Dynamic Pricing; It's On The Menu, Literally - But, Will It Work for the Mainstream Beauty & Aesthetic Industry?

There’s a little rule I follow when I’m listening to industry chatter.

If I hear the same topic pop up in four separate conversations, I mentally earmark it as something worth watching.

Seven?

Seven feels less like a trend and more like it’s tapping you on the shoulder saying, “Excuse me, we need to talk.”

On my recent travels, dynamic pricing came up in seven different conversations. I'm talking different cities, industry segments and different conferences. And while it’s not traditionally something I’ve associated with the mainstream professional beauty industry, it’s clearly creeping into the collective consciousness.

So the question becomes: Is dynamic pricing a clever commercial lever for clinics and salons — or a fast track to client confusion and trust erosion?

Let’s unpack it.

What Is Dynamic Pricing?

At its simplest, dynamic pricing is a strategy where prices shift based on demand, timing, availability, or other variables.

It’s not new. It’s just new to us.

Industries that have mastered it:

• Airlines – Ticket prices fluctuate based on demand, time to departure, seasonality and seat availability. Book early? You'll score a deal. Book last minute for school holidays? Ouch.

• Hotels – Rates change daily (sometimes hourly) depending on occupancy levels and local events.

• Uber – Surge pricing increases fares during peak demand.

• Ticketing & Events – Concerts and sporting events now regularly use variable pricing based on seat location and demand.

• E-commerce & Retail – Algorithms adjust prices in real-time depending on competitor activity, stock levels, and buying patterns.
  

In these industries, dynamic pricing is accepted because consumers expect variability. The pricing model is built into the category.

The beauty industry, however, has historically leaned into fixed menus. So what changes when we start playing with movement?

Why It’s Being Talked About Now

The professional beauty and aesthetic industry has changed dramatically over the past five years:

• Rising operational costs (rent, wages, insurance, compliance).

• Increased demand for premium time slots (after-hours, weekends).

• Software capabilities that allow real-time booking intelligence.

• A more commercially savvy clinic owner.

And perhaps most importantly — increased pressure on margins.

Dynamic pricing feels like a potential solution to the classic clinic pain points:

• Empty midweek columns.

• Fully booked Saturdays with long waitlists.

• High-demand practitioners versus junior team members with availability.

• Late cancellations and gaps.

When you zoom out, it’s not surprising the conversation is emerging.

What Dynamic Pricing Could Look Like in Professional Beauty

If done well (and carefully), dynamic pricing doesn’t have to look chaotic or opportunistic. It can be structured and strategic.

Here are practical examples for the pro beauty industry:

1. Time-Based Pricing (Peak vs Off-Peak)

• Monday–Wednesday appointments priced slightly lower.

• Friday evenings and Saturdays carry a premium.

• Early bird or “midday glow” incentives.

This is arguably the safest entry point. It doesn’t feel unpredictable — it feels logical.

We already accept this model in hospitality (happy hour, weekend surcharges). Clients understand time value.

2. Practitioner Tier Pricing

Many clinics already do this informally.

• Senior injector / master therapist = premium rate.

• Emerging therapist = accessible rate.

This is technically a form of dynamic pricing based on skill and demand. It allows clinics to:

• Increase revenue without raising prices across the board.

• Create growth pathways internally.

• Offer price-sensitive clients an entry option.

It protects margins while maintaining accessibility.

3. Demand-Based Pricing

This is where it becomes more complex.

Example:

• If a certain treatment books out six weeks in advance consistently, its price increases incrementally.

• If another treatment has low uptake, it’s incentivised.

This requires data literacy and confidence. It also requires client communication that doesn’t feel reactive or unstable.

4. Seasonal Pricing

Certain treatments are naturally seasonal:

• Body contouring in pre-summer months.

• Peels and corrective treatments in winter.

• Bridal packages in peak wedding season.

Instead of running perpetual “sales,” structured seasonal price adjustments could reflect genuine demand shifts.

5. Cancellation Gap Incentives

Rather than blanket discounting, clinics could:

• Offer short-notice booking incentives for last-minute gaps.

• Use automated SMS to fill columns with dynamic pricing offers.

This protects full-price bookings while optimising unused time.

The Big Question: Will It Work for Mainstream Beauty?

Here’s where nuance matters.

The professional beauty industry is built on three pillars:

1. Trust

2. Relationship

3. Consistency

Dynamic pricing works best in transactional industries.

Beauty and aesthetics are not purely transactional.

Clients are not buying a seat on a plane. They are buying:

• A result.

• A relationship.

• A sense of safety.
  

If pricing feels erratic or opportunistic, it risks undermining trust — particularly in aesthetic medicine, where transparency is already under scrutiny.

That doesn’t mean it won’t work. It means it must be handled carefully.

If implemented poorly, dynamic pricing could:

• Create client comparison behaviour (“Why did she pay less than me?”).

• Undermine loyalty.

• Encourage price-shopping.

• Position the clinic as reactive rather than premium.

Premium brands thrive on stability and confidence. Sudden price fluctuations can dilute that perception.

The Opportunity

If implemented strategically, dynamic pricing could:

• Increase revenue without blanket price hikes.

• Improve team utilisation.

• Smooth out demand patterns.

• Reduce discount reliance.

• Empower data-led decision making.

The key is framing.

It cannot feel like “surge pricing for Botox.”It must feel intentional, structured, and fair.

Where I Land (For Now)

Will dynamic pricing work for the mainstream beauty and aesthetic industry?

Yes — in controlled formats.

No — if it becomes free-for-all pricing.

The industry is still deeply relationship-led. Any commercial strategy that jeopardises emotional safety will struggle.

But subtle, structured dynamic models?

• Tiered practitioner pricing.

• Peak vs off-peak incentives.

• Seasonal alignment.

• Gap-filling strategies.

These feel commercially intelligent without eroding trust.

And if I’ve learnt anything from listening in seven different rooms across different cities — it’s that operators are ready to think more commercially.

Dynamic pricing isn’t about copying airlines.

It’s about asking:

• Where is demand outpacing supply?

• Where is capacity underutilised?

• How can pricing reflect value and time more accurately?

The conversation has started.

Now it’s about whether we adopt it thoughtfully — or reactively.

And in this industry, thoughtful always wins.