Aveda Hair Salons Are Consumer's Favorite Hair Salons

BOULDER, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aveda is consumers’ favorite hair salon, according to a Beauty survey conducted by Market Force Information, a worldwide leader in customer intelligence and customer experience management solutions.

The survey examined where consumers go for hair care and why. It was conducted last month among Market Force’s network of 300,000 independent mystery shoppers and merchandisers – consumers across the country dubbed The Force™. More than 5,000 consumers responded.

Aveda Named Favorite Salon, Regis Lands Three Of Top Seven Salons

Most consumers prefer to visit locally owned salons for their hair services, with seven in 10 citing their local business, driven in large measure by having a favorite stylist in those salons.

Aveda Received Largest Number Of Consumer Votes Followed By Great Clips And Supercuts

But many also use the larger chains. When asked which of the major hair salons was their favorite, Aveda won accolades from consumers across the board. Aveda received the largest number of votes for favorite hair salon in the survey, with Great Clips coming in second and Supercuts in third.

When the number of stores was factored into the count, Aveda remained on top, Hair Cuttery moved into second place and Regis Hair Salons came in third. Note that Regis Corporation owns three of the top seven favorite salons: Regis, Supercuts, and MasterCuts.

But, when it came to salons that consumers visited most often in the past six months, Great Clips and Supercuts tied for first place, followed by Aveda – an indicator that convenience and price often wins out in the decision.

The survey showed that value brands like Great Clips and Supercuts attract young couples and families and rank high for characteristics like value and local. Meanwhile, brands like Aveda and Regis Salons tend to be frequented by more affluent consumers, and they rank high for stylist expertise and type of products used.

Salon Brand Preferences Are Made At An Early Age

Great Clips was favored with the younger crowd. It was named the favorite place for parents to take their kids 10 years old and younger and their tweens. Supercuts was cited as the second favorite by both groups.

But older children’s preferences swing to Supercuts. Teenagers ranked Supercuts above the other major salon brands with 15 percent mentioning it, followed by Great Clips with 14 percent, and Aveda and Fantastic Sams in a tie for second with 8 percent each.

“These findings show us that by the time children are teens, they are selecting where they will get their hair cut—and they’re opting for more expensive salon brands,” said Janet Eden-Harris, chief marketing officer for Market Force. “As a result, salons have the opportunity to create loyal patrons by influencing young buyers.”

Haircuts, Styling And Coloring Are Most Sought After Hair Services

Not surprisingly, the survey revealed that consumers leave haircuts to the professionals, with 90 percent of respondents indicating they go to a salon for haircuts. One third of them go to the salon as frequently as every six weeks, and another one third go at least four times a year.

In addition to haircuts, one out of three respondents said they received style and/or color treatments on their last salon visit. Only 7 percent took advantage of spa services the last time they visited the salon. See Graph 2 Above.

Consumers do not appear to be penny pinching when their hair care is concerned. One in six respondents reported that they paid $25 or more for their last salon visit, with one quarter paying $75 or more for their last visit. And, 20 percent also purchased products from the salon.

Hair Stylists Are The Deciding Factor

When asked why they selected their salon, the majority of respondents – 64 percent – said it was because of the stylist expertise. Other factors that were selected by 30 percent or more of consumers were value, the relationship with stylist and location.

Friends’ Recommendations Lead To Salon Experimentation

Even though consumers are loyal to their stylists, they seem to be willing to try new salons based on recommendations from a friend. Twenty percent of those surveyed said they had tried a new salon in the past six months and one quarter were prompted to do so based on a recommendation from a friend. Gift certificates and promotions also drove consumers to new salons.

The survey was issued in mid-March 2010 to the Market Force network of more than 300,000 consumers. The pool of 5,000 respondents ranged in age from 18 – 72 and reflected a broad spectrum of income levels, with 60 percent reporting incomes of more than $50,000 a year. Eighty three percent were women, the primary household consumer purchasers. Half of the participants had children at home.

About Market Force Information

Market Force Information, Inc. is the leading global customer intelligence solutions company for multi-location businesses including major retailers, restaurants, grocery and convenience stores, financial institutions, entertainment studios and consumer packaged goods companies.

With more than 120 years of combined industry experience, Market Force Information has pioneered the industry with a suite of customer intelligence solutions – from 300,000 field associates, to real customer surveys, to proprietary decision support tools – that provides a holistic view of the customer’s on-site experience and identifies the actions required at the store level to increase customer loyalty and improve financial performance.