• A commission is a fee an agent charges to broker a transaction. As a salon owner, you should consider diversifying your business outside of standard hair, nail and spa services to become an agent of sorts. Think of your customers as more than people who want to look and feel beautiful---they are also consumers who need a variety of other products and services to meet their everyday needs. When you allow retailers to sell goods and services in your salon, you can then demand a retail commission from them.
  
  

Music CDs and DVDs

• Remember that most of your salon customers are captive audiences. They are either sitting waiting to be served or sitting in a chair while being served. This is a perfect opportunity to allow a retailer to display his goods. Entertainment goods, like compact discs and DVDs, are ideal items to display and sell to your customers. Allow the retailer to play a movie or music CD from his collection and set up a table with his goods. Keep in mind that some retailers might try to peddle illegal CDs and movies, so make sure the goods are legitimate and legal to avoid issues. Ask for a fair commission on total sales for each day, such as 15-25 percent of the proceeds.
  
  

Money Services

• If you notice the common locations for money services businesses, such as those that sell money orders, cash checks and send money to other locations, they are usually sites where people congregate like supermarkets and convenience stores. A salon is also an ideal site for a retailer to set up a money services business. You can either establish a franchise business with a money services firm or rent space in your salon and collect a commission from the owner on all transactions that occur at your location.
  
  

Salon Products

• Another opportunity for your salon business to generate retail commissions is with the hair, nail and spa products that you use in your salon. If your customers are happy with the way they look when they leave your salon, then be sure to tell them about the products you use. You can either purchase the products wholesale and sell them for a profit, or contract with the manufacturer to promote the product in your salon to customers in exchange for a commission from the company.