💣 The Vicious Circle of Low Prices: A Threat to the Entire Profession
- Nathalie Ariey-Jouglard
- 7 days ago
- 2 min read
"I'm going to lower my prices a little to attract more clients."
This sentence, whispered while staring at an empty agenda, may seem harmless… But in reality, it marks the beginning of a vicious circle that silently suffocates the entire pet grooming profession.
It's time to open our eyes and understand why lowering prices to compete is a losing strategy, both for you and for the rest of the industry.
📉 1. The trap of price as the only criterion
When you lower your prices, you teach your clients to compare… only based on cost.
And so:
the quality of work is no longer valued,
the customer experience becomes secondary,
and the animal’s safety isn’t even considered.
In the client’s mind, a grooming session becomes a standardized product, like shampoo in a supermarket: you just have to find the cheapest one.But we all know a good grooming service is neither standard nor interchangeable.
⚠️ 2. Pressure spreads to other professionals
When a groomer lowers their prices in a given area, others — afraid of losing clients — may feel forced to follow suit. Even if they:
offer higher-quality services,
use methods that better respect animal welfare,
have different expenses (location, equipment, training…).
👉 Result: everyone starts losing — first margins, then income, and eventually energy.
💥 3. A race to the bottom… that devalues the whole profession
Gradually, the job becomes less profitable, less respected, and less attractive.
Young people struggle to enter the profession, experienced groomers burn out, and clients no longer understand the true value of a proper grooming service.
And the worst part? This dynamic ends up turning against those who want to work the right way.
The client who sees a higher price asks:
"Why is it more expensive here?"
But the real question is:
"Why is it so cheap elsewhere?"
A price that’s too low often hides:
a lack of ongoing training,
insufficient time to do a proper job,
risks to the animal’s safety,
and an inability to invest in quality products or tools.
🧭 4. Changing the rules: a personal choice, a collective impact
This is where you play a key role.
Refusing to enter the low-price war means:
defending your value,
preserving your mental and physical health,
contributing to a better public image of the profession.
Every professional who says:
"This is my rate. It’s fair and thought-through, because it allows me to work well, cover my expenses, take care of your pets, and earn a decent living."…is helping shift mindsets.
💬 What now?
If you’ve ever felt that pressure, that doubt, that fear of “not being competitive enough,” know that you are not alone.More and more groomers are choosing a different path: one of quality, ethics, and professional respect.
How about we move forward together?
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