An analog stopwatch on a wooden table, symbolizing time management and efficiency.
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10-Minute Cut VS Shanghai Barber Shop (Part 3) ~ Seeds of Marketing 110

~ Is “Efficiency” the Greatest Value? A New Barber Model Born of the Times ~

Times change, and so do norms. The value once placed on “Barbering = Carefulness and Luxurious Time” has shifted. Today, “Fast, Cheap, and Easy” are the priorities. In this context, the success of QB House is a symbolic case study that perfectly captures the needs of the era. ✨

✅ The “3 Weapons” of QB House 💡

There are clear reasons why QB House has expanded so widely.

1. “Complete in 10 Minutes”: Matching the Time-Efficiency Ideology ⏰ It allows people to get a quick cut between work tasks, before traveling, or during a brief gap in their schedule. For modern people, the timeframe of “10 minutes” offers a “sense of security that time is not being wasted.”

2. “No Shampoo”: Redefining Service 💈 By intentionally omitting shampooing and face shaving, they achieved “rationality by trimming the fat.” Reducing the burden on the customer also leads to keeping prices low.

3. “No Reservation Required”: Go Whenever You Want 💨 Eliminating the hassle of booking successfully removed the psychological barrier, enhancing “ease of use.” They meet the impulsive need of, “I want to cut my hair right now.”

📈 Data Speaks: The Expansion of Support

  • Scale: Over 700 stores domestically and internationally (including 50+ in Hong Kong) as of 2024.

  • Speed: Average service time is about 12 minutes (entry to exit).

  • Demographics: About 60% of users are males in their 20s–40s (a segment that values cost-performance and time-efficiency).

In short, the widespread value that “Time is as valuable as money” forms the fertile ground supporting this model.

✅ From a Marketing Perspective… 🧠✨

QB House was innovative because it dared to go against the “common sense” of traditional barber shops.

  • Traditional Barbers: Focus on full service, polite hospitality, reservation-based.

  • QB House: Focus on minimum necessary functions, speed/efficiency, no reservation, immediate use.

By identifying “What value do customers really want?” and concentrating on it, they succeeded in clear differentiation. Moreover, they didn’t just lower the price. They established a brand aesthetic of “decisive minimalism,” creating a virtuous cycle where that cleanliness breeds trust.

✅ The Clear Contrast with Shanghai Barber Shops 💬

What Hong Kong’s Shanghai Barber Shops provided was “a service to savor time.” However, many modern consumers are seeking “a service to save time.” The inability to adapt to this shift in values is one reason for the shrinking market of traditional barbers.

🔍 Summary: The New Richness Born of “Efficiency”

The “slow and relaxing barber experience,” once considered a luxury, is sometimes viewed as “inefficient” today. On the other hand, what QB House offers is a modern type of richness: “Fast, Cheap, but Satisfying.”

  • What is service?

  • What do customers really want?

  • How do we meet the market’s “unconscious needs”?

This business model embodies the answers to these questions. ✂️🚶‍♂️

(To be continued…)
You may want to read the previous post ” TPO and Marketing’s Relationship, Part 1 ~Seeds of Marketing 102″