Mobile Salon Franchise: 5 Drawbacks & What’s Better
Considering owning a mobile salon franchise? It may not be your best option. Learn some of the
drawbacks and what makes a better investment opportunity.
Mobile Salon Vs. Brick & Mortar Salons
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, people have been looking for opportunities to do daily activities at
home, whether it be working from home, exercising, or even getting their hair cut. As a result, the
mobile salon and barbershop business is growing. A mobile salon is where a barber or stylist can come
to you, whether that’s your house, office, hotel, or another location. As a customer, this can be
beneficial because it saves you time traveling to the shop and waiting for the stylist to begin your
haircut. Mobile salon franchises are most useful for traditional haircuts or beard shaves, simple
endeavors. It also can help customers who don’t like the noise of a salon and want to relax in their own
space, while also serving as an excellent option for the elderly who can’t drive themselves to a salon.
However, traditional brick-and-mortar salons or barbershops, like Scissors & Scotch, continue to thrive.
People can walk in as they please or make appointments and receive the haircut or style they want.
With all the benefits mobile salon franchises can provide for their customers, it’s time to find out why a
brick-and-mortar salon or barbershop is a better option.
1. Vehicle Expense
A vehicle may cost less than a storefront to lease, but with a vehicle comes extra costs. Gas prices are ever-changing, and can be brutal to your wallet when they’re on the high end.
Another option could be getting an RV-like vehicle where you perform your services inside, literally a mobile salon shop. These types of vehicles can start at around $6,000. Then you’ll have inside remodel costs on top of that price. Eventually, this could all add up to a small lease payment! However, if you start by renting a space, you can serve multiple clients simultaneously and increase your profit potential.
Additional costs come with maintaining a business vehicle, such as maintenance or an occasional
accident. Of course, you’ll need to find a place to park the business vehicle. Some neighborhoods don’t allow commercial vehicles to park on their streets overnight so, you’ll need to check with whoever is in charge, and you might have to pay to park it somewhere else.
2. Excessive Time Wasted
Think about your time between appointments, setting up and tearing down equipment, and cleaning
messes. All of that time is non-profit producing hours. That means you’re making less per haircut than a
brick-and-mortar salon or barbershop.
In working with a storefront, you can plan for smarter and more efficient scheduling which can help
maximize your new and returning client base.
3. Additional Insurance Costs
Mobile and brick and mortar types of salons require typical business insurance, including liability
insurance for injuries to customers and coverage in case they have an adverse reaction to your products.
But in addition to standard business and liability insurance, mobile salon businesses will require
commercial vehicle insurance—another additional cost for running it out of a vehicle.
On top of that, stylists have to consider their own safety when engaging in private home appointments.
Whether it’s a new or frequent client, concerns over one’s personal safety must be considered when
going to an unfamiliar area or new environment.
4. Possible Limitations to Growth Potential
As mentioned above, mobile salons face limitations to their profit-producing hours because of travel and
set-up time. If you’re looking to grow and scale a salon or barbershop, a brick-and-mortar store will
allow you to do so more quickly because you can serve more customers at a time and move them
through quicker.
If you’re operating a mobile salon or barbershop, you’re more than likely working as an owner-operator.
To expand, you’ll need to buy more vehicles and more stylists to run each vehicle, making it expensive to
grow even just a little bit.
5. Attracting Clients is Challenging
Getting new clients can be tricky for a mobile salon franchise. Some customers are stuck in their ways
and will never move to mobile services for routine activities like a haircut. Others are reassured that
you’re an established business because of the physical store. Plus, people won’t walk by your storefront,
or your name may not appear on a Google or Apple maps search when looking for a salon or barber near
them. Marketing is not only more time-consuming for a mobile business than for a standalone store, but
can be more expensive as well. You have to get a bit more creative to put yourself before potential
clients.
Brick-and-mortar salons and barbershops can also accept walk-in appointments, whereas mobile shops
can’t. That encourages customers to come to those shops at a convenient time for themselves and not
stress about making an appointment.
Scissors & Scotch: The Better Investment Opportunity
Instead of starting slowly as an owner and operator in a mobile salon franchise, enter the personal care
market with a bang with Scissors & Scotch. Our franchise has grown exponentially in just a few years.
Imagine, with your help, how we could expand to more major cities across the country. We provide
comprehensive training, site selection assistance to find you the perfect spot, project management, a
marketing playbook, and systems and support.
Get started today and begin growing your dream barbershop.