ComplaintsforThe Color Lounge Signature Salons

• Initial Complaint

  01/18/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The Color Lounge Signature Salons is misleading customers about the prices of its services. The website lists various hair services with a starting price. On 12/14/22, I received a service for platinum blonde hair, which is listed on the website and booking page as starting at $268.00 for the full service. The owner, Jordania ******, quoted me $1,400-$1,800 after I was already sitting in the chair with my hair segmented and pinned up, nearly 20 minutes into the start of her services. She then charged me $1,950 after the service was complete. I also felt pressured to leave a tip. When I requested a cost breakdown the following day, she claimed that she charged me $295 PER HOUR. I have found no evidence that Jordania is charging a fair or reasonable price for this service (platinum blonde hair coloring). I spoke with six hair stylists at different salons in my area, and even those with 15+ years of experience had never heard of anyone charging more than $500. In fact, the average cost in Tulsa is around $250. The owner of the Color Lounge Signature Salon is advertising prices on her website in this range ($268) and then later claiming this is her hourly rate. I spoke with the owner in person on 12/21/22 and tried to reach a solution with her, such as a partial refund to reflect the market value of her service, but she refused. The Color Lounge Signature Salons owner is intentionally overcharging her clients and refusing to explain her pricing model. Not only that, she is advertising reasonable prices and then quoting customers exceedingly more once services have begun.

