me get out of it. Otherwise, who knows what might have happened. I hope they read comments.

    I live in KL at the moment. So how i wish we gals could compile a list of good and bad salons so we don’t get duped into going into the bad ones. This also goes for Australia, Singapore, Philippines, everywhere really.

    Lynn, that home salon sounds so great. Mind sharing the location?

    We gals should stick together. It’s our right to say NO!

  16. Simonne

    Ever since i started using PC’s exfloliant (BHA) my skin has improved thus less facial visit. But i also believe daily maintenance at home is very important. I still visit facial salon on n off for relaxing session 😀

  17. Shorty

    Thanks for posting this article. Goodness, thank God I’m not the only one who think they are pushy, but I guess it’s because they live on the commission, I blame their employers as these beauticians are probably paid a low basic salary and high commissions on sales. They get blamed by their bosses / supervisors if they can’t push enough services / products to their customers to hit their targets. My current facial centre is not too bad once you stand your ground, sometimes I just tell my beautician upfront “your XXX very mahal la, cannot afford la” and she’s cool with it, but once in couple of months I also try to support her la, if the promo is damn good. My previous facial centre was really persuasive, even ask me what cleanser, toner, moisturiser, masque I’m using and try to rationalise why their stuff is better, sounds so desperate. Malas to layan la. Sigh. I really really LOVE having facials and I enjoy the pampering … but I do hate being forced to buy stuff.

  18. Tine

    Sesame:
    I’d so love to learn from her as well. I’m always enveloped with the sense of ‘pai seh’-ness that it’s normally difficult for me to be curt (unless they, or anyone else, really pushed me to the edge). Sigh, life lessons to learn.

    Aichaku:
    I do my facials at home as well. Just ’cause I’m cheap 😛 I love full body massages, but they’re always wasted on me as I have really ticklish legs. It’s torture when the masseurs work on my legs. I always have to bite on my lip to prevent myself from kicking out at them!

    Paris:
    A service industry with, sadly, not always so good service. It was only after I started going to Kanebo, that the hardselling decreased significantly. It’s not gone altogether, of course, as they still have a business to run, but at least for that 2 hours, I have peace. That, I definitely do not mind. Geez, didn’t think a Jurlique salon would resolve to such tactics – they wouldn’t let you out of the room?! Preposterous!

    Indulgent Diva:
    New York Skin Solution is notorious for their pushy sales tactics. I’ve read Malaysian forums which slam them on their hardselling methods and recommendations to NOT go back. I’m sorry you had to go through that. So far, I’ve not experience that in Melbourne, even at an Asian salon.

    Nikki:
    Good for you, girl! Stand your ground! 🙂

    Akisalove:
    It’s not just in Singapore, we get that in Malaysia too. What pisses me off is that they turn it around on us, blaming us for “missing out on such a great offer”. I mean, it’s our prerogative on taking up on the deals, not theirs to decide on what we should and should not do. Tsk tsk,

    Lynn:
    I started going to facials at a home salon. Although there were some pushing, the experience was still pretty enjoyable, until the beautician opened her own salon at a shoplot nearby. From then on, it was pushy sales all the way. Good on you for discovering such a gem in a good home salon. Stick with it 🙂

    Jill:
    I think I might have gotten the wrong message across here; I meant Asian salons as in salons in Asia, not Asian salons run by Asians in general. You’re right, plenty of Asian people can say no, but there are also plenty who find it a tad difficult (I don’t mean that they cannot and wouldn’t say no; I meant that they find it difficult). I don’t face problems with hardselling at Asian salons here in Melbourne, but then again, I’ve only been to one. The rest I go to are run by Australians and they’re fantastic.

  19. Tine

    Cyndi:
    Aww that sucks for you. Stick with the first salon! 🙂 For me, the problem isn’t so much the price, IF the service that comes with it is impeccable. I mean, you get what you pay for, right? What annoys me is that with such expensive packages, I received lousy service. If the experience and service are poor, do I get my money back? Unfortunately not. I’m not sure about Australia, but I’d say with confident ease that you wouldn’t get your money back in Malaysia (and perhaps Singapore too? I’ll leave that up to you, readers)

    Evelyn:
    Ahh beauticians who take their time to educate you, that’s great! I don’t think I’ve ever had a beautician who’d teach me tips and tricks on skincare which does not include me having their buy their miracle products 😛

    Prettybeautiful:
    Golly, mental torture eh? I know what you mean. It sucks big time for such a relaxing experience to be a source of stress, especially when you still have many sessions of treatment to go before it’s over and you can leave for good.

    Fiseel:
    Haha, that’s classic sales pitch!

    Patrice:
    Good for you for never experiencing such nonsense, and I hope you never have to.

    Lyn:
    Hmm would you mind sharing which beautician you go to? I mean, if it’s in a popular salon, I could hope there’s one in Melbourne too 🙂

    Abby:
    I understand the whole sales pitch thing once the treatment’s over. That’s the norm, and as much as I hope I don’t get it, it’s not something I mind so terribly. It’s when they give you that sales pitch DURING the facial, whilst they cleanse and scrutinise your skin, trying to sell you a certain treatment, over and over, that kills the joy of the session.

