Here's my opinion! Whats yours?

[megatanman]

Originally Posted by nlabtec

You are right this industry has major problems. I went to Solaria in Germany ask what the price of a bed would be in the U.S. and they told me I was like, ok thats not bad. Call the U.S. disty and they raise the price 40% and tried to use some crazy excuse of new years pricing because of the euro. Funny thing is that I have a U.K. disty that gave me a way cheaper price than the U.S. and they pound is way higher than the euro.

The U.S. industry has major issues, and all people in this industry want to do is talk about the good ol days. I want to see this industry go larger than life but its us that keep holding this industry back.

If you only knew what it would cost to manufacture a bed comparable to Ergo or ETS in China.I have looked into this and have already received a production cost for a fully assembled unit.We do some out sourcing for our industrial machine shop.It would disgust any salon owner that paid 20K plus for theres.

I would not doubt if companies like Ergoline and ETS already do this.I was amazed at how fast my supplier was able to put together everything I needed to reproduce one of these beds,which leads me to believe the major manufacturers are already doing it there.There is no copyright or trademark laws there,so I would not be surprised if he's using the same suppliers as other tanning bed manufacturers do.

The average margin of mark up on our machined parts from china is 400-4000%.So figure out what kind of profit could be made on a tanning bed???

And thats why I have never bought a new bed.I always look for a solid used unit

[unity]

We know its the industry and out selves to blame, then you throw on a sour economy as the frosting.

The distribution end of NUTS. Beds are over-priced, but if they were too cheap I dont think there would be too much of a threat from individuals buying them, but instead "fly-by-night" salons. So this is a catch-22. The problem is more or less the QUALITY of the bed for the price.

Then you have lotion! $120 for a bottle of AG Crystal? What a JOKE! Really. The lotion prices have really gotten nuts. NO bottle of lotion should retail for over $50. Its HARD to find a decent bottle for under $20 and the reason many will go to Wal-mart or eBay! (not that they are getting a decent bottle anyway).

Then you have price-wars. Happens all the time around here. I wish all the salons would band together in some sort of coalition to stabilize pricing between salons. It would benefit ALL the salons.

These are my ramblings... take with grain if salt. I still need my coffee.

[megatanman]

Originally Posted by unity

We know its the industry and out selves to blame, then you throw on a sour economy as the frosting.


Then you have price-wars. Happens all the time around here. I wish all the salons would band together in some sort of coalition to stabilize pricing between salons. It would benefit ALL the salons.

Your blaming the wrong people,you need to place the blame on the lotion manufacturers for not setting a baseline prices and removing a salons ability to sell products for under the base price.

Stabilize pricing between salons?What is this socilaism?I keep hearing how some of us are devaluing the industry?How is that?If my equipment is payed for,why do i need to charge a set price for a session,I know what my operating expenses are and what I need to make.Why must I follow suit with everyone else.Im sorry if you are leasing your equipment and have to make payments every month,some of us don't.Im sorry to for sounding like a tool,but Im a businessman.Its about survival and doing what it takes to do that.

No one ever got rich or became successful worrying about the "other" guy.

I have great respect for anyone who took it upon themselves to stake their own claim,its not an easy thing to do.In my book,we are not buddies or friends,we are competitors.

	Superior UV

[nlabtec]

I agree much cheaper I also checked and found out the samething. Like I said before I shouldnt have a UK disty give me cheaper pricing on a bed than a US disty, the pound is why higher than both the euro and the dollar

Originally Posted by megatanman

If you only knew what it would cost to manufacture a bed comparable to Ergo or ETS in China.I have looked into this and have already received a production cost for a fully assembled unit.We do some out sourcing for our industrial machine shop.It would disgust any salon owner that paid 20K plus for theres.

I would not doubt if companies like Ergoline and ETS already do this.I was amazed at how fast my supplier was able to put together everything I needed to reproduce one of these beds,which leads me to believe the major manufacturers are already doing it there.There is no copyright or trademark laws there,so I would not be surprised if he's using the same suppliers as other tanning bed manufacturers do.

The average margin of mark up on our machined parts from china is 400-4000%.So figure out what kind of profit could be made on a tanning bed???

And thats why I have never bought a new bed.I always look for a solid used unit

[paradisebeach]

I am in an area that now has 5 tanning salons all within 5 miles radius! And one that just opened at the beginning of the month, it is very hard to compete with this. I don't care how good you are, how good your beds are, prices, customer service or what you do it is hard to make any money in this business. I truly don't understand what people are thinking that even open up a salon at this point?

With all the negitive publicity the tanning industry gets there are only so people that are tanning at this point so everyone needs to do whatever they can to even pay their bills let alone make any money!

Anyway, sorry for rattling on but just my opinion!

[unity]

Originally Posted by megatanman

Your blaming the wrong people,you need to place the blame on the lotion manufacturers for not setting a baseline prices and removing a salons ability to sell products for under the base price.

Stabilize pricing between salons?What is this socilaism?I keep hearing how some of us are devaluing the industry?How is that?If my equipment is payed for,why do i need to charge a set price for a session,I know what my operating expenses are and what I need to make.Why must I follow suit with everyone else.Im sorry if you are leasing your equipment and have to make payments every month,some of us don't.Im sorry to for sounding like a tool,but Im a businessman.Its about survival and doing what it takes to do that.

No one ever got rich or became successful worrying about the "other" guy.

I have great respect for anyone who took it upon themselves to stake their own claim,its not an easy thing to do.In my book,we are not buddies or friends,we are competitors.

