Squawking about squirrel hair!

I was in London, and my blusher brush had finally died a death after 25 years or so, so I decided to pop over to Selfridges on Oxford Street and grab a new one.

(Guys, stick with me here – I’m not asking you for makeup tips!)

Now, the last time I bought a brush I think it cost me about £10, but I was fairly sure I’d struggle to get one for that price in 2016!

My first port of call was the Clarins desk, where I was told that although they did sell a brush for £36, they didn’t have any stock, so that was a ‘no go’.

They suggested I try the MAC counter, and they had a brush for £42. However, it was extremely busy and pretty much impossible for me to get the attention of anyone who might help me, so I swiftly moved on from there.

I headed over to a much quieter – and sophisticated looking – spot where there weren’t many people around. I spotted a lovely looking brush that was exactly what I was looking for. There was no price shown, but I guessed it’d be in the £30-£50 range, just like the other two brushes.

I was wrong.

The salesperson came over to me to let me know that if I spent £180 I’d be ‘eligible’ for a free eyeshadow.

Once I’d got over my laughing fit I informed her that I wasn’t intending on spending that much – I was just after the blusher brush.

Her response?

“Madam, that brush is £162. You only need to spend another £18 to qualify for the free eyeshadow”

Turns out this brush was a little different to the Clarins and MAC offerings. It had been made from “baby squirrel hair” (her words, not mine) and was consequently much more expensive than other brushes out there.

Now, whether you agree with killing baby squirrels for their hair, there’s an important point here:

Within one shop, and within ten metres of each other were three identical products going for different prices; one price astronomically larger than the other two.

As business owners we can fall into the trap of thinking that our prospects “won’t” pay the price we want to sell our product at.

But they will. As long as we get our market right, and we can adequately justify its value.

I was never going to get that brush – I’m not the right prospect for them – but other people are clearly happy to spend that money, and see the value in the squirrel hair.

I guess there are two big takeaways here:

If you want to charge premium prices, ensure that you’re targeting the right market with your marketing
Ensure you can justify the value of your proposition, not monetarily but experientially or emotionally.

Have a great day,

Carolyne

P.S. I went for the MAC/Clarins one in the end!

P.P.S. Honestly, squirrel hair?!

Reviews

     EXCELLENT rating  
 Based on 37 reviews 
    
  
 
       It is great having Gap HR working with us for all our HR.  Brilliant company.
     
   Nick Jobson 
 05/12/2023
 
 
 
 
     I absolutely enjoyed my recent experience working with Gap HR. There are several aspects of their service that stood out to me. Firstly, their responsiveness is truly remarkable. Gap HR consistently demonstrated the fastest response time to all our communications, which not only streamlined our processes but also instilled a sense of confidence in their support.

Secondly, their expertise in HR solutions for medium and small businesses is unparalleled. Gap HR's in-depth knowledge and experience in this niche are highly valuable. Their ability to navigate the complexities of HR for smaller enterprises is a significant asset and brings peace of mind.

Lastly, the team at Gap HR is an absolute pleasure to work with. Their caring and dedicated approach goes beyond the ordinary, making them not just service providers, but trusted partners. They bring a level of commitment that is truly exceptional, and it's evident that they genuinely care about the success and well-being of their clients.

In summary, Gap HR has become our first and foremost point of contact for any employment law support. Their combination of responsiveness, expertise, and unwavering dedication makes them an invaluable resource in the realm of HR and employment law.
     
   Alisa Tolmaciova 
 07/11/2023
 
 
 
 
     I work for a local council and we began working with Gap HR a few months ago. I have found them an absolute pleasure to work with - very responsive, thorough and knowledgeable. Above all I feel that I am working with a friendly and empathic team who understand our needs and are dedicated to helping us achieve what we need to achieve. I am very grateful to have their support.
     
   Claire Bird 
 11/10/2023
 
 
 
 
     GAP HR has been supporting our business for a while now and they are very helpful and thorough in everything they assist us with, from the small to big issues.  Great company to support your business.  All staff are friendly and on point with all the knowledge they share.
Thank you GAP-HR
     
   Neath Afan Gymnastics And Activities 
 15/09/2023
 
 
 
 
     It has been great working with Gap HR, their guidance has helped immensely with the day to day running of the business.  The whole team are extremely responsive and knowledgeable which makes the experience a pleasurable one.
     
