The user said that the additional ₹300 he would have spent through the app was essentially the price of convenience.
(Unsplash/Representational image)Taking to X, Anirudh Kejriwal recounted booking a haircut through Urban Company for around ₹350 shortly after moving to a new neighbourhood.
Reflecting on the experience, he argued that the additional ₹300 he would have spent through the app was essentially the price of convenience.
Anirudh further said that platforms such as Urban Company, Swiggy, Zomato and Blinkit have built successful businesses by simplifying logistics and reducing effort for consumers.
Swiggy, Zomato, Urban Company, Blinkit have built genuinely brilliant products.
A Mumbai-based man has sparked a discussion online after comparing the cost of an at-home haircut booked through an app with a haircut from a nearby local salon, arguing that consumers are often paying more for convenience than for the service itself. The user said that the additional ₹300 he would have spent through the app was essentially the price of convenience. (Unsplash/Representational image)
Taking to X, Anirudh Kejriwal recounted booking a haircut through Urban Company for around ₹350 shortly after moving to a new neighbourhood. He said that he was not particularly fond of the idea of turning his living room into a temporary salon but opted for the service because the nearest barbershop listed on Google Maps appeared to be 1.5 km away.
However, the appointment did not go as planned. Anirudh said that the hairstylist called to inform him that his two-wheeler had broken down and that he would be several hours late. Since he would not be available later in the day, Anirudh said that he decided to cancel the booking and step outside in search of an alternative.
What transpired next surprised him. “Just went downstairs hoping to find something. And there, tucked between two shops, was a tiny saloon I’d walked past without noticing,” Anirudh wrote, revealing that he got a haircut there for ₹60 and was back home within 20 minutes.
Reflecting on the experience, he argued that the additional ₹300 he would have spent through the app was essentially the price of convenience. “ ₹300 extra was the price for convenience at home. Nearly 6x the actual price,” he wrote.
“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, same hands, same result,” he added.
Anirudh further said that platforms such as Urban Company, Swiggy, Zomato and Blinkit have built successful businesses by simplifying logistics and reducing effort for consumers.
“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, 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,” he said.
