Are Tanning Salons still a viable business??

[NorthernSoles]

Hi All,

My brother is looking at opening a tanning salon, and we are in the process of viewing some potential locations.

i would love to hear from anyone in the trade who could offer me any information. Some of the questions i do have are;

is there still good numbers using sunbeds in the UK?

What have sales been like over the past 5 years have you seen a decrease in the people who use them?

Where do you think the use of sunbeds are heading?

are more people using spray tan booths now or other methods?


.... i look forward to hearing from all you in the tanning salon game past or present.

Regards

David

 

[bharris]

I have a friend who runs a mobile sun bed hire company, he used to be very busy but now its just the odd customer once in a while. So i would have thought if you have any running costs (staff, shop rent etc.) then you will probably struggle. I have no personal experience though.

 

[ls0709]

Do you have a KWIK Tan or other similar franchise in your area?

If so, what can you offer that will be different?

I use the sun bed for about 4-6 weeks before I go on holiday to avoid burning and looking like an obvious tourist. The one in the nearest town to me (1 of about 10 chains of Kwik Tan in the city) is always busy, regardless of the time of day.

However I usually pay £15 for 45 minutes in a bulk purchase. I usually find that all I need is 45 minutes to get a decent base tan and so I don't buy more. I tend to go away 2-3 times a year so my potential value to your business is £45 pa. There will of course be people that tan constantly but hopefully those figures give you a bit of an idea.

 

[Costa Del Digital]

No.

 

[AG Consult]

They can still be a viable option but it is essential to compete with others that you offer extras as well.

The one beside me now offers spray tans and lotions etc. She also has a nail bar in there and also offers botox. I know her quite well and she has only added these extras in the past year or so to keep customers coming through the door.

 

[AnneLou]

I agree with the post above! Offer extras. I'm in my 40's and still make occasional use of a sun bed prior to holidays. The ones near me are quite grotty and what I consider cheap at £3 per session but needs must! I would certainly pay more for cleaner and more pleasant surroundings and if other services such as manicures, pedicures and quick leg massages were on offer, I would certainly buy into them. Any business is all about the research and offering something others can't.

 

[NorthernSoles]

Thanks All,

your input has been much appreciated. At the moment we are waiting to see if 3 phase electricity can be installed into the premises we are inquiring about at a decent price. From research on this subject i can see that prices for this vary depending on store location.

My brother has spoken with a couple of beauticians who can offer things like nails, makeup and spray tans. They are very interested in using one of our larger rooms and they come with there own clients which is a bonus.

We have managed to dig through the many grants that are on offer for our area and seem to have come across one that may help fund the refurbishment. I poke with a girl who opened up a bakers and she managed to secure 6k through grants which helped pay for most of her equipment.

 

[Watson91]

The World Health Organisation has just released new guidance which says that there's basically no way to tan safely, due to the increasing risk of skin cancer. I'd be wary of getting into a business which is widely and increasingly seen as being dangerous, it's almost like starting a tobacco company.

Maybe spray tans are the way to go? People still want to look tanned, they just don't want to die in the process!