By Haley Turner
Tanning services are in high demand in the United States. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, 35 percent of American adults have reported using a tanning bed in their lifetime. The indoor tanning industry is estimated to have made $2.6 billion in 2010.
What type of tanning salon a patron chooses is up to them, with many choosing between locally owned businesses and national chain stores.
Evil Erin/Flickr
Kiera Wilson, a customer at the local tanning salon BTan, said the salon is cheaper than other places around and they also offer good packages.
Wilson said chain stores do not have the opportunity to change their prices to defeat competition, because the same prices must be set at all of their stores. She said small stores like BTan, however, have that advantage.
She said other factors that BTan satisfies is the cleanliness of the tanning beds and how nice the employees are.
“Honestly, it’s like living in a small town – people are just nicer,” Wilson said. “It’s the same thing with small businesses. Plus, chain stores sometimes seem like they just want to make sales, so you definitely get more bang for your buck here.”
Wilson said her experience at the salon is great every time she goes, and because of her results, she will continue to go back and refer it to her friends.
“Word of mouth definitely got them far in their business,” she said. “Everyone I know loves it here.”
Gretchen Estep, a customer at Palm Beach Tan, said it is easy to rely on chain stores, because they have made their way to the top and extended for a reason.
Estep said chain stores are always clean because they have a reputation to maintain, however, Palm Beach Tan does not have the best customer service.
“The employees are almost trained to pressure you into buying more products or upgrading even if you clearly say you can’t afford it,” she said. “I feel like small businesses don’t do that; they kind of do their own thing which works for them.”
Estep said she knows people who prefer large, chain stores but also ones who prefer small, locally-owned businesses.
“I prefer Palm Beach Tan, but that doesn’t mean it’s perfect,” she said. “I have confidence in large stores because I know they are not going anywhere, but they could definitely be improved.”
Morgan Moore, an employee at BTan, said small businesses have many differences from chain stores that are considered benefits.
Moore said the owner comes in frequently to check up and bigger stores cannot say the same. She said people come back because of their prices. She said from personal experience and other customers’ comments, it is cheaper than most chain stores like Palm Beach Tan.
Moore said BTan gives discounts to the employees of Wild West, Chimy’s, Firehouse Subs, Twisted Spigot and women and men in Greek life. She said chain stores do not have the individual voice to do that.
“I would say that most of the girls that come in here are a part of Greek life, which helps because there are so many of them and they usually tell all their friends,” she said.
Moore said customer service is important everywhere, but especially in small businesses, because you want people to come back.
“They could always choose a different place over ours, so I think it is important for myself and the other girls that work here to have good customer service and actually mean it,” Moore said.
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