Mumbai man's Rs 60 haircut vs Rs 350 app service gets people debating convenience

Anirudh Kejriwal, a digital creator by profession, shared a post on X recounting how he had booked an Urban Company haircut for around Rs 350 after recently moving to a new area.

In Short

• Man pays Rs 60 for local haircut, rethinks app service premium
• Booked Urban Company haircut for Rs 350, faced delay
• Convenience, not quality, seen as main reason for higher app charges

A man in Mumbai has triggered a discussion on social media after sharing how a Rs 60 haircut at a neighbourhood salon made him rethink the premium consumers pay for convenience through app-based services.

Anirudh Kejriwal, a digital creator by profession, shared a post on X recounting how he had booked an Urban Company haircut for around Rs 350 after recently moving to a new area.

"Not my usual thing. I don't love the idea of a makeshift salon setup in my living room, but I'd just moved to a new area and the nearest barbershop on Google Maps was 1.5 km away. I didn't feel like making the trip," he said.

However, the appointment did not go as planned: "The guy called and said his two-wheeler had broken down and he'd be a few hours late. I asked if it was okay to cancel because I wouldn't be available in the evening and stepped out.”

While outside, he stumbled upon a small salon near his building that he had previously overlooked: "Just went downstairs hoping to find something. And there, tucked between two shops, was a tiny salon I'd walked past without noticing. Sat down. Got a clean haircut. Rs 60. Walked back up in under 20 minutes."

The experience led him to reflect on the value proposition of convenience-based platforms: "Rs 300 extra was the price for convenience at home. Nearly six times the actual price.”

Kejriwal argued that in many cases, the premium paid on platforms is not necessarily for better quality.

"And this is the thing about India specifically - the 'expensive' app and the 'cheap' guy on the street aren't different quality tiers. They are often the same skill, the same hands, and the same result,” he said, adding: “The platform just charges you for the convenience of not having to find and travel. And that's not a criticism — that is the business model. Swiggy, Zomato, Urban Company and Blinkit have built genuinely brilliant products. Their entire value proposition is owning the last mile between you and your couch.”

"Convenience is the product. You are not overpaying for a haircut - you are paying for not having to think about the logistics,” Kejriwal concluded.

Read the entire post here:

The post prompted a lively discussion, with many users agreeing that convenience, rather than the service itself, is what customers are paying for.

Many users agreed with Kejriwal's observation, saying that convenience-based platforms are essentially charging for saved time and effort rather than a fundamentally different service.

"I was my mother's Blinkit, Swiggy and barber during COVID. We pay for convenience. I sent my son to get a few things recently, and he was upset that I could have ordered them on Zepto for less. I had to agree. I still prefer buying vegetables from the weekly Thursday market rather than using last-mile delivery apps," one user said.

However, others argued that the premium charged by such platforms is justified given the comfort and time savings they offer.

"No one gives a Rs 60 haircut nowadays unless he's sitting on a footpath with a makeshift chair and rusted scissors. Rs 300 for a haircut at home is quite reasonable once you're used to it," another user said.

Several users also said they were happy to pay extra to avoid travelling to a salon or waiting for their turn: "It really is the cost of convenience, but it's something I don't mind paying. I remember being a kid and going to the salon on a Sunday only to wait an hour for my turn. Now the salon comes to you. For a once-a-month haircut, I'll take that deal.”

Echoing a similar sentiment, another user wrote, "I started using Urban Company for haircuts because I don't want to waste two to three hours at a salon waiting for my turn and listening to loud music while I wait. It's definitely a convenience."

Others said convenience-focused startups succeeded because they solved problems that local businesses often did not: Rightly put. The entire startup model is about convenience for a fee, and it has worked like a charm.”

Another added, "These companies were created because of the lack of convenience and, at times, the arrogance of local stores, barbers and dairies. There was a time when they would deliver to your home for free or for a small fee, but over time they stopped, and now they are going extinct."

"You're paying for logistics and saving time. Time is the key. There's also the possibility that the Urban Company professional has received formal training in hairstyling," another user said.

What is your take on this?

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