Kelly complains:
How do I tell my stylist I’m not buying any more Aveda? She sold me like $200 worth of it the first time I
visited her, and I ended up giving most of the stuff away. How do I tell her I think she’s grand but to please stop trying to push her overpriced, nearly-useless products on me? Should I tip her more to make up for lost commissions?
Sarah Says:
I gotta tell you, this stylist of yours seems really obnoxious. It’s one thing for your stylist to try and make some extra money selling product, but she should make sure that her customers really want the stuff. I can’t stand it when they try to sell me things. Just give me the color and cut, a nice chat, and let me go.
How to deal with a pushy stylist
The way I see it, you’ve got a few options.
First, tell your stylist you are happy with the products you’re currently using. Since she’s pushing Aveda products you can tell her that you don’t like how they smell. I know I don’t. It’s pretty hard to argue with someone about something like fragrance choice.
Second, tell your stylist you want to spend your beauty money on your wonderful cut or color and you can’t afford to buy additional product.
Third, your last suggestion isn’t bad. Just tell her you don’t want to buy any products but then give her an extra tip (maybe 10% more).
Fourth, just tell her the story you told us. If she knew that you spent $200 on product you didn’t even use she would be much less likely to suggest more products. I’ve found that people selling things don’t want you to buy something you don’t want. If you’re unhappy with your purchase, just tell her.
Going to a stylist should be fun. If it’s not because your stylist is too pushy just tell her to back off. And if it makes things too uncomfortable, just go find someone else. There are lots of other stylists in the sea. Too bad many of them are awful, but there are still some gems out there.
What do y’all think? How do you deal with a pushy stylist? Let the rest of the Beauty Brains community know by leaving your comment below.
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{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
My stylist has never tried to sell me anything unless I have specifically asked him for something. That’s probably one of the reasons I’ve been going to him for over 32 years now!
You know what? I had one such hair stylist appointment this past Saturday. She was trying to sell me on some nasty hair straightening system treatment that lasts 3 hours in the salon, uses eldahyde (she said: “NOT formeldahyde”-yeah right)and costs over $300 dollars… she also spent the time she should have cutting my hair dissing my natural texture (wavy). I can’t stand stuff like that. If you don’t like styling a particular type of hair, just let me know before you butcher it, and no I don’t need to spend $300 to get away from my natural texture thank you very much. I’m not going there again.
Kelly – What’s wrong with just saying “No thank you”! You should not have to justify how you chose to spend your money nor should you have to compensate by giving a bigger tip. Personally I would find another stylist. You should not have to feel uncomfortable and getting a new do should be a good experience. Ask for recommendations from friends & co-workers for good salons/stylists.
I’d just find another stylist. It’s hard to tell them no sometimes — and it can be hard to tell them no and then trust them to do a proper job on your hair. Trust is an important part of that relationship. I’d just find someone else.
If there is anyone at work whose hair you like, you may want to ask them where they go.
A stylist should not be that pushy. It’s great to get a little extra cash from selling products on commission, but when it risks losing you as a client…
It sounds like she has her priorities a little more than backwards.
Dump them, dump them, dump them. It’s idiots like this that give the rest of us a bad rep, and tell the owner why you’re going because they are usually behind such behaviour. When I worked in a salon I would write down what I recommended so they had the choice to buy it from my salon or go elsewhere. This shows that it’s about what is good for their hair, not my commission.
Now I have my own mobile business, so all my clients get it wholesale, because it’s all about what’s good for their hair.
Good luck Kelly.
Well, here I am a few days late to say thanks to Sarah and everyone else who commented! I agree, I should just gather my courage and say “NO,” and I’m usually very plainspoken, but my guts turn to mush when someone is standing over me with a pair of shears. I also might change stylists, but I’ve already been butchered by 4 bad ones in the past 2 years while growing my hair out from a very short cut. Aveda-Woman is the first stylist I’ve found who understands what I want and is working with me on it. It’s just the salesmanship that turns me off. I have an appt on Saturday and will somehow find a way to stand my ground. The scent thing might just work!