Huh? I am looking for a thread where it says I am leasing my equipment. Cant seem to find on so I am not sure where you are getting you info from. Every piece of equipment I have is paid for, from the T-Max to every bed. AND I have NO credit cards with over a $500 balance, so I am not charging stuff like an idiot either.

And if you "keep hearing" something, it must be true. Its what I like to call Jerry Springer syndrome. You get some morbidly obese women claiming they can have any man they want, yet they never can and they are told they cant - and its true, they cant...

As for sounding like a tool, well any post I have read so far by you makes you look like one. You have no need to apologize for what is expected.

I am quite happy taking home (as in profit) over $100k a year with only 9 beds and 1 location.

And if you read my post, you would see I AM blaming lotion makers as WELL AS the crap manufactures of beds. Its not the price, its what you GET for the price! I have no problem paying 10k for a good bed, but when it comes with poor fit like some Geo Metro I am not happy.

	Superior UV

[nlabtec]

Its not the problem of salons opening up around you, I feel your pain but heck look at every other industry there are plenty of more stores opening around them that do the samething and are bigger than tanning. Theres 2 nail salons in 1 shopping center 2 or maybe even 3 mattress stores, and so forth. Its just that us salon owners take it more personal because we are in the stores and sweat and bleed this stuff. we just need to step back and look at the whole picture. We need to stop crying about how bad the dermos are killings us. I mean if people are willing to tan in the so called "Dr's special tanning bed", then they are still willing to tan. We just need to not play the game and maintain on focusing on how to bring up sales.

This Berman crap is just crazy at the end the only person getting paid is Berman, if the salon owner doesnt stop and take a look at themself in the mirror. I mean enough of the owners sending there workers or themself into another tanning salon to see what they are doing. Whos cares what they are doing, unless you want to work for that company. People the dermos are charging $50 for 3 minutes! We still have salon owners selling free and $5 sessions. I am not saying sell $50 for 3 minutes, but I am saying start raising the prices. Screw this 18.88 or 19.99 a month for EFT tanning.

Stop hearing these so called tanning gods of this industry. They haven't done anything right since 1983 but yet keep talking they are so great. People the days of a close family industry is gone, the disty's just want to make a quick buck and that is it. You think ETS cares or any of the others? Heck no just like I told smart tan your program sucks and all you doing is trying to get some money you are not trying to help crap. How can smart tan help when they are telling you to turn your salon into a palm beach or a planet beach? How is that gonna help your bottom dollar?

This industry needs a complete turn around new ways to sell the product new salon concepts on how to make your salon look professional and not like you went to ikea to buy everything. Until then all we gonna be doing is looking for a savior year after year after year.

[missmojorising]

Originally Posted by nlabtec

This Berman crap is just crazy at the end the only person getting paid is Berman, if the salon owner doesnt stop and take a look at themself in the mirror.

I'd like to know what your qualifications are to diagnose the Berman Initiative as "Crazy".

[nlabtec]

I dont need any to say its crazy. Like I said before only person gonna get paid off of this is the Berman group. I mean Berman is supose to put a media blitz about the good side of tanning right? But I thought we couldnt say anything about the good side, and if we can why in the heck havent we said anything before hand.

Plus this industry is getting hit with all kinds of false misleading things by the media. Being a lawyer for a good number of years, I know that if smart tan or ita could of had someone put a lawsuit against the media for this outright crazy stuff. While yes it would of been hard and costly it would of shown the media and the dermos that you will not stand for it.

Berman is a great business man no doubt but putting ads on TV isnt gonna work. People need to stop dreaming. Like I said before you still have some salon owners that dont even know how work or even have a business. Let just say for the sake of it Berman stuff work and the industry jumps at an alarming rate. All you will have is people getting into this industry again that does not know what the heck to do. All this Berman idea is going to do is just be a catch 22 or shall I say catch $450k. Hine sight is 20/20 and Berman should know this his self.

I say (what I know people will not agree with and they have a right to) regulate this industry it is the only way that people will start to come back. Reason why Dr's can tan people is that Dr's are regulated and there is a code of ethics. There is no cide of ethics within the tanning industry except how to screw the customer quick and fast. When people see that this industry is regulated then you will see 2 major things. 1. people will come back slowly: this will happen because people will be like now this industry is professional. 2. Gym and any place instead of a tanning salon will start taking there beds out: reason is because right now it is just a way to bring customers in, but when they see all these rules and regulations, they will not want to deal with all the crap to maintain tanning in there area.

This is the only way to make money and you can save the $450k since we already have a lobbying group (a poor one but have one) we can work on an agreement on how this business should be regulated. Plus since this industry is regulated the prices can go way up and also we can work on ways to get some of that insurance money for people who need tanning for medical reason.(if they can do it for weed I know they can do it for tanning)

Then you would cut out all the people trying to open to make a quick buck because they know it isnt quick. The disty's that just want to make money and leave wont because they know now they have to be accounted for. Right now all we are doing is just shoving money down people pocketts and since it is a big name we think this is gonna work when we all know at the end it is not going to do jack. I am not saying I am the leader of the tanning world because I am far from it and have alot of learning to do, but I do know that an ad blits is not going to win anyone over in the long run and the long run is what everyone needs not short run

Originally Posted by missmojorising

I'd like to know what your qualifications are to diagnose the Berman Initiative as "Crazy".

	Insurtec

[tanstar]

WOW!! That's alot of typing...