Hi P,

>The new trend in the US for hair stylist, waxing, ect. is to rent a chair or space.<

The folks who rent a chair in a salon (whether human or pet) are paying a hefty part of the day's earnings to the owner.

You should tip them the same way that you tip an employee.

This leads me to wax philosophical.

If shop owners decrease operating costs by renting out chairs instead of paying employees, then those workers who are good, but not great, will see their incomes decrease.

This will lead to a reduction in the number of spaces available to consumers and an increase in cost, as only those who are good enough to command higher rates and/or those with access to capital will remain.

Consider how it would affect the restaurant business if waiters had to rent a set of tables from the owner, paid for each dish ordered and then set their own prices.

((I))

Ira - yes, it is often the case that those workers who are good, but not great, will not be paid as much.

You have to 'fish or cut bait' here - either discriminating between good and better is a good thing (and your initial post implies you think it is) or such discrimination is not (and your second post attempts to argue that differential reward is bad.)

You say that "only those good enough to command higher rates" will remain, but you are making the assumption that there is but a single market for a given service, i.e. that everyone wants Vidal Sassoon level service, with prices to match. In fact, just as in the hotel industry, there are multiple market niches in the beauty business with differing service standards and prices.

It can also be argued that getting access to the kind of capital to run a beauty business is not as difficult as you maintain. Many immigrant families have pooled their small bits of capital into enough to open their own nail salons, for example. In some cities, they have captured the discount market by offering very competitive prices. It is unlikely that this arrangement could thrive if it hurt the consumer. (Whether it leads to the displacement of native-born American workers, who are less apt to group their capital, is another question.)

This is not to say that the free market is a good place to look for social justice, only that the free market is generally where consumers prefer to wind up.

Meanwhile, since accurate information on tips, unlike prices, is difficult to come by (neither the consumer nor the vendor is obliged to publish this data, nor is information on tips subject to audit by an impartial third party) I would say it is impossible to establish whether a given tip is too little or too much.

"The folks who rent a chair in a salon (whether human or pet) are paying a hefty part of the day's earnings to the owner."

But the one who rents the entire space is NOT paying a hefty part of the day's earnings to the owner of the building?
I guess I don't get how a person renting a chair or space is different from the owner of the salon who normally is renting as well.

I say this because my barber shop is rented by one guy, but two guys both cut hair, one paying the other for his "space". I tip the guy who cuts my hair and he's the one who actually rents the entire facility. I guess I don't see why I'd tip the other guy and not him.

But then the bottom line to me is -- tip the person if you liked the service. I don't worry about what the "rule" is -- but I believe in tipping when someone does a great job. I just paid some guys to move a client of mine. I know for a fact that the two "workers" get paid $27.50 an hour each for their work. Yet they were so careful and well mannered, I tipped them each in addition. I don't think a tip is just determined by how much the person makes or what the rule is -- a person gives you great service and you feel like it -- then tip them.

A person who rents space from a salon is indeed self employeed and therefore sets their fee for services themselves. They are also receiving the mark up % on items purchased.
Giving a tip to the professional who owns/rents their space/chair etc. who just colored your hair for 110. (or whatever) is over the top.
These people file their taxes, take deductions etc. just like any business owner.
As any professional they do not and should not require a tip. If they're being honest they should reveal this to you.