  Business response

  03/08/2023

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2023/01/31) */ On 12/14/2022, the client came in and wanted to have a total transformation to platinum blonde. As she states, the website does list a starting price of $268.00 but this is a starting price and the final price is dependent upon many factors. Her request of a custom color service is unique to each individual client's hair type, length, thickness, current color, and products used in the past, as well as technique to be used to accomplish the desired results. The service is also unique to each client in regard to the time allotted and product used, as well as quantity of product to be used to perform the service requested. Prior to a customized color, the client received a free consultation, at which time the client's hair was assessed for present color, texture, thickness, etc. (this is why the client was already in the chair with her hair segmented and pinned up, also because the client was already a established client at the Color Lounge). During this consultation, the items above regarding a custom color platinum blonde service were discussed in detail, as well as continued maintenance and price point. On 12/14/2022, prior to service being started, client received a 20 minutes consultation regarding the platinum blonde service, and agreed upon the price of $1800 with the contingency that the price could be more based on the hours and product quantity, it would take to complete the service. Client agreed. The service did not start until the client agreed with the service and price, at which point product was applied to the hair. The Color Lounge Salon, takes pride on its policy of a Full Detailed Free Consultation covering service and price prior to every hair service. After 7.5 hours of uninterrupted service for the custom platinum blonde transformation, the final price was $1,950. Client did not have a problem paying this price as well as leaving a tip for the service. Client stated she loved her hair. After client left, she sent a text message to the salon reiterating how satisfied she was with the services and how much she loved her new hair color. On 12/21/2022, the client and her husband showed up at the salon unannounced. After discussing the situation, the client's husband stated that he wanted the credit card payment cancelled and that he would only pay $450.00 for the service provided on 12/14/22. By this time, another client had arrived at the salon, and she went into the service area. The husband became increasingly more aggressive when his demands were not met. He stated that he didn't want to, but he would hurt/ruin both the owner and the salon, if the Color Lounge did not refund the payment and accept a lesser amount. This made the other client (who was not a party to this issue) in the room next to, very uncomfortable, and she stated that she thought about calling the police at one point during the discussion, fearing for the owner's safety. Pursuant to the issues above, Management has enacted several protocols in order for clients and employees to feel comfortable and safe in the salon. Management has added cameras to the salon, as well as implementing a new protocol for handling guest intake. In order to avoid any issues regarding service or pricing, the Color Lounge will now require written confirmation of the agreed upon price, and understanding of the service for any custom color service. While management is making changes to ensure a better experience for all clients and employees, the situation is unfortunate, and it is hoped that the client will find a salon that best fits her husband's expectations on price for custom color needs. Management wishes her the best in all future such endeavors. The Color Lounge Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2023/02/10) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) After reading the business's response, it is clear The Color Lounge Signature Salons remains unable or unwilling to justify their prices, which are excessively higher than the nationwide market value. At no point prior to my appointment on 12/14/22 did The Color Lounge Signature Salons recommend a consultation. I exchanged several text messages with the owner showing images of the hair service I was requesting. She did not schedule a consultation as she had previously done for the one other service she performed for me. Instead, the owner waited to discuss pricing options until the services had already begun. Although the owner claims otherwise, I had been in the salon chair for twenty minutes and she had begun working with my hair. She also charges for canceled appointments and told me via phone on 12/15/22 that she would have charged my credit card even if I had walked away. Therefore, The Color Lounge Signature Salons would have taken advantage of me regardless. Only after I confronted the owner about the excessive prices did she update her website to advertise free consultations. I have included screenshots to prove that consultations were not mentioned on the booking page at the time of my appointment. Additionally, the owner did not state that the price would potentially exceed $1,800. She quoted me a range of $1,400 to $1,800 after services had already begun. After the service was complete, she told me she would need to charge me an additional $150. The hair service itself was satisfactory. What is unsatisfactory is the excessive and outrageous pricing. Other hair stylists within a 5-mile radius of The Color Lounge Signature Salons inspected my hair in person and concurred that for my specific hair, the platinum blonde service should cost at most $500. Although the owner states my husband accompanied me to intimidate her, the opposite is true. Because the owner scammed and took advantage of me, I asked my husband to accompany me to ensure I would not be taken advantage of again through the owner's intimidation tactics. I have attached screenshots from a Google search of "platinum blonde hair cost" and "hair stylist hourly rates." I have also included screenshots of salons in Los Angeles and New York City, which advertise hourly coloring rates between $100-185 per hour. ****** Salon in Tulsa, where Color Lounge Signature Salons owner Jordania ****** worked until 2021, advertises platinum blonde services costing $250-275 total. The owner of The Color Lounge Signature Salons must be held accountable for the excessive prices she is charging. The $260 per hour she charged me is not in line with what she advertises on her website, which implies total cost instead of hourly. This is also not in line with what other similar businesses are charging. No one I spoke with has ever heard of anyone being charged $2,000 for the hair coloring service I received. In short, this business owner takes advantage of her customers and preys on their ignorance by beginning her service before discussing payment and charging exceedingly higher prices than she advertises. She does a bait-and-switch with clients at the last minute to deceive and pressure them into paying prices entirely out of line with market value. Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2023/02/20) */ The Color Lounge appreciates all feedback from its clients. Please note the response below discussing the customers concerns. It is correct that the website was updated after the incident with the client. This was done to make it even more clear regarding The Color Lounge recommendations and policies concerning consultations. However, free consultations have been a service offered to all clients since the opening of our salon. From time to time, management will update the website to ensure clarification and adjust pricing. The website has always indicated a service at a "starting price", as actual price is dependent on hair thickness, texture, color process involved, condition, etc. The client is mistaken when she states that she was not recommended a consultation prior to the custom color process and that The Color Lounge did not offer free consultations prior to 12/14/22. This mistake is proven with screen shot attached and attested to by the client herself, since she had a free consultation in June 2022 for a different service. This proves that free consultations have always been available to all clients. We have records indicating numerous color consultations since The Color Lounge opened. Attached is a screenshot of a consultation that the client had previously booked for a less extensive custom color service known as a balayage service. She is keenly aware of the process at The Color Lounge and again is trying to use this as a way of shifting the focus from the issue of either buyer's remorse or the issue with the price with her husband. Another point to reiterate is that no services are ever provided by The Color Lounge to any client without a clear understanding and agreement of the service to be performed and the cost of such service. The client did have a free consultation before the service was performed and agreed upon service and cost prior to ANY product application to her hair. It is not true that The Color Lounge would've charged the client without performing the service and client agreement of price. That is so far from the truth! Numerous clients after the initial consult change the direction regarding cut, color, etc. The Color Lounge prides itself on explaining the cost and maintenance of the service to ensure that everyone is on the same page. We want you to love your hair! She even stated she loved her hair, tipped the owner, and couldn't wait to show off her hair to her husband. If the client was upset, would she had left a tip? Again, this goes back to the real issue of buyer's remorse or the issue of the price with her husband. Also, it should be noted that it does not matter the reason she is now saying she brought her husband to the salon. He was still aggressive and threatening and made another client and the salon owner feel uncomfortable and unsafe. Protocols were therefore adjusted to further prevent this issue from happening again. While this situation is unfortunate, we wish her the best of luck with her future color services. The Color Lounge Consumer Response /* (4200, 11, 2023/02/22) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) The Color Lounge continues to evade providing an answer about the reasons for their excessive prices. I have requested a price breakdown from the owner multiple times. She has provided no justification for charging $1,950 for this hair service. The owner was aware that I had never received a hair coloring service prior to my one other appointment with her. She took advantage of my ignorance about standard pricing for this service, and intentionally overcharged me. This is not a case of buyer's remorse. This is a case of finding out I had been taken advantage of and scammed. There will be no solution to this issue unless the owner provides a partial refund or can provide a clear breakdown of the costs.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