Update 7 Dec 2023: Man confronts salon staff after his mum was charged $521 for hair dye services
Mr Justin Tan wrote, “BEWARE OF THIS HAIR SALON SHOP!!” on COMPLAINT SINGAPORE on Monday (Dec 4), when his mum had gone to K Salon on Bangkit Road to get her hair done. Last month, the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) issued a warning against the same salon for unfair practices.
Mr Tan wrote that his mother had been told that the price for hair dye services was S$125 when she went to the salon. He added that the manager had carried out a “hard sell” of the package worth $250 to his mum, reassuring her that the remaining amount could be used for other services, including a haircut, in the future. However, after the staff finished Mr Tan’s mother’s hair, she was told she needed to pay an additional S$271. “The hair stylist then told her that the fee is to bleach the hair for 3x. Which is $99 x 3… bleach 3x??” he explained.
Salon charges customer S$772 for S$99 hairdressing package; CCCS issues warning
On Wednesday (Nov 23), the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) said it had issued a warning to a hairdressing salon in Bukit Panjang that had engaged in unfair practices in 2021. Natural Salon, which now goes by K Salon, demanded payment from a customer for unsolicited hair service packages and unsolicited hairstyling and hair washing services.
Some initial prices quoted to a customer were just S$2 or S$3 for a haircut and S$99 for a haircut and wash. However, a customer who was told about the S$99 price for a haircut and wash was eventually charged S$772. The salon also charged S$35 for unsolicited hair washing and scalp scanning services after the customer had been told that a haircut would cost S$2 or S$3.
It also falsely represented to customers that the “member price” for a haircut was a “new opening special” after the salon had been open for at least eight months. The salon was also found to have charged prices for haircuts or hair treatment packages significantly higher than what a customer had initially been told without the customer’s consent. A banner outside the salon said that S$2 or S$3 was the price for a haircut for its “new opening special” after it had already been operating for at least eight months, CCCS added.
85-yr-old man goes for $8 haircut ends up paying for $99 treatment
An 85-year-old man went for a $8 haircut at a HairFun salon at Block 410 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 and ended up with a $99 hair treatment. His son told Shin Min Daily News that on Nov 9 morning, his father was waiting for his mother and decided to get a trim.
A sign outside the salon said for non-members over 65 years old, the price of a haircut was $8 from Monday to Thursday from 1pm to 3pm. Nov 9 was a Thursday. "It was his first time there," said the son. "When he came back later, he kept complaining that he felt it was unfair that he paid $99 for hair care at the salon." The son said that his father’s hair was already white and he didn’t understand why the salon recommended the hair treatment.
When a Shin Min reporter visited the salon on Nov 10, the manager said that the employees working the previous day were not there and neither was she. "But our salon does offer hair treatment. It was originally $199, but now it is at a discounted price of $99," said the manager, who explained that they would promote the hair treatment regardless of the customer's age or gender. One male customer in the salon told Shin Min that he was there for the $8 haircut, but the staff did not recommend any hair treatment to him.
Full Coverage:
Bukit Panjang Salon Charges Customer S$772 For Unsolicited Hair Service Package, Gets Warning
Despite being open for at least 8 months, the salon had a banner which stated a haircut price was a "new opening special"
The Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) has issued a warning to a salon in Bukit Panjang for charging customers false and misleading prices. On one occasion, the business charged a customer S$772 for an unsolicited hair service package. It had initially quoted the customer S$99 for only a haircut and hair wash.
The consumer watchdog has issued the salon a warning for the unfair practices. The salon has also refunded the affected customers. Bukit Panjang salon provided unsolicited services, CCCS issued a press release on Thursday (23 Nov), sharing about the “unfair practices” the salon had engaged in between 16 May 2021 and 11 Aug 2021.
Natural Salon, the salon in question, is now known as K Salon and is located at 260 Bangkit Road. The “unfair practices” listed by CCCS include:
- Demanding payment for unsolicited hair services
- Falsely representing to customers that “member price” of haircut was a “new opening special”
- Charging prices for haircuts or hair treatment packages that were substantially higher than the estimate provided to a consumer, without their consent.
AMK Beauty Salon Caught Using Pressure Sale Tactics, Promises To Stop Making False Claims
The salon has received over 130 complaints since 2017
Beauty salon Salon One AMK, and seven of its related entities were recently found to have engaged in unfair practices. An investigation by the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) found that they made false claims, and used pressure sales tactics to mislead customers. Salon One Entities has since promised CCCS that they will correct these practices. CCCS has also issued the Salon One Entities a warning for their previous actions.
CCCS revealed through a media release today (18 May) that Salon One Entities engaged in practices that did not comply with the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act (CPFTA) between Oct 2017 and Aug 2022. Some unfair practices they were found engaging in include:
- Falsely representing that there were price discounts for basic haircuts for members and non-members.
- Making unsubstantiated claims to consumers about the benefits of their treatments; such as claiming their ‘Herbal Head Spa’ treatment could enhance memory, and prevent Alzheimer’s disease among other conditions.
CCCS also discovered that some of the Salon One Entities conducted persistent sales talks. Such actions put pressure on consumers to purchase certain services or products from them. This apparently continued even after customers expressed disinterest, or in some cases even declined the advances. Additionally, Salon One Bukit Batok and Salon One MP560 falsely claimed they were holding price discounts of S$359 for both their “TCM Meridian Eye Treatment and Spleen”, as well as “Stomach Naval Candling” services.
