Get an attractive tan but don't get burned by tanning lotion prices!

Chintzy loves a deal -- and hates unsightly tan lines

Chintzy loves a tan almost as much as he loves a deal and has been known to frequent an indoor tanning salon, to enjoy the convenient bronzing and the refreshing effects of a quick lie down in pseudo-sunlight no matter the time of day nor weather.  Pasty skin is an occupational hazard of too many hours researching deals in front of the computer, and besides, Chintzy hates tan lines.

 Salon tanning may or may not be your thing, but if you're reading Chintzy's blog then its an easy bet that you enjoy reading about a good deal.  And that's what we've got here today.

     But what good story would be complete without an evil villain?  

By now you know how Chintzy feels about being taken advantage of as a consumer.  He doesn't like it.  One bit.  And we've got what Chintzy considers to be a prime example of this for your consideration today.

First of all, Chintzy feels like indoor tanning salon lotions are a bit of a guilty pleasure.  He doesn't buy most of that sales talk that says that these lotions are better, and stupidly more expensive, and only available in salons for magical reasons.  But we won't debate that.  You want the product, your reasons are your own, and whats wrong with Chintzy wanting to have soft skin and a pleasant scent anyways?

The example above was the worst case scenario Chintzy could find in researching this topic.  But the model and percentages hold true across the board in Chintzy's experience.  Seriously, what is worth $200 in that bottle of lotion?  If Chintzy goes to Walmart, moisturizer can be had for about $5 - $7.   Don't tell me -- they're magic beans, right?  

Just to get the point across, let's take a look at some company marketing materials designed to defend their salon-only (and high priced) approach.

Are you kidding me?  I'm surprised they didn't suggest they would make you sterile, too.  Well, I guess the company is entitled to their opinion.  They should probably charge you even more for keeping you safe from the evil online marketers, because really, don't you value your skin?  It's priceless, after all.

    Chintzy would love to know their rationale for somehow being the weak link as far as online sales go -- I mean, you can buy just about anything on the internet these days and be reasonably certain that you are getting a genuine article.  Maybe they figure their customers aren't able to distinguish these things?

Chintzy will let you decide for yourself (as anyone without an agenda would do).  Are you ready for the deal?

Wow.  Thats more than a 50% savings, especially when you figure in the taxes on the salon product which you likely will not have to pay online.  We're probably still paying a ridiculous amount of money for what is moisturizer and perfume, but at least we're doing it with significant savings.  Chintzy's research although not definitive, which included internal company documents  not for public consumption, suggests that salon cost begins at around 50% of MSRP.  I can only imagine that further discounts and incentives are available for volume customers.  

A few tips on ordering online -- unfortunately there's no be all and end all for ordering lotion, you have to do your research.  Depending on where you live, selection and especially shipping costs can vary by a large degree.  During Chintzy's research out of country shipping ranged from $9 - $40 for the cheapest shipping option available.  So unless you are local to the seller, as Chintzy was not, you have to keep an eye on those shipping charges (look for around $9 - $12) and consider buying a 2nd or 3rd bottle because if you are using a good e-tailer usually there is just a small additional handling fee, meaning you save even more.    

     But what about all that fear and uncertainty about counterfeits the salons talk about?

Alright, here's the skinny.  Chintzy has made multiple purchases of different types of tanning lotion online, including from ebay, and compared them to real "salon bought" products.  They were indistinguishable.  The scent, texture, and effects were all completely genuine.  The only thing that wasn't genuine was the super deal Chintzy got, avoiding the ridiculous salon retail prices.  Your mileage may vary, but Chintzy's bet is on the online retailers.

     Still not convinced?  Chintzy turns up some juicy secret info

 Be advised -- Chintzy's investigation was able to uncover information linking at least one tanning site "under the covers" so to speak to a real salon.  Now that's a no no from the manufacturer's point of view, so Chintzy won't divulge names or sources, but it seems plausible that this is probably the case of other online tanning sites as well.  And more power to them!

    It's obvious now that online retailers are the way to go, so where do we go?

Chintzy can personally recommend Cheap Tanning Lotion Online for good shipping prices and quality product, although their selection has recently gotten smaller so it would seem changes are afoot.  Another online retailer that came up with decent shipping policies was Tanfastic, although Chintzy can not personally vouch for their services or products.  If you are from the great US of A then there are so many e-tailers with good deals and cheap shipping that really you're not going to need a pointer from Chintzy, just do a little searching.

So next time you're enjoying an indoor tan, hopefully you're enjoying it with a reasonably priced lotion product.  Until next time,

Good deals to you,

Chintzy