She had checked the website twice before booking. The service she wanted was listed clearly — $85, no asterisk, no small print that she could see. She confirmed the appointment, showed up on time, and sat in the chair feeling like she had done everything right.
Three hours later she was handed a bill for $240.
The breakdown included a "consultation fee" that had not been mentioned during booking. A "product application charge" that she had assumed was part of the service itself. A "styling fee" added at the end because the stylist had blown out her hair after the treatment — something she had not asked for and had assumed was standard practice.
She stood at the front desk and went through every line item one by one. Each time she questioned something she was pointed to a laminated card on the counter that listed the salon's additional charges. A card that was not visible from the styling chair. A card that had not been mentioned at any point during her three hours in the salon.
She asked why none of this had been explained when she booked online or when she arrived. She was told it was listed on the website. She checked the website again on her phone while standing at the desk. The additional fees were buried in a terms and conditions page three links deep from the booking page.
She paid because she felt she had no choice in that moment. But she disputed the charge with her bank the same evening and left a detailed review that has since been shared over two hundred times.
The $85 appointment cost her $240. The review it generated has cost the salon considerably more.