Every salon needs colour, developers, treatments and products to sell at the counter. In Switzerland there are three ways to get them today: the traditional supplier with its sales rep, the big online shop, and a platform built for professionals, such as cliCHair. None of them is right for everyone. This guide explains what each one offers, where it works best and what cliCHair does differently, so you can choose on facts rather than habit.
We know both sides. cliCHair started in 2018 as ÜLTIMA hair concept, a professional distributor that worked the classic way: salon visits, samples, printed price lists. The platform was born from that experience.
The traditional supplier: the relationship comes first
Its strength is the person. The sales rep visits the salon, knows you, brings the new products and sometimes organises training. For many salons it is a relationship of years, and it has real value.
Its limit is that everything depends on that person and on their schedule. You order when the rep comes by, or by phone during office hours, which are often your working hours too. The best prices often come with package deals that also fill the stockroom with shades you rarely use. And when the rep changes, goes on holiday or retires, the way you buy changes with them.
The big online shop: plenty of choice, built for everyone
Its strength is the catalogue: thousands of products, fast delivery, orders at any hour.
Its limit, for a salon, is that it is built for the end customer. If the price is public, your client sees it too: it is hard to recommend a product at the counter when she can find it online at the same price you pay. And when you have a technical question about a protocol or a mix, a general customer service rarely answers like someone from the trade.
The cliCHair platform: what the sales rep did, always available
cliCHair was built to do online what the sales rep used to do, without the limits of time. Here is what changes in practice.
- A leaner structure, a lower cost for you. No network of sales reps, and the repetitive work is automated: our structure costs less, and that saving goes into the price you see. No inflated price list with apparent discounts layered on top.
- Net prices for salons, always visible. With a PRO account you see net prices excluding VAT on the whole catalogue, from the first piece: no package to buy to get the right price. Two salons with the same profile see the same price, whoever negotiates harder. PRO prices are not public, so your clients do not see them.
- Working tools, not just a catalogue. In the PRO area you find Quick Order (the whole catalogue on one page, with your profit visible before you buy), the Colour Calculator (what a service costs you and how much to order for the month), Kits that pay off and Earn on retail. On every product page, the profitability panel shows cost per service, break-even and profit.
- A technical consultant that always answers. clichAIr, the cliCHair AI assistant, answers on protocols, mixes, INCI and product compatibility, at any hour. When a verified professional reports a correction, our team checks it and clichAIr learns it: the answer improves for every salon.
- Technical data in plain sight. Every product page shows the full INCI list and the application protocol. Guides such as the ones on NIKA Grace Color and on Code Zero Gems help you choose shades, activators and quantities.
- Niche professional brands. cliCHair is the official importer of the brands it carries, such as NIKA and Code Zero: complete professional ranges, technical and colour lines included, that you do not find in every salon and that help you stand out.
- Logistics in Switzerland. Orders placed by noon, Monday to Friday, ship the same day with DHL Express. Shipping is free from CHF 99, and transport emissions are offset.
- A free account, fully online. Requesting a PRO account takes a minute; verification takes 1 to 24 business hours. No contract and no obligation to buy.
Training: the human moment
A technical product performs as well as the hand that applies it. We collect requests from salons: when enough salons share the same technical interest, we organise a dedicated session. Write to us with the subject that interests you.
When a traditional supplier is still the better choice
Let us be honest. If what matters most to you is regular visits in the salon, furniture and equipment, or a big brand that cliCHair does not carry, the traditional supplier remains the right choice.
Many salons do not pick just one. They keep their long-standing supplier for some things and use cliCHair for colour, care and retail, or as a Plan B when a product runs out at the last minute.
The comparison at a glance
| Traditional supplier | Big online shop | cliCHair | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How you order | With the sales rep or by phone | Online, at any hour | Online, at any hour, with Quick Order |
| Price for the salon | Often tied to packages and promotions | Usually the same for everyone | Net PRO price from the first piece, not public |
| Technical advice | The sales rep, when they visit | General customer service | clichAIr at any hour, our team for special cases |
| Salon tools | Depends on the supplier | No | Colour Calculator, Kits, Earn on retail, profitability on every product |
| Visits and training | Visits in the salon | No | No visits; training on request |
| Payment | Often on invoice | At checkout | At checkout, or in 30 days with Klarna |
Stories from salons
- Stories: Nathalie and the Supplier She Stopped Waiting For: a salon owner in Sion, tired of planning her week around the sales rep, finds a new way to order
- Stories: Giulia and the Numbers Behind Her Salon: what a colour service costs, how much to order and what each service earns
The tools in your PRO area
- Quick Order: the whole catalogue on one page, with your last orders
- Kits that pay off: what each service kit earns you
- Colour Calculator: the cost of a colour service and the stock for the month
- Earn on retail: your margin on every product sold at the counter
FAQ
Do I have to leave my current supplier? No. You can activate a PRO account and use it when you need it, even for just a few lines.
How much does the PRO account cost? Nothing. The account is free and there is no obligation to buy.
Is there a minimum order? No. cliCHair sells by the single piece, at your net PRO price.
How do I pay? At checkout, with Twint, PayPal, card or Klarna. With Klarna you can also pay in 30 days.
How fast does an order arrive? Orders placed by noon, Monday to Friday, ship the same day with DHL Express.
Who helps me with a technical question? clichAIr answers straight away, at any hour. For special cases our team answers in writing on business days: write to info@clichair.com.
Do you offer training? Yes, on request. We collect requests from salons and organise a dedicated session when enough salons share the same technical interest.
Do not have a PRO account yet? Registration is free and with no obligation to buy: Activate your PRO account
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