Should I charge cancellation fees at my salon?
Cancellation fees can help reduce no-shows and protect your revenue, but they need to be fair and clearly communicated. A balanced approach—reasonable notice periods with partial fees for late cancellations—tends to work better than aggressive policies that damage client relationships.
The case for cancellation fees
When clients cancel late or don't show up, you lose:
- The revenue from that appointment
- The opportunity to book someone else
- Time that could have been productive
Cancellation fees create accountability. When there's a financial consequence for missing appointments, clients are more likely to reschedule properly rather than simply not appearing.
The case against aggressive fees
Charging 100% for any cancellation can backfire:
- Clients feel punished for life circumstances beyond their control
- Negative word-of-mouth and reviews
- Loss of otherwise loyal clients
- Staff awkwardness when enforcing the policy
A balanced approach
Most successful salons find middle ground:
Reasonable notice periods
24-48 hours is standard. This gives you time to fill the slot while being fair to clients with genuine schedule changes.
Tiered consequences
Cancel with sufficient notice → full refund or no charge. Cancel late → partial fee (25-50% of the service cost). No-show without notice → full fee or deposit forfeiture.
Deposits instead of fees
Rather than charging fees after the fact, require deposits when booking. This creates commitment upfront, avoids awkward conversations about collecting fees, and gives you money in hand rather than chasing payments.
What to consider
Your client base
Regulars who've been coming for years and suddenly have an emergency deserve different treatment than someone booking for the first time who doesn't show up.
Your ability to fill last-minute slots
If you have a waitlist and can usually fill cancelled appointments, fees may be less critical. If empty slots stay empty, fees make more sense.
Enforcement difficulty
Fees you can't or won't actually collect are pointless. Deposits work better because you already have the money.
Communicating your policy
Whatever you decide:
- 1Make the policy visible during booking
- 2Include it in confirmation messages
- 3Train staff to explain it consistently
- 4Apply it fairly (but allow exceptions for genuine emergencies)
Getting started
If you don't currently have a policy:
- 1Start with a deposit requirement for new clients
- 2Set a 24-hour cancellation notice window
- 3Be clear that late cancellations forfeit the deposit
- 4Communicate the change to existing clients before enforcing
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