The Barber Shop Closure Wave: Whose Fault?

The Barber Shop Closure Wave: Whose Fault?From bustling street-side shops to luxurious influencer-approved salons, barber shops were once an indispensable part of life. However, in recent years, a strong wave of closures has swept through the barbering industry, and the once ubiquitous village barbershop is becoming increasingly scarce

The Barber Shop Closure Wave: Whose Fault?

From bustling street-side shops to luxurious influencer-approved salons, barber shops were once an indispensable part of life. However, in recent years, a strong wave of closures has swept through the barbering industry, and the once ubiquitous village barbershop is becoming increasingly scarce. Why are barber shops, unaffected by e-commerce, declining in the internet age? What are the hidden secrets behind this trend?

I. Service Attitude: A Golden Fleece for Lying on the Bed?

Many people now speak of barber shops with a lingering shadow on their faces. Poor service attitude has become a prevalent issue in the barbering industry. Many barber shops focus their attention on high-spending customers, showering them with attention, while manifesting indifference or even hostility towards regular consumers. This "differential treatment" has left many customers disgruntled.

1. Rampant Price Gouging:

In pursuit of maximized profits, some barber shops even resort to "ambush tactics." They may suddenly find fault during the service, refusing to continue under the guise of losing money or incurring losses. Consumers are forced to compromise and ultimately pay exorbitant prices for a haircut.

2. Predatory Behavior:

Shockingly, some barber shop staff exhibit a predatory style. They are burly, scold customers, and even demand contact information. This behavior is not only repulsive but also instills psychological fear, particularly for female customers.

3. Lack of Standardized Training:

Many barber shop staff haven't received professional training and lack basic professional ethics and service etiquette. They lack communication skills, speak rudely, and treat customers with a lack of patience and respect. Such low-quality staff inevitably have a negative impact on the barbershop.

4. Deceptive Misleading of Consumers:

Some barber shops exploit customers' unfamiliarity with hair care products, using high-priced products under the guise of "nourishing hair" and including them in the haircut cost at checkout. This deceptive behavior severely harms consumer interests and casts a shadow on the barbershop's reputation.

Case Study:

A few years ago, a barbershop in Langfang University Town was notorious for its appalling service attitude. It lured customers with low prices, but the actual operation was riddled with tricks. Barbers harassed female students and forced them to buy high-priced products. Eventually, the barbershop went bankrupt due to poor management, but similar incidents are not isolated.

Conclusion:

Barber shops with poor service attitudes, rampant price gouging, and a lack of standardized training are significant contributors to their closures. When consumers feel cheated, offended, and exploited, they naturally choose to leave and no longer patronize these establishments.

II. Technological Backwardness: The Embarrassment of Inadequate Skills

Barbers are lauded as "artistic artisans" who enhance customers' appearance and aura through haircutting and styling. However, as times have changed, barbering technology has also evolved. Some barbers remain stuck in past experiences, lacking a learning and improvement mindset, leading to technological backwardness and an inability to meet the growing demands of consumers.

1. Slow Technology Updates:

The barbering industry is constantly changing, with new hairstyles, products, and techniques emerging frequently. Some barbers are stuck in their ways and fail to learn new techniques, leading to technological backwardness and an inability to meet consumer preferences for fashion, individuality, and beauty.

2. Low Basic Skills:

Many barbers come from vocational schools or lack professional training, resulting in low basic skills, a lack of theoretical knowledge, and practical experience. They can only perform simple haircuts and are incapable of handling more technically demanding services like perms, coloring, and hair treatments.

3. Lack of Professional Skills:

Modern barbering techniques require barbers to possess solid technical fundamentals and mastery of various barbering tools and products. However, some barbers lack professional skills and have limited understanding of factors like hair texture, face shape, and head shape, resulting in an inability to design suitable styles for customers.

4. Poor Barbering Environment:

Barbers work in relatively harsh environments, standing, bending over, and rotating hand muscles for extended periods, leading to fatigue and affecting work efficiency and service quality. Some barbers experience insomnia, anxiety, and emotional instability due to excessive work pressure, further impacting service levels.

Case Study:

Some rural barber shops hire junior high school dropouts as barbers to save costs. These young individuals lack professional skills, their barbering skills are unrefined, and they can only perform simple haircuts. They cannot meet consumer needs.

