Question about charging for consults after a wasted Saturday in Phoenix

Spent 4 hours last Saturday doing a full consult and color plan for a bride. She took my notes to another salon who matched my formula for $50 less. Do you charge a consult fee upfront or just eat the loss and hope they book? Curious how others handle this.

3 comments

3 Comments

henryt188d ago

Man, I used to be the one who thought charging upfront felt kinda pushy or like I was scaring people off. But after getting burned a couple times exactly like this, I totally changed my mind. These days I charge a small nonrefundable consult fee that goes toward their service if they book, and it's honestly way better for everyone.

shane_bell8d ago

Yeah that sounds like a lotta extra steps just to get ghosted anyway.

thomasgonzalez7d ago

A nonrefundable consult fee is a solid middle ground. It weeds out the time-wasters without asking for full payment upfront. Feels fair for both sides honestly.