    Simonne:
    Me too! I use Clinique’s chemical exfoliant, and it’s reduced the number of facials I have to go to significantly. Now I see facials as a relaxing, pampering session 🙂

    Shorty:
    I agree with you. I’d blame the employers too. I remembered telling a beautician a number of times during my sessions that her products were too expensive, and instead of just shutting up, she told me that even though it’s expensive, it’s worth it in the end. Oh, and I could also pay by installment so it’s not that bad. 0% interest for three months! I wouldn’t even pay for furniture by installments (I’d rather not buy them if I can’t afford it at the time), much less for beauty treatments 😛

  20. Yani

    Great piece, Tine! More than a few of the beauticians I’ve encountered were extremely pushy with their products – and they still pushed even though they knew I was reviewing the treatment for work! In fact, I remember a couple of incidents where I’d try out a facial from a brand that I was using, and still have the silly beautician commenting about the state of my skin and how I should switch to their brand – she kept quiet after I told her that I was.

  21. CY

    Hei… yeah, the hard-sell pushiness factor is amazing..

    I’ve got used to the fact that a lot of asian run salons in malaysia have pushy sales people. Of course, I am learning to deal with it. I bring enough just for facial, and i ask that if they want me to sign up for a package, they can give me a quotation, and I’ll think about it before returning. ^^

  22. doremi

    Dear Tine

    I am glad that found this article and read all comments too, actully i am a beauticiant and massage therapy, I am not owing my salon at the moment but work in a salon in Malaysia.

    What i been thinking that wellness therapist with the uniform is actually skillful and care ladies to deliver their best of skill and knowledge helping everyone who need facial and body treatment. Most of the beauticiant are good if we work with heart and care,,,mom told me too,,do something with your real heart,,people will feel it.

    It is sad that most beauticiant nowaday, they been mould and build in mind like a robot that they are actually sell person beside therapist, they work to… fight for sell, target, commission, highest sell therapist waoo 6-7K a month..well i agreed that. The therapist nowadays have to attend sell talk and training learn be a good “missy seller but come out pushy fellow”,, lol really feel sad…dont blame the poor missy k .someone behind to trill them,,not me.. I would prefer to updating my beauty knowledge or even get further study to upgrade myself,,then we can share with friend and client even can teach and train new generation of therapist..i like be a trainer one day or get good place to work with genuine ethic.

    Gals.. the main purpose we go facial is the best thing to enjoy is the face and shoulder massage we cant do for ourself, follow by their skillful hands in handling our face with all sort of products, i trust most of the products in the market now, they have their own benefit and result. and some only need machine but not all…

    Tine, I really hope all the comments can read by those beauty owner,the boss, of course everyone want money, but in the service line remember the word of “””care””” come first… all therapist have penny basic,,hardsell to get bit more,, i dont need consultant if all the therapist are good knowledge themself, the consultant always the hardsell people scaring off the client,,lol the boss is the top to playing all the bleeding package game,,lol,,poor little missy therapist get all blame always.

    Still have salon is doing good and real,just that too many now, overflowing.. say no if you dont like, but i still like my career since i respect myself. the more luxury the salon you go ofcourse they expect more from you and we expect more from them. that’s the world now..unless you are just simple, i am simple but i respect who am i.

  23. Pam Stellema

    I enjoyed reading this article very much. I am a Salon Specialist Business Coach and I spend time in training with salon team members each month. One of the areas that I work in, of course, is retailing which I refer to as “relationship retailing”. This is retailing that benefits not only the salon but the client also. It is the kind of retailing that ensures that not only is a client never harassed but that she is recommended only the very best products that she needs for her skin to be used at home. Salons that harrass their clients and take away their clients enjoyment of their treatments do not deserve the loyalty of a client. Retailing should be left to the end of a treatment and recommended only with a client’s best interest in mind. By doing this, salons can ensure that not only does the client have the products she needs to maintain her skin in top condition at home, but also that the client will return over and over again as well as recommend it to her friends. Don’t accpet this kind of treatment from your salon. Their are many more out there that will do the right thing when recommending the best products for you without leaving you feeling harrassed and stressed out.

  24. Florence

    Hi All,

    Really informative a forum and I enjoy reading the comments. I too, have experienced terribly annoying and ridiculous hardselling tactics by New York Skin Solutions and Adonis. I have terrible skin condition (i.e. with freckles and oily/dry skin), thus I ended up paying thousands and thousands for treatments =( I don’t earn so much but because my self-esteem is always really effected by my facial condition, i usually find myself painfully paying so much just to try get these problems off my face =(

    Now, I have just moved to Melbourne, and I have yet found any beauticians to visit yet. I am struggling with worse freckles and dry/oily skin conditions than before and I am feeling so depressed. Being just here for about 4 months now, my skin still struggles to get accustomed to the dry and ever-fluctuating climate, high UV, summer heat… =( =( =( I realized that the New York products I use quite efficiently in Singapore and Malaysia don’t quite work for me here anymore and I am struggling so hard to find other suitable products.. I am still bleeding money and I don’t know what to do =(

    Does anyone has advice on how could I care for my skin in this new condition and atmosphere effectively (e.g. going to inexpensive beauticians in Melbourne or buying effective products to address dryness/oilyness and bad freckles)? I would kindly appreciate.. =) =) Thanks!

  25. CCYC

    Hi there..I totally agree with you. I had been frequenting one beauty centre starting with “A” in Malaysia. Trust me. In just less than a decade I have spent or rather signed and not used the amount of money worth a small family car in KL. As you correctly said, almost each time I go, I never fail to get “sharings” from them. Either to upgrade or consider new products etc as you said. And they made it so hard to say no. As of today I decided enough is enough.

    I will rather forfeit all that I signed over the years and not used up yet, then continue being bled to death like this. My new year resolution for 2018

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