Conclusion:

Low barbering skills and an inability to meet consumer expectations for barbering services are another major factor leading to barbershop closures. Consumers desire high-quality services and expect barbers to elevate their appearance and aura to new heights. However, some barbers with backward techniques cannot fulfill these requirements.

III. Exorbitant Fees: An Unaffordable "Beauty Burden"

As prices rise, costs like rent, utilities, and labor continuously increase, leading to rising barbershop operating costs. Some barber shops, to compensate for high costs, excessively raise haircut prices, making them inaccessible to consumers.

1. Increased Costs:

In recent years, rent, utilities, and labor costs have consistently risen, leading to inflated barbershop operating costs. To maintain operations, some barber shops can only pass these costs onto consumers, resulting in higher haircut prices.

2. Fierce Competition:

The barbering industry is fiercely competitive. To attract customers, some barber shops employ price wars, undercutting each other and diminishing profit margins. To compensate for lost profit, some barber shops raise fees for other services like perms, coloring, and hair treatments.

3. Inflated Prices:

Some barber shops, in pursuit of profits, set haircut prices excessively high, far exceeding actual costs. Many consumers find these prices too high and unacceptable, opting for more affordable alternatives.

4. Consumer Upgrading:

With rising consumer standards, consumers demand increasingly higher quality barbering services. Some barber shops cater to high-end consumers by introducing premium hair care products and offering high-tech services, leading to further price increases.

Case Study:

In major cities, perms and hair coloring services can cost thousands of dollars or more. Some consumers find these prices too high and unaffordable, choosing to color their hair at home or visit more affordable barber shops.

Conclusion:

Exorbitant fees and an inability to meet consumer price expectations are key factors contributing to barbershop closures. Consumers are becoming increasingly rational and refuse to pay for overpriced services. They seek value for their money and a rewarding experience.

IV. E-commerce Impact: Challenges to Traditional Models

While the barbering industry is not directly impacted by e-commerce platforms, their emergence has brought indirect negative effects to barber shops. E-commerce platforms' convenience, abundance, and transparency give consumers more choices and present greater challenges to barber shops.

1. Information Transparency:

E-commerce platforms provide consumers with vast amounts of information, enabling them to learn about different barber shops' price structures, service quality, and customer reviews. Consumers no longer need to make blind choices; they can select the most suitable barber shops based on their needs.

2. Product Abundance:

E-commerce platforms offer a wide range of hair care products, like hair dyes, hair treatment products, and barbering tools, allowing consumers to purchase their needs without leaving home, meeting their barbering needs.

3. Price Comparison:

E-commerce platforms enable convenient price comparison, allowing consumers to find the most affordable prices. To compete with e-commerce platforms, some barber shops are forced to lower haircut prices, reducing profits.

4. DIY Haircuts:

The rise of e-commerce platforms has made it easier for consumers to access barbering knowledge and techniques. They can choose to cut their hair at home. Consumers can perform simple barbering services like trimming bangs and washing hair at home, eliminating the need to visit barber shops.

Case Study:

Some consumers learn barbering techniques through e-commerce platforms and can perform simple barbering services at home, eliminating the need to visit barber shops. Some consumers purchase hair dyes through e-commerce platforms and color their hair at home, saving time and money.

Conclusion:

The rise of e-commerce platforms has given consumers more choices and presented greater challenges to barber shops. Barber shops need to continuously improve service quality, lower prices, and offer more personalized services to remain competitive.

V. Lack of Management: Absence of Industry Standards

The barbering industry lacks effective regulation and guidance, industry standards are absent, leading to chaotic management and inconsistent service quality in some barber shops.

1. Absence of Industry Standards:

The barbering industry lacks unified industry standards, resulting in the lack of a clear framework for operation. This absence of standards fosters a culture of inconsistency and unregulated practices, ultimately impacting the quality of services provided.

2. Inadequate Supervision and Guidance:

The absence of a robust regulatory framework allows for a lack of supervision and guidance within the industry. This absence creates a breeding ground for unscrupulous practices and a lack of ethical professionalism, contributing to the decline in public trust and customer satisfaction.

3. Lack of Professionalization:

Without clear industry standards, barbers lack a common benchmark for skill and expertise. This leads to a lack of professionalization within the industry, where individuals with varying levels of skill and training operate without a standardized framework for quality control.

4. Increased Risk for Consumers:

The absence of industry standards leaves consumers vulnerable to potential risks. Without clear regulations, consumers are

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