Commenting on nail salons engaging in unfair marketing tactics and hard selling, SMU Associate Professor of Marketing (Education) Seshan Ramaswami said that unlike banking or telecommunications services, it’s easy for customers to switch between different nail salons. So they try to "purchase" loyalty by getting customers to commit to discounted packages of multiple sessions, and “that has led to a lot of complaints in the past, especially when these services have closed down leaving consumers with unused sessions,” he added. Sometimes, service staff are paid a commission for the sales they make, which may lead them to upsell to consumers, said Assoc Prof Ramaswami. He explained that nail parlours are difficult to regulate due to the large number of small operators that can quickly open and close. He advised customers to be cautious, know the services and prices they want, and compare reviews and prices at other salons.
