What you need
- Your current price.
- Your cost per sale (materials, direct labor, fees).
- The size of the change, as a percentage.
- Optional: customers or sales a month.
1. Find profit per sale now
A dog groomer charges $70. Shampoo, supplies, a helper’s time and the card fee come to $22. Profit per groom: $48.
2. Find profit per sale after the change
An 8% increase makes the price $75.60. Profit per groom becomes $75.60 − $22 = $53.60. All of the increase goes to profit, because costs didn’t change.
3. Work out how many sales you can lose
Sales you can lose = 1 − (profit now ÷ profit after). 1 − 48 ÷ 53.60 = 10.4%. With 120 grooms a month, she could lose 12 customers and earn the same; every customer she keeps beyond that is extra profit.
4. Run the same math on a discount
A 15% sale cuts the price to $59.50 and profit per groom to $37.50. Extra sales needed = (profit now ÷ profit after) − 1 = 48 ÷ 37.50 − 1 = 28% more grooms, just to stand still.
In a spreadsheet
B1: Price (70)
B2: Cost per sale (22)
B3: Change (8%)
B4: Can lose after a raise: =1-(B1-B2)/(B1*(1+B3)-B2)
B5: Need after a cut: =(B1-B2)/(B1*(1-B3)-B2)-1
Make the decision
Compare the number with what you know about your customers. If losing 10% seems unlikely, the increase is low risk. Give notice, explain it plainly, and watch cancellations for a month.
Published by Groundwork Business Advisory. Updated October 19, 2026.