The Complete Guide to Retail Sales in Your Barbershop

Your chair time is capped.

There are only so many haircuts you can do in a day. But retail? That scales without extra hours.

Most barbershops treat product sales as an afterthought—a dusty shelf in the corner with some pomade nobody touches. That's leaving real money on the table.

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The Math That Should Wake You Up

Let's say you see 20 clients a week.

If just 5 of them buy a $25 product, that's $125/week. $500/month. $6,000/year.

And that's conservative. Shops that do retail right see 30-40% of clients buying product.

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Why Most Barbershops Fail at Retail

Problem #1: Wrong products

You're stocking what distributors push, not what clients actually want.

Problem #2: No visibility

Products hidden behind the counter or stuffed in a corner. If clients don't see it, they don't buy it.

Problem #3: No conversation

You use products during the cut but never mention them. The client leaves wondering what made their hair look so good.

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Building a Product Wall That Sells

1. Curate ruthlessly

Stock 8-12 products max. Decision paralysis kills sales.

The essentials:

• 2-3 styling products (different hold levels)
• 1 shampoo
• 1 conditioner
• 1 beard oil (if you do beards)
• 1 scalp treatment

2. Price strategically

Sweet spot: $18-35 per product

Under $15 feels cheap. Over $40 triggers hesitation.

3. Display at eye level

Put products where clients sit and wait. Near the mirror. On the station. Not behind you.

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The Natural Sales Conversation

Forget pushy upselling. Here's what works:

During the cut:

"I'm using this clay—it's got a matte finish with medium hold. Perfect for your hair type."

At the end:

"Want me to grab you one? It's what I used today."

That's it. No pitch. Just information and an easy yes.

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What Top Shops Do Differently

Take Marcus, who runs a 4-chair shop in Denver.

He tried retail for years with zero results. Then he made three changes:

1. Moved products from the back room to a lit shelf by the waiting area
2. Started using products visibly during cuts (not hidden in drawers)
3. Added a simple "take-home" card listing what he used

Result: Retail went from $200/month to $1,800/month in 90 days.

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Margins and Markup

Typical wholesale: 50% of retail price.

So a $30 product costs you $15. That's $15 profit per sale.

Compare that to the labor-intensive work of another haircut.

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Tracking What Sells

Don't guess. Track:

• Which products move fastest
• Which barbers sell most (they're doing something right)
• Seasonal trends (heavier products in winter)

Review monthly. Cut what doesn't sell. Double down on winners.

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Common Retail Mistakes

❌ Stocking too many brands (confuses clients)

❌ Hiding products behind the counter

❌ Never mentioning what you're using

❌ Pricing too low (kills perceived value)

❌ No inventory system (running out of bestsellers)

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Start Simple

This week:

1. Pick your top 3 products
2. Move them to a visible spot
3. Mention them during every cut
4. Track sales for 30 days

That's it. No fancy displays needed. Just visibility and conversation.

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Retail Is a Service, Not a Sales Pitch

Clients want to recreate the look at home. They just don't know what to buy.

When you recommend products, you're helping—not selling.

The shops that get this right add thousands in annual revenue without cutting a single extra head.

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👉 Vinci 26 helps barbershops track retail sales alongside appointments—so you know exactly what's working.

Build something that's truly yours.