NationStates Jolt Archive

I just got back from one of those absurdly expensive unisex hair salons you get in Tory market towns. You know, where you get complimentary coffee and a cosy chat about whatever.

Anyway, there was already a woman getting her hair trimmed by the (female) hairdresser, so I sat down to wait. There was a 'What Car?' magazine there, and I read an article on how car dealerships make women pay an average of £500 more than men for the same car.

Then came my turn. As I sat down in the chair, the woman was given the bill - £52.50. :eek:

OK I told myself, I might have misheard, it could have been £15.50. Except the woman paid by cheque, and it didn't sound much like "fifteen". So as I was getting my haircut, I was thinking, "Shit, I wish my regular barber hadn't died last month, now I'll get ripped off". :(

Boy did I get a surprise! £7.50. Huh? I asked her to repeat, thinking I had misheard. But no. £7.50. :eek:

I have spent the last 14 years going to the same barbershop where they only had male cusomers, and naturally sane prices. So perhaps I am being somewhat naive when I say, OMFG women are getting ripped off! By other women of all people. :confused: I mean, take the magazine article. A £20,000 BMW, and the male undercover journalist gets a £1300 discount the moment he walks through the door, while the female undercover journalist is lucky to haggle £800. But proportionally, it's not much. Look at a simple haircut! We're talking a factor of 2.5x difference here. At least. WTF. OMFG. :eek:

Try pricing women's clothing vs. men's clothing.
Or see how many "accessories" a woman buys compared to a man (on average).
Women are marketed into buying more and spending more (not that all women buy it, but most do - enough to drive the industry).

Yeah...but it's just...suppose it really was £52.50. That's just WTF, you know?

I agree. I just got a trim, no frills nothing~$34 twin brother gets a haircut $12 my mothers was 82 at some snazzy spa type thing

Yeah...but it's just...suppose it really was £52.50. That's just WTF, you know?

The difference is that if they tried to charge men £50 for a haircut then men wouldn't get their hair cut.

This is also why men's clothing is always on the ground floor of a shop, they know we're not prepared to go upstairs for it.:p

The difference is that if they tried to charge men £50 for a haircut then men wouldn't get their hair cut.

This is also why men's clothing is always on the ground floor of a shop, they know we're not prepared to go upstairs for it.:p
Hmm...you could be on to something. I often see Menswear departments on the basement level, so they know we'll go downstairs for the suit, only to be confronted with upward stairs after making the purchase. In one Manchester store, there is even a downwards escalator.

Devious. Like those pitcher plants which lure flies into the digestive chamber below. :eek:

must be a blackmail thing. why would anyone pay £52.50 for a simple haircut unless the hairdresser had some dirt on her?

next time let it slip that you are having a fling with the mayor's wife and see if the price of your haircut doesnt go up a bit.

If a woman wants to keep her hair long (so the hairdresser only has to cut the ends off) she pays more than if she gets it cut short (which usually involves complicated styling). Yes it's a rippoff. :mad:

Yep. Women are willing to pay ludicrous prices for these things, so that's what they're charged.

A man would just cut his hair himself or let it grow if he knew he would have to pay those sorts of prices for a hair cut. Same goes for clothes, a man is more likely to just buy cheap stuff or stick with his tried-and-true cloths than pay huge prices for 'fashion'.

Many women complain about the price inequality, but most will pay just the same.

I pay $12.00 for a haircut once every other month. I shampoo it myself that morning, so no wash & dry, just a standard haircut.
I give the girl a $20.00 after having her rub her wonderful breasts all over my head and shoulders.

Its an enjoyable 15 minutes of small talk and young flesh.

Yep. Women are willing to pay ludicrous prices for these things, so that's what they're charged.

A man would just cut his hair himself or let it grow if he knew he would have to pay those sorts of prices for a hair cut. Same goes for clothes, a man is more likely to just buy cheap stuff or stick with his tried-and-true cloths than pay huge prices for 'fashion'.

Many women complain about the price inequality, but most will pay just the same.


