A More Flexible Dog Grooming Pricing Strategy: Introducing Smart Pricing

We have updated the way pricing works in Tailly.

For years, the industry standard—and our own previous system—relied on broad categories. While this worked well for standard breeds (a Westie is a Westie), it created friction for modern salons dealing with the explosion of Doodles and mixed breeds.

A Cockapoo can be a 6kg dog with a straight coat or a 15kg dog with tight, matted wool. A single price point simply cannot cover the variance in time, shampoo, and effort required.

To solve this, we have introduced smart pricing.

This update moves away from rigid lists and allows you to build a dog grooming pricing strategy based on size and coat type. Here is why we made this change and how it protects your salon’s revenue.

Moving Beyond Static Categories

Previously, you might have grouped breeds into categories. But when a medium dog walked in with a high maintenance coat, you were often stuck manually adjusting the price or explaining the extra charge at the reception desk.

Smart pricing changes this by creating a flexible grid based on attributes. It gives you granular control over your pricing without complicating your setup.

How Smart Pricing Works

Instead of pricing the breed name, you price the work involved. You can now configure a base table in your settings under a single service:

When a booking is created, the price and duration are automatically calculated based on the pet’s specific attributes.

Automatic Mapping: Solving the Doodle Problem

This is where the system saves you time. We have mapped our breed database to these attributes automatically.

• Standard Breeds: If a client selects Pug, the system immediately detects Small + Smooth and applies the £35 rate. No manual entry required.

• Variable Breeds: If a client selects Labradoodle, the system recognises this as a variable breed. It will prompt the user (or the client booking online) to specify the size and coat style (e.g., Wavy or Curly).

The result? An accurate price is generated before the dog walks in the door.

The Benefits for Salon Owners

This update is designed to reduce administrative stress and protect your profit margins.

1. Easier Price Updates

When your costs go up, you shouldn’t have to edit 300 individual breed prices. With smart pricing, you simply update the base rate for a specific attribute (e.g., Large Double Coat). This change instantly updates every breed attached to that profile.

2. Improved Quote Accuracy

By asking clarifying questions during the booking process, the system reduces sticker shock at the counter. Clients receive a realistic quote based on their dog’s actual physical description, not just a generic breed name.

3. Better Diary Management

Appointment duration is now linked to these attributes as well. A Giant Curly dog will automatically reserve more time in your calendar than a Giant Smooth dog, preventing your diary from running over.

Transitioning to the New System

If you are an existing Tailly user, your current prices have been preserved and the transition to the new smart pricing system has been handled automatically. You don’t need to do anything.

For new users, this system is active by default, allowing you to set up your entire salon’s pricing structure in minutes rather than hours.

This update reflects our commitment to building tools that handle the reality of modern grooming salons.