Prevent Alzheimer's? Salon chain warned for making false health claims, using pressure sales tactics
A beauty salon chain that made false claims about price savings on its services and health benefits from treatments – such as a head spa allegedly being able to prevent Alzheimer’s disease – has been issued a warning. Salon One has also been ordered to remove such promotional materials from its premises, following persistent complaints from consumers.
Besides the unsubstantiated claims, some outlets were also found to have engaged in pressure sales tactics. The Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) said on Thursday that the chain engaged in such unfair practices between October 2017 and August 2022. A total of 95 complaints were made to the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) against Salon One during this period. The chain has eight outlets islandwide in heartland areas including Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Batok, Bukit Panjang, Clementi, Marine Parade, Pasir Ris and Tampines. It provides services such as hairdressing, hair treatments and facials. CCCS said that the chain made unsubstantiated representations on its treatments, such as a herbal head spa that it claimed was able to prevent Alzheimer’s disease, brain stroke, cerebral infarction, cerebral thrombosis and cerebral haemorrhage, as well as enhance memory.
“Such representations were also made to certain consumers who were not able to reasonably ascertain if the claimed efficacy and health benefits of the treatments existed,” said CCCS, which engaged a medical expert to verify the efficacy of the claims. Two of Salon One’s outlets in Bukit Batok and Marine Parade were also found to have made false claims on price savings, representing them as bigger than they actually were. For example, savings on their TCM meridian eye treatment as well as spleen and stomach navel candling services were claimed to be worth $359, but in fact, were worth only $159 and $59 respectively.
Video of mum scolding salon staff for charging boy $12 for $10 haircut 'taken out of context': QQ House
Is $2 a small matter? QQ House said that the video of a woman shouting at its staff for allegedly charging her young son $12 for a $10 haircut was "taken out of context".
Posted by a TikTok user named Jonas.2470, the video was shared by Singapore Incidents on Thursday (Aug 24) with the caption: "Advertise $10 but demand $12 from a kid."
A woman in black with a boy can be seen in front of QQ Premium Hair Cut & Salon in a Bukit Timah shopping centre speaking angrily to a male and a female staff members, who tried to placate her. At one point, the mother said: "I'm just surprised that you tricked a kid for $2."
'Don't be a cheapo like me': Man goes to Upper Changi salon for $5 trim, ends up paying more for 're-cut'
Before taking up the $5 haircut offer, he knew that the new salon on Upper Changi Road would not provide the quality of a 'great stylist.' However, Chan, 40, ended up paying more for a 're-cut' after his mother was shocked by how bad it was. Speaking to AsiaOne on Sunday (Nov 26), the taxi driver, who declined to share his full name, said he was drawn into Tinge Salon by a staff member outside who told him about the amazing deal.
"For a major haircut, I would go to my usual place, which charges $14," Chan said. "But I just wanted my hair trimmed." After entering the salon, Chan's hairstylist pulled a monitor screen by his seat, which was used to magnify every detail of his scalp. The customer claimed that he was persuaded to fork out $48 for 'membership,' which entitled him to a discounted $3 haircut and treatment.
Chan politely declined this 'deal' and told the hairstylist to trim the sides. "I thought the 10-minute haircut was fine as I couldn't see the back of my head," he said. "It was when I reached home, and my mum was shocked at how bad it was." In a TikTok video, Chan complained about uneven slope lines and patches of hair. He also alleged that the salon kept upselling their expensive hair treatment during the haircut.
Woman disappointed with $45 haircut at Far East Plaza salon: 'Expensive doesn't mean it's good'
A woman splashed out more than she usually would on a haircut but was sorely disappointed at the result. She shared a photo of her 'uneven' haircut in an anonymous post on Complaint Singapore on Tuesday (Aug 1).
In her post, she said she had paid $45 for a haircut at CCA Hair in Far East Plaza. "My hair" was cut by a senior hairstylist that probably doesn't even know how to cut hair," she said. "I requested a 'bob hairstyle', but it became this 'anyhow cut' hairstyle."
She recounted how the hairstylist did not even use a comb and allegedly rushed through the job even though there were no other customers in the salon. She said she had fallen asleep during the haircut and was unaware that it was all going horribly wrong until it was too late. "Shame on him for being a senior hairstylist," she added.
Woman gets 'undesirable outcome' after paying for $160 hair job, salon looking into matter
A woman was completely dissatisfied after spending $160 for a hair dye and treatment at a salon. Stomper Regina told Stomp that she visited Organic Express Hair Color Lab at Shaw Plaza on July 28. She added that the salon was having a first-timer promotion.
"That very evening when I was out shopping with my daughter and in the changing room, she commented that my hair looked unevenly dyed under strong lighting," she said. "It was really obvious that the top part of my hair was brighter than the lower ends of my hair.
"On Saturday afternoon (July 29), I took a photo of my hair on the balcony with the sunlight shining in so it was visible where the uneven parts were and reached out to Organic Express Hair Color Lab via WhatApp to discuss my dissatisfaction and provide the photographic evidence. "I told them I’d like a refund and if they could speak to their management about it as I need to spend additional money to re-dye my hair.
