How Canadian Salon Owners Can Protect Profit with Smarter Pricing

Running a salon in Canada comes with challenges you don’t always see at first, higher product costs, bigger taxes, and steep shipping fees that eat into your bottom line.

If you’ve ever looked at your numbers and thought, “Where did the profit go?” you’re not alone.

Here’s the truth: most Canadian salons are losing money because they’re not separating product costs from service prices.

The Hidden Cost of Being a Canadian Salon

Most salon products in Canada are imported. That means you’re paying extra for tariffs, exchange rates, and shipping long before your color ever hits the backbar.

So, while a tube of color might cost $7 in the U.S., it could easily cost $10 or more in Canada. But your service prices and wages don’t automatically rise with those costs, and that’s where your profit disappears.

Canadian salon owners end up working just as hard but keeping less, simply because product costs aren’t being tracked properly.

The Simple Fix: Separate Your Parts + Labor

This is where parts + labor pricing changes everything.

When you separate your product costs (the parts) from your service price (the labor), every drop of color you use is paid for, instead of coming out of your profit.

It’s not about charging more. It’s about charging right.

Why Location Matters

A salon in Toronto and a salon in Saskatoon might use the exact same product line, but the costs of running those businesses are completely different.

Big-city salons face higher rent and labor costs, but both are paying the same for color, lightener, and treatments. That’s why tracking your backbar costs is crucial, it keeps your profit margins consistent, no matter your location.

The Shipping Struggle Is Real

Let’s be honest, shipping in Canada isn’t cheap.

Most salons spend hundreds each month on shipping because they can’t always order in bulk. Those small costs add up fast. When you track your product use properly, you can actually cover those costs instead of absorbing them.

How SalonScale Helps

This is where SalonScale makes life way easier. It tracks your product costs in real time, calculates exactly how much each service should cost, and separates parts from labor automatically.

No more losing profit on every bottle of color. SalonScale even helps you spot trends, control waste, and set accurate prices so your salon stays profitable.

The Bottom Line

Canadian salon owners face unique challenges, but your profit doesn’t have to take the hit.

When you separate parts and labor, track what you use, and charge accurately, you take control of your profit, and finally see what your services are really worth.

It’s time to stop guessing and start pricing smarter.

Ready to take control of your pricing?

Start tracking your product costs and protect your profit with SalonScale.

Book a FREE Demo Call to learn more!