How Much Can Barbers & Barbershop Owners Make Selling Retail in Their Shop?

When most people think of a barbershop, they think of haircuts, fades, and good conversations.
But there’s another side of the business that often gets overlooked—retail sales. Selling hats, grooming products, or barber-inspired fashion inside the shop can turn into a powerful stream of income for both individual barbers and shop owners.

Why Retail Matters in the Shop

Adding retail to your shop doesn’t just bring in more money—it builds your brand. When clients leave with a hat, a hair product, or other merchandise, they become walking billboards for your shop. Retail keeps your name outside the barbershop and creates customer loyalty, while boosting profits that go straight to your bottom line.

Breaking Down the Numbers

Let’s look at a realistic example:

• Average client base: 20–30 clients per week per barber
• Average shop size: 8–12 barbers
• Popular retail product price: $20 (hats, hair products, etc.)
• Profit margin per product: $10–$12 per sale

Example: One Barber’s Retail Sales

If one barber sells just 5 products per week at $20 each:

• Weekly profit = $50–$60
• Monthly profit = $200–$240
• Yearly profit = $2,400–$3,000

Now imagine if they sell 10 products per week—it doubles.

Example: A Full Shop’s Retail Sales

If a shop has 10 barbers, each selling just 5 products per week:

• Weekly profit = $500–$600
• Monthly profit = $2,000–$2,400
• Yearly profit = $24,000–$30,000

And if the shop owner takes a percentage or stocks their own branded products, that yearly number climbs even higher—sometimes into the six-figure range depending on volume.

What You Can Sell in a Barbershop

• Custom hats (like Barber Hat Plug exclusives)
• Hair care & styling products (pomades, clays, powders)
• Beard care products (oils, balms, serums)
• Apparel (t-shirts, hoodies, beanies)
• Accessories (combs, brushes, durags)

The Secret to Success: Consistency

The key isn’t selling to every client—it’s offering retail consistently.
If you treat retail as part of the experience, clients expect it.
Barbers who recommend products confidently (not pushy, just informative) build trust and close more sales.

Final Thoughts

Retail can turn your barbershop into more than just a place for cuts—it becomes a lifestyle brand. Whether you’re selling hats from Barber Hat Plug or stocking your own line of grooming products, the numbers show that retail isn’t just extra money—it’s a growth strategy.

Even at the lowest effort (5 sales a week), barbers and shop owners can make thousands of extra dollars per year. At scale, retail can turn into a major profit center that pays for rent, upgrades, or expansion.

So the question isn’t “Should I sell retail in my barbershop?”
It’s “How much am I leaving on the table by not selling it?”