Why Clip-Ins Didn't Make the Top 5 Highest Revenue Extension Methods

When I put together my list of the top five highest revenue hair extension methods, I almost put clip-ins on it. Clip-ins are popular, clients love them, and they are one of the easiest ways for someone to try extensions. But when I really thought about revenue, they did not belong in the top five.

The top five are bonds, invisible bead sewn-in single rows, mesh and meshless integration, tape-ins, and the traditional 4 to 6 month sew-in. In this guide, I will explain why clip-ins fall just outside that list, and how stylists can still make money with them.

PART ONE: What Makes a Method High Revenue

High revenue extension methods share a few traits:

• A professional install. The client needs a trained stylist to put them in.
• Recurring appointments. Re-tips, move-ups, maintenance, and reinstalls.
• Skill that commands a premium. The harder it is to do well, the more it pays.
• Customization. Texture, color, and placement built for one head.

PART TWO: Why Clip-Ins Fall Short as a Service

The client installs them herself

This is the big one. Clip-ins are designed to be put in and taken out at home. There is no install appointment and no ongoing maintenance visit. Once she learns how to wear them, she does not need you in the same way.

No recurring appointment

Every top revenue method brings the client back on a schedule. Clip-ins do not. Without that return visit, there is no built-in recurring revenue.

Lower skill premium

Clip-ins still benefit from professional blending and cutting, but the attachment itself is simple. There is not the same skill gap that lets experts charge ten times what beginners charge.

"Clip-ins are a great product. They are just not a revenue engine. The client takes them home, and the appointment ends there."

PART THREE: How Stylists Can Still Profit From Clip-Ins

Just because clip-ins are not a top revenue service does not mean you should ignore them. Here is where they fit:

Retail sales

Selling quality clip-ins is a retail opportunity. Stocking them gives clients a take-home option and adds product revenue to your service revenue.

Custom color and cutting

Coloring clip-ins to match a client and cutting them to blend into her hair are real, billable services. A clip-in set that is custom colored and blended looks far better than one straight out of the package.

A gateway to permanent methods

Clip-ins are often a client's first experience with extensions. Once she loves the look, she may be ready for tape-ins, bonds, or rows. Clip-ins can be the start of a long relationship.

Special events

Weddings, photoshoots, and events are perfect for clip-ins. Styling a client's clip-ins for an event is another service you can offer.

SIDE BY SIDE: Clip-Ins vs the Top 5

What to Expect When You Offer Clip-Ins

BOTTOM LINE

Clip-ins did not make the top five highest revenue hair extension methods because the client installs them herself, and there is no recurring appointment built in. They are still worth offering as retail, as a coloring and cutting service, and as a gateway to permanent methods. But if you want to build your income, focus your training on bonds, invisible bead rows, mesh and meshless integration, tape-ins, and the 4 to 6 month sew-in.

Read the full list in The Top 5 Highest Revenue Hair Extension Methods.

Train With BLONC

Want to color clip-ins and extensions like a pro? The Hair Extension Coloring Certification and the Blending, Cutting, and Styling Certification at Blonc Academy turn clip-ins into billable services. See all Blonc Academy certifications.

Stock quality clip-ins and professional hair. Join Blonc Pro Partnerships.