Understanding clients’ appointment preferences helps you tailor your business for a better experience.
Using recent sample data from 181,180 barbering appointments booked in Mangomint’s barbershop software, let’s dive into how clients prefer to book and manage their appointments.
How barbershop clients prefer to book their appointment
Online scheduling is the preferred method of booking barbershop appointments. In fact, 77.49% of barbershop appointments are booked online compared to 22.51% of appointments scheduled via walk-ins, phone bookings, and in-person scheduling.
77.49% of barbershop appointments are booked online
However, this statistic can reflect factors like your walk-in policy, ease of booking online, and reception availability. So, if your online scheduling rate is much lower than you would like, consider ways to improve your online booking experience. For example, does your software require clients to make an account? Data from Baymard Institute suggests that 26% of users will abandon their checkout when forced to create an account, making this the second-highest user pain point (behind hidden fees). You might also evaluate if your website or booking software is slow, unreliable, or glitchy, which could prompt clients to call instead.
Which days are the busiest for barbershops?
The end of the work week is the busiest time to be behind the chair in a barbershop, accounting for nearly 40% of all barbering appointments. This spike in appointments could come from clients preparing for their weekend plans or scheduling around barbershop closures.
The busiest days for barbershops are as follows:
Friday (20% of appointments)
Thursday (19% of appointments)
Wednesday (17% of appointments)
Tuesday (16% of appointments)
Saturday (15% of appointments)
Monday (7% of appointments)
Sunday (6% of appointments)
However, the best schedule for your business can vary depending on your area, service demand, and local competitors.
For example, Sundays and Mondays are likely slower because many barbershops are closed to give staff some rest while avoiding the profit loss from quieter days. However, if you are the only barber in your area open on Sundays and Mondays, you might tap into extra demand and revenue not reflected in most booking data.
The busiest time of day for barbers
Keeping your business well-staffed during the busiest times of the day can help you optimize your revenue potential. 11am is the busiest time of day for barbershop appointments, accounting for 11.76% of barbering appointment start times.
This pattern is common across other hair-focused and related businesses, including hair salons, lash salons, and brow bars, where we consistently see appointments peak between 10am - 12pm.
The complete list of popular booking start times includes:
11am (11.76% of appointments)
1pm (11.61% of appointments)
12pm (11.20% of appointments)
10am (11.11% of appointments)
3pm (10.79% of appointments)
4pm (10.55% of appointments)
2pm (9.76% of appointments)
5pm (9.16% of appointments)
6pm (5.74% of appointments)
9am (3.98% of appointments)
All other potential start times combined account for less than 5% of barbershop bookings.
How common are barbershop appointment cancellations?
On average, 14.05% of barbershop appointment bookings end in cancellation. This number is lower than other hair industry and adjacent businesses, including hair salons (16.96% cancellation rate), lash and brow bars (21.52% cancellation rate), and hair extension salons (18.56% cancellation rate).
14.05% of barbershop appointment bookings end in cancellation
Cancellation rates can have an impact on your schedule, availability, and your bottom line. This number can be influenced by a few factors, including your barbershop’s cancellation policy, whether or not you require a deposit for booking, and whether or not you send automated appointment reminders. These factors should be easy to adjust in your booking software to give you more control over cancellation rates (and how they impact your business).
Try Mangomint for free
See Mangomint in action instantly with pre-populated sample data. No credit card required. Free for 21 days.
Mangomint provides a seamless online booking experience, which can help maximize your business operations and boost revenue.
With our suite of barbershop management features, like email marketing, payroll processing, client management, staff management, and time-saving automations, it is easy to understand why we are the highest-rated barbershop software. You can explore Mangomint for free with a trial account or a live demo to get started today!
Emily Holzer is a Content Marketing Manager at Mangomint. She has a master’s degree in English and a passion for helping salons, spas, and other local beauty businesses thrive. When she is not writing, you can find her playing chess or tending to her houseplants. Fun fact: Emily has donated 8 ponytails (so far) across 5 hair loss charities in the U.S.