That's ridiculous. Most people would look like shit if they would never cut their hair or would cut it themselves. So if you don't want to look like shit what's there to do but go to a hairdresser? That doesn't mean I like the prices.

As for the difference in pricing between cuts for men and for women: it originated way back when men really only went to the barber to get a quick trim, while women would go to the hairdresser to get the most elaborately permed, teased and sprayed hair creations. Of course, today's hairdressers actually acknowledge that their is no reason for that kind of pricing today and that it's just a double standard, but as long as the whole industry doesn't change it, your friendly neighborhood salon isn't likely going to be the one to start.

That said, where I live, lots of hip new "one price fits all" salons have sprung up, where every cut only costs, say, 10 euros (obviously, they don't do stuff like coloring or perms or such).

Also, the woman in the OP's salon obviously had more done than just a few snips (or so I would hope!:eek: ) so you can't really compare those two prices.

Hey, I'm not touching this. I brought this up about a year ago and people freaked out, called me a feminazi, and I still sort of have that label.

But it's bloody true. A trim is a trim...it's NOT always an issue of 'more complicated styling'.

I always hated it that, when I was keeping my hair short, I couldn't find a place that would color it at the price they use to color men's hair. They weren't using any more product than they would on a man, for crying out loud! I've seen some places where the cut/style price is based on the length of the hair, so my short haircut didn't cost more there than a man's would (although it's more a medium length now, so I would get charged more than my boyfriend at those places), but I've never found an inexpensive place that charged the same for men and women for color.

Oh yeah, and it's all women's fault because they are willing to pay more, so the market blah blah blah.

Oh yeah, and it's all women's fault because they are willing to pay more, so the market blah blah blah.
:p I will assume you have had your fair share of such experiences, and will leave it at that.

Oh yeah, and it's all women's fault because they are willing to pay more, so the market blah blah blah.

This is great! I can use haircuts to convert women to the Socialist cause!

*runs off to forment revolution*

I always hated it that, when I was keeping my hair short, I couldn't find a place that would color it at the price they use to color men's hair. They weren't using any more product than they would on a man, for crying out loud! I've seen some places where the cut/style price is based on the length of the hair, so my short haircut didn't cost more there than a man's would (although it's more a medium length now, so I would get charged more than my boyfriend at those places), but I've never found an inexpensive place that charged the same for men and women for color.


Ugh, don't you just hate that?

I've almost always had longer hair, and what incensed me the most was that they actually charged more for the 5 minutes it took them to snip one centimeter off the ends of my hair than for the 20 minutes it took them to give the guy in the chair next to me an all-new haircut from scratch. Just because 1) I'm female and 2) my hair is longer to begin with. :rolleyes:

It is not a "rippoff", it is a pricing-strategy, the german term is "nachfragerorientierte Preisdifferenzierungsstrategie", you are adapting the price to the "Preisbereitschaft" (willingness to pay) of the customers. The classic example for this pricing strategy is reduced ticketprices for students.

If you study economics, you get this in the first semester.

It is not a "rippoff", it is a pricing-strategy, the german term is "nachfragerorientierte Preisdifferenzierungsstrategie", you are adapting the price to the "Preisbereitschaft" (willingness to pay) of the customers. The classic example for this pricing strategy is reduced ticketprices for students.

If you study economics, you get this in the first semester.
See? What did I say. It's women's fault.

It could be because the woman had a perm and/or dye job or something. They might have gone thru the whole shampoo and head massage deal as well. They really rack up the charges when they give you the works.

It could be because the woman had a perm and/or dye job or something. They might have gone thru the whole shampoo and head massage deal as well. They really rack up the charges when they give you the works.
And this is always what people say, even when you specifically point out that you're talking about a simple trim...with no extra styling, the exact same cut as a man would get. But anyway.

That's ridiculous. Most people would look like shit if they would never cut their hair or would cut it themselves. So if you don't want to look like shit what's there to do but go to a hairdresser? That doesn't mean I like the prices.