   Will Cairns 
 27/06/2023
 
 
 
 
     Great support from the whole team. The knowledge, advice and support that Gap HR give is second to none. They give me the confidence to know that i am doing the right thing. 👍
     
   Jeff Wicks 
 06/06/2023
 
 
 
 
     We are really delighted to have hooked up with Gap HR Services Limited – the team interpreted our brief perfectly and their advice and assistance was delivered in both a pragmatic and professional way. A big THANK YOU to both Carolyne and Cathy who steered us through the legislation with a best practice and smart approach.

Gap HR’s sense of urgency in fulfilment and delivery matched our own so we can do nothing but positively recommend the team for your HR needs.
     
   BCAS Ltd 
 28/04/2023
 
 
 
 
     We receive excellent advice and service from the team at Gap. Professional, but helpful with any question big or small. They save us from many hours of debating if we should do x or y - just email Gap is the answer, which makes it easy for us and minimises mistakes - thank you Gap HR!
     
   Jacqueline Shields 
 24/04/2023
 
 
 
 
     Brilliant company and I highly recommend their services, professional HR services.
     
   Robert Creer 
 13/01/2023
 
 
 
 
     I have been using GapHR for many years and find them a great company to work with. All of the team I have worked with are very professional and experienced in many areas. I would highly recommend using GapHR as there services are fantastic.
     
   Tommy Fisher 
 11/01/2023

Who We Work With

It is great having Gap HR working with us for all our HR. Brilliant company.

Nick Jobson

05/12/2023

I absolutely enjoyed my recent experience working with Gap HR. There are several aspects of their service that stood out to me. Firstly, their responsiveness is truly remarkable. Gap HR consistently demonstrated the fastest response time to all our communications, which not only streamlined our processes but also instilled a sense of confidence in their support. Secondly, their expertise in HR solutions for medium and small businesses is unparalleled. Gap HR's in-depth knowledge and experience in this niche are highly valuable. Their ability to navigate the complexities of HR for smaller enterprises is a significant asset and brings peace of mind. Lastly, the team at Gap HR is an absolute pleasure to work with. Their caring and dedicated approach goes beyond the ordinary, making them not just service providers, but trusted partners. They bring a level of commitment that is truly exceptional, and it's evident that they genuinely care about the success and well-being of their clients. In summary, Gap HR has become our first and foremost point of contact for any employment law support. Their combination of responsiveness, expertise, and unwavering dedication makes them an invaluable resource in the realm of HR and employment law.

Alisa Tolmaciova

07/11/2023

I work for a local council and we began working with Gap HR a few months ago. I have found them an absolute pleasure to work with - very responsive, thorough and knowledgeable. Above all I feel that I am working with a friendly and empathic team who understand our needs and are dedicated to helping us achieve what we need to achieve. I am very grateful to have their support.

Claire Bird

11/10/2023

GAP HR has been supporting our business for a while now and they are very helpful and thorough in everything they assist us with, from the small to big issues. Great company to support your business. All staff are friendly and on point with all the knowledge they share. Thank you GAP-HR

Neath Afan Gymnastics And Activities

15/09/2023

It has been great working with Gap HR, their guidance has helped immensely with the day to day running of the business. The whole team are extremely responsive and knowledgeable which makes the experience a pleasurable one.

Will Cairns

27/06/2023

Great support from the whole team. The knowledge, advice and support that Gap HR give is second to none. They give me the confidence to know that i am doing the right thing. 👍

Jeff Wicks

06/06/2023

We are really delighted to have hooked up with Gap HR Services Limited – the team interpreted our brief perfectly and their advice and assistance was delivered in both a pragmatic and professional way. A big THANK YOU to both Carolyne and Cathy who steered us through the legislation with a best practice and smart approach. Gap HR’s sense of urgency in fulfilment and delivery matched our own so we can do nothing but positively recommend the team for your HR needs.

BCAS Ltd

28/04/2023

We receive excellent advice and service from the team at Gap. Professional, but helpful with any question big or small. They save us from many hours of debating if we should do x or y - just email Gap is the answer, which makes it easy for us and minimises mistakes - thank you Gap HR!

Jacqueline Shields

24/04/2023

Brilliant company and I highly recommend their services, professional HR services.

Robert Creer

13/01/2023

I have been using GapHR for many years and find them a great company to work with. All of the team I have worked with are very professional and experienced in many areas. I would highly recommend using GapHR as there services are fantastic.

Tommy Fisher

11/01/2023

Squawking about squirrel hair!

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