If you are a salon owner, you already know how tough it is right now. You are working back-to-back clients, trying to keep your staff happy, managing endless inventory orders, and sweeping up hair at the end of a 10-hour day.
And after all of that? You sit down to look at your bank account, and there is barely enough money left to pay yourself a decent wage.
Running a hair or beauty business often feels like a constant battle against rising costs. Rent goes up, product costs go up, and wage bills increase. Now, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has just announced a massive change that could take another bite out of your profits…..if you aren’t prepared.
Today, the RBA announced that starting October 1, 2026, businesses will be banned from charging customers a surcharge for using debit and credit cards.
If money is already tight, hearing that you might have to absorb the cost of EFTPOS fees is terrifying. But take a deep breath. You have time to prepare, and fixing this is easier than you think.
Here is exactly what the RBA changes mean for the hair and beauty industry, what you need to do, and how you can actually use this as an opportunity to fix your pricing once and for all.
What Did the RBA Actually Announce?
According to their official media release (Review of Merchant Card Payment Costs and Surcharging), the RBA is making some big changes to how payments work in Australia. Here are the simple facts:
While lower fees and better transparency are great, the reality is that you will still be paying card fees, and you can no longer legally ask the client to cover them as a separate line item on their bill.
What This Means for Your Salon
Let’s be honest. If you change nothing, you will be paying those card fees out of your own pocket starting in October 2026.
If your salon makes $5,000 a week in card payments, and your merchant fee is 1.5%, that is $75 a week, or nearly $4,000 a year, vanishing from your bank account.
If your profit margins are already incredibly tight, this extra cost will eat directly into the money you take home to your family. For solo operators and salon owners with staff, treating your business like a hobby instead of a profitable enterprise is no longer an option. You simply cannot afford to absorb these costs without making changes to your pricing strategy.
How Salon Owners Can Prepare for the RBA Changes
You do not need to panic, and you definitely do not need to hire an expensive business coach to figure this out. You just need to take a few simple, strategic steps over the next few months.
How Insightful Sums Is the Solution You Need
We know that math is the last thing you want to be doing after a long day on the salon floor. Before you spend thousands on a business coach to help you navigate these RBA changes, let our easy-to-use software uncover the hidden profits in your current service list.
At Insightful Sums, we built our software specifically for Australian hair, beauty, lash, and barber businesses who hate complicated spreadsheets.
Our Simple Pricing Calculator takes the exact guesswork out of your price list. You simply input your products, your prices, and the time a service takes, and we do the heavy lifting.
We help you:
Calculate your exact service costs down to the last drop of product.
Easily build merchant fees into your base prices so you never lose money at the checkout.
See exactly what your staff cost you without eating into your own profits.
No tech headaches. No financial degrees required. Just clear, simple numbers so you can finally stop guessing and start paying yourself properly.
Ready to turn your passion into a paycheck and prepare your salon for 2026?
Quick & Painless Setup
No tech headaches and no financial degree required. Get your salon set up in minutes so you can get back to doing what you love behind the chair.
Price Your Services for Profit
Take the guesswork out of your price list. Easily calculate exactly what to charge for every cut, colour, or treatment so you actually make money…..not just cover your costs.
Discount Without Losing Money
Want to run a special promotion? See exactly how a discount will affect your bottom line before you offer it, so you never accidentally work for free.
Set Clear Team Targets
Know exactly what each team member needs to bring in for your salon to stay profitable, without having to do any complicated math.
Simple Retail Markups
Stop wondering if retail is worth it. Quickly calculate your markups to see the exact profit you make on every shampoo, serum, or styling product you sell.
Your Business at a Glance
See exactly where your money is going. One simple, stress-free screen that makes your salon’s finances finally make sense.
Frequently asked questions
When does the RBA ban on EFTPOS surcharges start?
The RBA has announced that the removal of surcharging on debit, prepaid, and credit cards will come into effect on October 1, 2026.
Will the RBA changes lower my merchant fees?
Yes, the RBA is lowering the caps on interchange fees, which should result in lower overall costs for businesses accepting card payments. However, you will still have fees to pay, and you will need to absorb them into your service prices.
How do I adjust my salon prices for the RBA surcharge ban?
You need to calculate your average merchant fee percentage (e.g., 1.5%) and factor that cost into the base price of every service on your menu. Using a dedicated salon pricing calculator like Insightful Sums makes this math easy and error-free.
Can I still charge a fee for Afterpay or Zippay?
The current RBA announcement focuses on standard debit and credit cards (eftpos, Mastercard, Visa). However, they plan to consult on regulating ‘buy-now, pay-later’ services in mid-2026, so changes to BNPL surcharges may also be coming soon.
Do I need to be a math expert to use Insightful Sums?
Not at all. If you can enter the price of a tube of colour or a bottle of shampoo, Insightful Sums handles all the complicated math for you.
