Kejriwal shared his personal experience, stating that he had initially booked a haircut through Urban Company, which charged him 350 rupees for the service. However, he found the home salon setup inconvenient and unsuitable for his needs. At the same time, the nearest traditional barber shop was located approximately 1.5 kilometres away, and he had no immediate means of transportation to reach it comfortably.
Faced with these constraints, he chose to visit a small barber shop located just downstairs from his residence. The haircut cost him only 60 rupees, and he returned home within 20 minutes of stepping out. He contrasted this experience with the app-based service, noting that both options involved similar skill levels, talent, and final results, yet differed significantly in pricing due to added convenience charges.
The Cost of Convenience in India
— Anirudh Kejriwal (@AnirudhKejriwal) June 13, 2026
Booked an Urban Company haircut ~ ₹350.
Not my usual thing…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 1.5km away. Didn’t feel like making the…
In his post, Kejriwal argued that platform-based services operate on a convenience-fee model, where users are effectively paying not just for the service itself, but for doorstep accessibility. He compared this business model to food delivery and service platforms such as Swiggy, Zomato, and Urban Company, stating that the premium reflects convenience rather than the core product.
Following the post, users on X engaged in a divided discussion. Some praised app-based services, emphasizing time savings and the avoidance of waiting at physical salons. Others expressed surprise at the 60-rupee haircut, noting that such pricing appears unusually low compared to typical urban rates in most cities.
The viral post has since fueled broader conversations around urban consumption patterns, digital convenience economies, and the growing trade-off between cost efficiency and time savings in modern service industries.
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