As for the difference in pricing between cuts for men and for women: it originated way back when men really only went to the barber to get a quick trim, while women would go to the hairdresser to get the most elaborately permed, teased and sprayed hair creations. Of course, today's hairdressers actually acknowledge that their is no reason for that kind of pricing today and that it's just a double standard, but as long as the whole industry doesn't change it, your friendly neighborhood salon isn't likely going to be the one to start.

That said, where I live, lots of hip new "one price fits all" salons have sprung up, where every cut only costs, say, 10 euros (obviously, they don't do stuff like coloring or perms or such).

Also, the woman in the OP's salon obviously had more done than just a few snips (or so I would hope!:eek: ) so you can't really compare those two prices.

Heh, I don't cut mine and it looks fine! But it's just "long" and not 'styled'. I hate having styled hair, most of the time. And most I've seen who cut their own hair (students who can't afford it, mostly) look fine. They keep it short and don't care about the lame hair fashions that are going around today, but it looks good enough.

As for your reasons for the pricing... well, you may have a point there. Still, the fact remains that while people are willing to pay the sorts of prices they're paying, they'll continue to be required to pay them. Personally, I think the price difference is slowly disappearing as more and more men are becoming as concerned with their appearance as many modern women are. Soon, everyone will be paying huge prices! Yay!

But yeah, there are a lot of those "10 buck cut" salons springing up. Can't be bad thing, I say.

But yeah, there are a lot of those "10 buck cut" salons springing up. Can't be bad thing, I say.
I hope I can find one. I'm on the outs with my mother in law, who is usually the one who trims my hair. As in cuts off the ends. That's it. That's all I get done in the salon as well, but it costs me $25 a pop. It galls me to pay that much...but after letting my husband do it once, I really have no choice:) Bastard can't cut in a straight line to save his life!!!

And this is always what people say, even when you specifically point out that you're talking about a simple trim...with no extra styling, the exact same cut as a man would get. But anyway.

Well that is different and wrong. I was only talking about the initial post where he had walked in and really didn't know what the previous customer had done really as they were just finishing up.

I personally dont go anywhere to get my hair cut. I stay home and let my woman shave my head with the #1 and leave it at that. It's the best haircut in the world!

Well that is different and wrong. I was only talking about the initial post where he had walked in and really didn't know what the previous customer had done really as they were just finishing up.

I personally dont go anywhere to get my hair cut. I stay home and let my woman shave my head with the #1 and leave it at that. It's the best haircut in the world!
I've never tried it, though I came pretty damn close...after highschool, when my hair was down to my butt, I cut it off to about a quarter of an inch length, and dyed the stubble black. I was skinny as hell, but the hair cut made my face look pudgy. I couldn't really pull it off. And I missed the weight. And the warmth.

Well that is different and wrong.
And actually, my husband's hair is much more complicated to trim than mine...it takes about 20 minutes for his cut, and literally 20 seconds for mine. But he pays less. WHY!!??? Because there is a 'rapunzel' clause in many salons...you pay a fixed fee for having long hair, plus the extra for what you want done. Sheesh.

I hope I can find one. I'm on the outs with my mother in law, who is usually the one who trims my hair. As in cuts off the ends. That's it. That's all I get done in the salon as well, but it costs me $25 a pop. It galls me to pay that much...but after letting my husband do it once, I really have no choice:) Bastard can't cut in a straight line to save his life!!!

Well, you could grab a couple of mirrors and do it yourself! I used to do that, when I still bothered to cut mine. It was short then, and looked okay after a trimmed it. Not in any particular style, but like I said, I can't stand having it 'styled'. Most of the popular styles for guy's hair at the moment are hideous, IMO.

But then, I AM a man and there isn't the same expectation for having 'pretty' hair that women are subject to. So you might not really want to have a self-rendered hair cut that just "gets the job done", if you need it to really look nice. I really feel for you women-folk sometimes. :(

Well, you could grab a couple of mirrors and do it yourself! I used to do that, when I still bothered to cut mine. It was short then, and looked okay after a trimmed it. Not in any particular style, but like I said, I can't stand having it 'styled'. Most of the popular styles for guy's hair at the moment are hideous, IMO.

But then, I AM a man and there isn't the same expectation for having 'pretty' hair that women are subject to. So you might not really want to have a self-rendered hair cut that just "gets the job done", if you need it to really look nice. I really feel for you women-folk sometimes. :(
It's not about pretty...my hair is just fine the way it is...clean and brushed. I don't worry about styling it unless I'm going out, and it never involves hair products. But I can't manage to get a straight cut when I do it myself. And even a slight angle makes it look pretty ridiculous.

And actually, my husband's hair is much more complicated to trim than mine...it takes about 20 minutes for his cut, and literally 20 seconds for mine. But he pays less. WHY!!??? Because there is a 'rapunzel' clause in many salons...you pay a fixed fee for having long hair, plus the extra for what you want done. Sheesh.


oh I had no idea. back in the early days when I still went to hair salons, I just remember seeing outrageous prices for all the fixin's (shampooings, dyes, perms and such) but didn't see anything about price based on hair length. thats truely fucked to use a french term

It's not about pretty...my hair is just fine the way it is...clean and brushed. I don't worry about styling it unless I'm going out, and it never involves hair products. But I can't manage to get a straight cut when I do it myself. And even a slight angle makes it look pretty ridiculous.
I wish I could find/post a pic of me when I had hair down to the small of my back. (Geez, that was only 10 years ago!) When I did go in I only got the ends trimmed. Never cost me more than $20 and I only did it about twice a year. Now I cut what I have left with an electric clipper every couple of weeks. :(

Yay being bald...

Chicks get charged more for haircuts and clothes because everyone knows some guy is going to be a sap and pay for it. It's not aimed at women, it's aimed at their husbands and boyfriends.

I can to some extend understand that hair dressers ae charging women more, considering that women get more fancy haircuts, and colours and perms and whatnot. Although the price difference still is ridiculous.

What I never understood was why I have to pay more even if I get the exact same haircut as, say, my brother. I had hours of dicussions with hair dressers about that, and never got a satisfactory answer.

While I was still at university in Leipzig, there was one hair dresser who charged the same for women and men (I mean men's rates, not women's rates ;) ), and I would always go there. Unfortunately, there's no such thing in Dublin...

I posted about this a while ago too, Sinuhue. I also pointed out that the Ontario government had a bill aimed at ended discriminatory pricing. Apparently some MLA went shopping with his new wife, and found that she paid much, much more for a suit that was very similar in style to what he was purchasing - but that hers cost more, even though it contained less fabric. He was then stunned to find that shops do alterations to new men's suits for free, but women had to pay. He went on a little journey of discovery and found that dry cleaners, hair dressers, car dealerships and others do the same thing.

Personally, I've given up. With the exception of pants and underwear, I buy men's clothing. Men's shirts, men's sweaters. If I could fit men's pant sizes, I'd buy those too. I cut my own hair or get a family member to do it. But even though I take men's shirts to the drycleaner, they still try to charge me extra. So I buy very few things I can't wash myself.

There are plenty of other women who make these choices as well, but it would be very difficult for a woman that has to always present in business attire and impress clients etc to do this.

Chicks get charged more for haircuts and clothes because everyone knows some guy is going to be a sap and pay for it. It's not aimed at women, it's aimed at their husbands and boyfriends.
now i know you were just being flamey but no, just no.

men do not pay for a woman's hairdressing anymore than they pay for her eyeshadow.

And this is always what people say, even when you specifically point out that you're talking about a simple trim...with no extra styling, the exact same cut as a man would get. But anyway.

As far as I know (and I have several friends who are training to be hairdressers) to be a qualified hairdresser for women takes much more training than it does for men so it could be a question of supply of trained staff.

What I never understood was why I have to pay more even if I get the exact same haircut as, say, my brother. I had hours of dicussions with hair dressers about that, and never got a satisfactory answer.


Like I said, I think it has something to do with qualifications. To be qualified to cut womens hair takes more training and generally longer than it does to cut mens hair. So it proberbly is something to do with that. Also there is this nagging thing were there are increasing numbers of women suing salons for giving them "bad" hair cuts.